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My brother-in-law Ron Oliver sent this to me this morning, It really hit home for me.  I will share it with you and post some of the last images from St Croix.  Have a blessed weekend and remember the key sentence of this little story;  Aspire to inspire before you expire!!

 

Sometimes it’s the smallest gesture that leaves the greatest impression.

 

The Cab Ride

I arrived at the address and honked the horn, after waiting a few minutes

I walked to the door and knocked. ‘Just a minute’, answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor..

After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 90’s stood before me.  She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned

on it, like somebody out of a 1940’s movie.

 

By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years.  All the furniture was covered with sheets.

 

There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware.

 

“Would you carry my bag out to the car?” she said. I took the suitcase

to the cab, then returned to assist the woman.

 

She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb.

 

She kept thanking me for my kindness. ‘It’s nothing’, I told her..

‘I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother to be

treated.’

 

‘Oh, you’re such a good boy, she said. When we got in the cab, she gave

me an address and then asked, ‘Could you drive through downtown?’

 

‘It’s not the  shortest way,’ I answered  quickly..

‘Oh, I don’t mind,’ she said. ‘I’m in no hurry. I’m on my way to a hospice.  ‘

 

I looked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were glistening. ‘I don’t have

any family left,’ she continued in a soft voice.. ‘The doctor says I don’t have very long.’ I quietly reached over and shut off the meter.

 

‘What route would you like me to take?’ I asked.

 

For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me

the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator.

 

We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived

when they were newlyweds She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.  Sometimes she’d ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying  nothing.

As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, ‘I’m  tired. Let’s go now’.  We drove in  silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico.

 

Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were

solicitous and intent, watching her every move. They must have been expecting her.  I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to

the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair.

‘How much do I owe you?’ She asked, reaching into her purse.

‘Nothing,’ I said ‘You have to make a living,’ she answered.

‘There are other passengers,’ I responded.

Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly.

‘You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,’ she said.   ‘Thank you.’

I squeezed her hand, and then walked into the dim morning light.. Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life..

 

I didn’t  pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly lost in thought. For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient

to end his shift?  What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked

once, then driven away?  On a quick review,  I don’t think that I have done anything more important in my life.  We’re conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments.  But great moments often catch us unaware-beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one.

 

PEOPLE MAY NOT REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT YOU DID, OR WHAT YOU SAID ~BUT~THEY WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL.

 

Aspire to inspire before you expire……….

 

“One day you will be just a memory to  some people…  Do your best to

be a good one.”

 

From:

Bill Denton, AIA

William S. Denton & Associates Architects

430 Burridge Drive

Sevierville, Tennessee 37862

865-548-1982 – Cell

 

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

The last of my St. Croix color……….

 

 

Why wait, too hot at the pool!  So here is the disclaimer, remember this is my thoughts on menus settings after one week of using the camera!!!  For only a week I think I’ve learned a lot, but keep in mind some of these first thoughts could change over time, but for now I”ll stick by them!

 

SHOOTING MENU:

BKT/Adv. SETTING :  This is where you set up all your initial BKT settings:

Mine are as follows:

AE Bkt  +/- 1 Stop

ISO BKT  +/- 1 Stop

Film Simulation BKT  Film 1   Std  (Provia)    Film 2  S  (Astia)   Film 3  B (monochrome no filter)

White Balance BKT  +/- 1

 

Auto Focus Setting  

AF Mode   Area   (the rest can be set as you work)

 

 

Advanced Filter (to your liking)

 

ISO Auto Control  (These setting take affect when you turn the ISO dial to A)

Default Sensitivity   400

Max. Sensitivity   3200

Min. Shutter Speed   1/125

 

Image Size    ( change this depending on subject shape in the Q Menu )

Default  3:2

 

Image Quality   I shoot F (Fine jpeg)  You can choose RAW or jpeg + RAW

 

Dynamic Range   I’ve found AUTO to work great.

 

Self Timer   Off  –  I assigned Self timer to the Function button FN button that says WiFi because I use a 2 second delay a lot!!!!!

 

 

Interval Timer Shooting   (only go there when I want to use that feature)

 

White Balance    Normally set to AUTO  however is easy to set in the Q menu and I do often!

 

For now I have all he following at 0

Color  0

Sharpness   0

Highlight Tone   o

Shadow Tone   0

Noise Reduction   0

 

Long Exposure Noise Reduction :  ON  

 

Select Custom Setting   is still on 1

 

Edit and Save Custom Settings :    Used when needed.

 

Mount Adapter Setting  Is set with the focal length manual focus lens you are attaching.

* I have a Kiron  (Amazon)  for attaching older Nikon lenses to the camera)  And they work great!  Especially he 200mm Micro Nikkor!

 

Shoot Without Lens  Turn to On if you attach a manual lens via adapter other wise it should be off,  (be sure to remember and turn the focus selector on the bottom left front of the body to M for manual if you are using a manual focus lens)

 

MF Assist   I like Focus Peak White  (you can try them and pick the best for you!)

 

AE/AF Lock Mode   I have mine set to:  On when pressing

 

AF-Lock Mode   AF ONLY

 

Flash Compensation   (Depends on situation)

 

Red Eye Removal   OFF

 

Movie Set-Up   Haven’t fooled with it yet, I’m not a videographer

 

IS Mode   CONTINUOUS

 

Wireless Communication   For setting up Wireless which is very exciting!  With this camera and the Fuji App, gives you about the same features as Cam Ranger!!!

 

FUNCTION SETTINGS:

 

The 8th item down is FUNCTION FN SETTINGS

This allows you to set the Function buttons for the things you do the most often, and is a great feature that makes using the camera much easier!!!

 

Just for the record here are my settings:   Yours may be different!

 

Function 1   Acrtivate focus points

Function 2   Self Timer

Function 3   Close-up focusing Setting

Function 4   DRV  (Bracket settings)

Function 5    White Balance

Function 6    Face Detection Auto Focus

 

Color Space:   sRGB  (best for Web and Ink Jet Printing)

 

Some other thoughts:

I’ve found the Velvia film simulation to be a little over saturated, except when shooting killer color on overcast day, then it rocks!!!!

 

Astia has become my favorite Color Simulation setting, the colors are rich and the overall image is slightly less contrasty.  Provia comes in second and the Monochrome setting are flat out crazy good!  I rarely need to use NIK Silver Effects Pro anymore if I get a monochrome out of the camera.   My standard set up is BKT mode film simulations, So I get Astia – Provia  & Monochrome of every single shot!  Hot dang!!!!  

 

 

 

I shoot in Aperture Priority mode (Shutter Speed knob on A)

 

This is a general tip:  The X-T1 has a great Dynamic Range in Auto, but it still is best to shoot on sunny days during the first two and last two hours of the day, and of course all day on overcast or rainy days.   Contrast is harder to control when there are hard edged shadows, though there is an exception to every rule and strong contrast can be appealing for certain subject, but not all!!

 

 

I hope these ideas will help you, the X-T1 is a very forgiving camera, but like all photographic instruments the better you know it, the better you can take advantage of it’s qualities!!

 

Please share your thoughts here too…..

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

O.K. Questions from my email!

 

Question 1  Can you describe how the color simulations are different?

 

Yes,  Velvia is very much like the Fuji film Velvia, very punchy colors, rich saturation and high contrast, blacker blacks and deeper reds, oranges, yellows, and greens.  Provia is a more accurate portrayal of color.  Good rich color but not as punchy as Velvia.  Astia is a softer lower contrast color with rich deep color, just less contrast!!  The two film palates are very much like two of negative film emulsions from Fujifilm, I never shot either and don’t use them on the digital cameras.  For everyday stuff I shoott Provia and Astia, for overcast days and rich color I shoot Velvia.  All the monochromes are killer, choose the filtered ones based on subject matter.

 

Question 2    At what ISO do you become concerned about noise?

 

I always use the lowest ISO I can.  Having said that I feel comfortable using up to ISO 3200 without a problem, I do shoot at 6400 when I need to and even though there is noise it is just very fine and no color noise!  That is one of the most amazing things about the Fuji X System cameras!  Above 6400?  Go there only if you must, I don’t!!  Well unless I saw Elvis at a truck stop!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just wanted you guys to know Sherelene and I got to Marco Island safely, it was 27 degrees when we boarded the plane in Louuisville this morning it’s 85 here, I like this better!!  Miss my buddies at Shaker, but I know they and Dave are burning it up “photographically!”   I will try to keep you posted this week!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

Photo Note:  Fuji X-Pro 1, 18-55, view from our room!!!

 

Today we really started to get it in gear, with great early morning locations that yielded great shooting opportunities.  The fellowship has been even better than the photography and that is a saying a lot.  This group is made up of some of my dearest previous workshop friends, and some great new friendships that are being formed each day.  For me photography is and always has been about the people.  I’ve been blessed to work with great shooters and people, teach alongside gifted photographers and educators, and work with and share with talented and wonderful folks.  As much as I enjoy sharing photography with others, I equally am blessed with seeing what they are learning from each other and what they are teaching me.  You’re never finished learning, and that’s a good thing.  I would have no interest in doing anything at which I could master completely.  What would you do if you couldn’t learn anymore?  I don’t ever want to find that out, and trust me, there is little chance of that happening.

 

The greatest joy of teaching is seeing the excitement and enthusiasm rise up in those you share with.  It’s an amazing thing to see someone else’s life enriched from something you’re gotten to be a part of.  These people at this workshop are of all skill levels, but everyone wants to get better, and everyone is working to those ends!

 

Father, thank you for the joy of learning, the desire to make ourselves better, and the happiness it brings when we see even a little progress.  I ask that even more than photography, you help each of us to grow in our knowledge, love, and devotion to you.  Amen

 

the pilgrim