Category : Pilgrim’s Chronicles

I got an email today from one of my favorite friends who attends our workshops, Dr. Ted Thelin. Ted has made very steady improvement over the few years I’ve watched him study and work so hard.  Ted is a serious technician and struggles with getting everything just right, but his intense nature has also led to his getting better and better at the technical issues of our craft! The best thing is that he is enjoying the process more as his confidence has increased!

 

This is why I teach, I love to see others get on fire about the craft and art of photography.  Ted is a member of the NECCC group where he lives.  They are group of very serious and very accomplished shooters.  His print of the shot above, Palouse Falls, got 28 of 30 possible points and earned a Blue Ribbon and Judge’s Choice Award.  No small feat in this prestigious club!

 

Congratulations Ted, and thanks for sharing the news with Jim and I, we are both really proud of you, and thankful to have you as a friend!

 

Today’s Prayer…  Father thanks for filling my life with such wonderful people, dear brothers, and sisters, and photo buddies that bring me such joy!  You give us the best gifts!   Amen

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

A friend of ours J. Bruce Baumann produces a wonderful on line magazine  called Posey Magazine, the articles are interesting and the photography wonderful, spend a few minutes this weekend enjoying his effort and spread the word!

 

 

Here is the link:   <http://www.poseymagazine.com/>

 

 

I spent all day to day sanding my deck getting it ready for preservative!  Worn out!  Promise to do a better job posting next week!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

 

At least four times a day someone asks, “What Now?”   I can understand the curiosity.  Maybe people want to know what they will do when they retire, maybe they really wonder what I will do, though I find that hard to imagine, why would anyone care what I did?!   So, if you are the one person in the universe that really does want to know, here goes!  First,  life does not fundamentally change just because a person no longer has a 9-5 job, it doesn’t mean you loose your drive to do anything of value. In my case the drive is even greater, because what I want to do of value, I’ve been doing for most of my life. It’s really pretty simple, I hope that when I leave a place I will leave it better than I found it. Not because of what I can do, but because of what He can do through me.  The only way to help others make their lives better is love them with His love.

 

Then there is family and friends.  I’ve not always had as much time for them as I wanted to have.  If someone sends you a check every two weeks, they attach certain responsibilities to them, now my first concern can be my family.  No one, except someone who has traveled for a living, can know just how precious that time is going to be to me.

 

Photography is the next great joy in my life, and now I can pursue it with complete freedom.  I am proud to have worked for Nikon, but I am thrilled to be a free moral agent now.  I will enjoy reviewing gear and offering my humble opinion of it’s value to the photo community. It will be fun to evaluate lots and lots of toys, with no axe to grind!

 

Best of all is the relief from the pressure, reports, emails, requests to travel places you don’t really want to go, long hours in airports, on airplanes, waiting for client to show up, driving thousands of miles, sorting, and doing inventories of thousands of pieces of gear.  Will I miss that stuff?  Nope. Will I miss the people. sure, but I can still call them and run into them out in the real world, my new real world!

 

A blessed man,

 

the pilgrim

 

 

I believe that it is not my job to judge the world, my Heavenly Father has that one covered.  I do sometimes hear things that grieve me, and make me wonder just how much further down the world can fall!   While driving in my car the other day listening to a morning talk show, I listened to a recording that if I had not heard with my own ears I would’t have believed it.  Even more shocking was that I have not heard this reported in any other place.  At a rally held at the Texas State Capital regarding a new abortion bill being considered by the state legislature two very diverse groups were outside the capital.  Christian supporters of the Pro Life side of the debate were singing Amazing Grace, while Pro Choice groups were shouting “Hail Satan” and “Mary should of had an abortion.”  Yes you read that right, I heard it in the You Tube video link below.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHUilgKnpvk 

 

I understand people having differing opinions on this issue.  What is frightening to me is that our society has finally taken of their gloves, and is showing the true venom in their hearts.  I fear for my country when that kind of unabashed hatred and vitriol can be on such display.  I do not wish to go to war with any groups that I do not agree with, but the time has come to speak up and stand our ground, the opposition certainly has made it’s choice!  Our media needs to decide where they stand, not reporting this kind of outbursts is a failure to keep the public informed.

Maybe they have already shown us where they stand……

 

Pray for America,

 

the pilgrim