Category : Pilgrim’s Chronicles

Before I get going on gear talk, let me say a sincere thank you to the great people that joined me in my programs at Photoshop World in Las Vegas!  You guys were great and a lot of fun to present a program for.   I also want to thank all those wonderful folks that stopped me just to say hi, it was great to meet the people that are helping make my dreams come true!!!!

 

So later this week I fly to Kalispel, Montana to head up into Glacier National Park for the long awaited workshop with Dr. Charles Stanley, Jim, and my great team!  We have a fantastic group of folks joining us and  anticipate a great workshop experience!  I will be there a couple of days before the group arrives doing some scouting and shooting some for myself, I seldom get to do any really serious shooting when my attendees arrive.  I’ve been working on the “perfect” working field system for some time, I think I’m getting close!  Here is what I will transport to the workshop in my Think Tank Airport Security 2.0 bag:

 

A Nikon D800 body  (lenses to cover 16mm to 300mm)

Nikon 28-300 AF-S VR f 3.5-5.6

Nikon 16-35 AF-S VR f 4

Yongnuo MC-36 R Wireless Remote

 

Fuji X-E1 Body   (Lenses to cover 21mm to 300mm)

Fuji X100s camera / 35mm f 2  *(used to shoot the image above)

Fujinon 14mm f 2.8

Fujinon 18-55 f 2.8 – f4

Fujinon 35mm f 1.4

Fujinon 60mm f 2.4 Macro lens

Fujinon 55-200 f 3.5 – f 4.8

Wired electronic release with introvelameter

Half dozen spare batteries for each body, and chargers.

Close-up Diopters;   Nikon 5T & 6T, Canon 250D, Raynox DCR-150

Polarizers on every lens (most are Singh Ray!)

Singh Ray Vario-N-Du0 ND filter (step up rings for each lens)

Giotto Blower Bulb

 

In my suitcase is a collapsed Think Tank Retrospective 5 which I use on site to carry a few extra lenses for short hikes.

 

So that is what I’m going to use this trip, and, as always, I will learn what I needed and what could have stayed home!  I look forward to posting from a great workshop for you!!!!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

 

 

 

 

Hey guys sorry for being so late on posting, killer day, long and busy, I didn’t shoot a single image today, will try again tomorrow!  I thought this title slide might give you a chuckle, my audience liked it!  The most important thing is that your prayers were answered in a big way today.  I had the opportunity to talk privately with a number of people all of whom had one kind of spiritual need or another.  It is quite amazing how God sends those that need His love,  when we ask for the opportunity to minister in His name, and for His glory.  Don’t stop praying, and while you are at it,  please pray for my family as the enemy has been busy attacking those I love.  God has already won this battle, but the war rages on in present time.  Please pray for protection for those in the line of fire!  We know this is a spiritual war, and we know in whom our protection lies.

 

Thanks for your support…..

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

 

Step one on any journey is getting there!  So I’m in another airport in the early a.m. waiting for my flight to leave.  That is the easy part, though I must admit being two months removed from Nikon, this is not one of the things I will miss!!!  No the first step is to actually have a plan and some goals for the trip, here are mine for Photoshop World 2013!

 

1.  Give everyone who wants some of my time, as much as I can give.  It is an honor to have people that care about what you do, and since they are making this dream a reality, they deserve my attention!

 

2.  Give my best effort when teaching.  I truly care about people getting their “moneys worth”!  I have made a lot of preparation to be sure and give good information and keep it as entertaining as possible!

 

3.  Renew old friendships and make new ones!  There are so many people that I can’t wait to spend time with and a bunch I want to get to know!

 

4.  Finally, and most importantly, always remember this opportunity is not about me, just as life itself, it’s about Him!  I hope to share His lovee with everyone I meet, and that when they leave they may not remember me but will know they experienced His love!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

Photo Note:  All images this week with the fabulous Fuji X100s!

 

 

 

This Labor Day weekend fell on the dates of another important “Labor Day” in our family’s history!  On September 2nd, 1976, Sherelene and I had our last child, a daughter, Catherine Anne, pictured, above right, with her husband Clint.  Last night we had a family cook-out and celebrated that blessed event!  The arrival of any child is a blessing beyond measure but, Catherine was also a miracle, please let me explain.

 

First, Sherelene and I had two sons, Scott and Wesley, and we desperately wanted a daughter, but there was one problem, in the past 60 years in our family, (the Fortneys), there had been 45 boys and 3 girls born, and the last girl had been 21 years before!!!  Chances looked pretty slim. But this wasn’t the biggest issue we faced,  Sherelene has gotten pregnant with a IUD in place and the threat to the baby was severe.  So severe that many doctors including those in our own family urged Sherelene to have a therapeutic abortion.  The horror stories about where the IUD had ended up in other births was terrifying.  Sherelene and I prayed about it and were vehemently opposed to abortion.  We believed God had assured us that He had the situation in His hands. We finally decided that we trusted God with this crisis, and would go forward with His assurance that He had things under control.  I would be lying if I didn’t share that we were very concerned, but we held fast to the promise he had given us in prayer.

 

On the evening of September the 1st, 1976 we went to the hospital as Sherelene started into labor. It so happened that Sherelene’s OBGYN was also a photo student of mine and he insisted I be in the delivery room for the birth, he said, to photograph the birth, but I think he knew if things went wrong I would need to be there.  I’ve never had a tougher photo assignment waiting for our baby to come into the world, holding on to God’s hand every moment, with every contraction. Just before Catherine arrived I could see Dr. Hurlocker smile a big smile through his mask, and held up the IUD, and said, well this is out of the way!   Through tears I photographed the birth of the first girl in our family in 21 years, a healthy baby, who would be our Catherine!  It was the turning point in mine and Sherelene’s walk with God, the first real test of betting it all on His faithfulness.  Sherelene got her wish for a daughter, and I learned that God does not lie when he says I’ve got your back!  So you might say that Labor Day has a very different meaning for us!  Catherine has been a precious addition our family and especially to my life.  I did not have a sister, remember the Fortney history with girls, but she taught me what the true joy of being the father of a daughter could bring into my life.  Later she traveled with me to many national parks and we enjoyed photography together!  I love all my children, but Catherine does hold a special place in my heart.

 

So today I celebrate a very special Labor Day!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

Postscript:

It’s off to Photoshop World tonight!!  I am very excited to see so many friends and share some photography in the three programs I will be doing there!  Most of my heavy duty serious gear is already packed for the Glacier Workshop and I didn’t think I would have much time to go out and shoot in Las Vegas, plus the 100+ degree temps will keep me in the hotel!!!

 

So this week I will post images from Photoshop World with a twist, I’ve decided to shoot everything with my Fuji X100s and shoot most of the people stuff in Black and White!  I love the B&W that this camera produces and it is noiseless at 6400, so it should be fun, below is the very light kit I’m taking to Vegas.  I’m not much of street shooter, but this is the week to learn as I try to capture the mood of Photoshop World, please join me all week for the fun!

 

 

Pray my photo skills are up to the task!  Please!!!!!!