Category : Pilgrim’s Chronicles

I have shared this before, but I believe it is worth a revisit. An author wrote, “A man only needs three things to have a happy life, 1. Something to do, 2. someone to love, and, 3. something to look forward to.” I think that about sums it up, as long as the someone to love is our Savior.
Today I want to focus on something to look forward to. The image above and below are from the first His Light Workshop in Savannah, two years ago. It was a great workshop with Scott Kelby and I, and it was the beginning of a lot of life long friendships. The group that came together there
was a really special group of people that have now gathered again for two more workshops. In October it will be the fourth reunion for many of us.

His Light Ministries was formed so that photographers could get together and share, learn, and grow both photographically, as well as spiritually. The time together has been and incredible
experiences and has led to many great things in all of our lives. God does not want us to try and face the world alone. That is exactly why Jesus sent out his disciples in pairs. In His wisdom he knew that they would need each other. I know our group that is gathering in New England in a little over a month, are all excited, none more than myself. We’ve seen people get to be much better photographers, but more importantly, many have deepened their walk with Him.

A lot of very hard work has gone into making preparation for this gathering, no one has worked harder than John “the Snake” Barrett. Don’t be put off by his nickname, it’s a good thing. He was named the “Snake” after the late, great, Frank Miller, who proudly wore that crown for many years. I first met Frank at shooting trip in North Carolina, everywhere I went to make a shot
he was leaving, having already gotten it. I said, “Frank, you snaked us again.” Meaning he
slithered in and got the great shot first. It was a compliment. When Frank went on to be with the Lord, his title died with him, or so I thought. John turned out to be the next person in my life that
was always at the right place first! I loved John from the start, a really nice man, who was also a very good shooter and giving and kind to the bone. I asked him to wear that crown, and he has gladly followed in Frank’s footsteps.

John has scouted our trip through New England in a marvelous way, going so far as to have the longitude and latitude coordinates for every shooting location….. The Snake has scouted the area three times in preparation for our trip. I know we will have great fellowship, that’s a given, and thanks to Snake we will be very well prepared. So I have a lot of people to love, plenty to do, and a lot to look forward to. Blessed indeed…… Hey guys and gals, can’t wait……

the pilgrim

*Photo Note: D3, 70-300 AF-S VR, 1 Second at F8, Nik Color Efex Pro 3.0 – Glamour Glow.

Last night our family gathering rose to new heights as my brother Homer, and sister-in-law Terri
joined us for a cookout and the annual family portraits. Terri did a wonderful job, setting up a full blown studio right in our home. The family had decided on several different “themes” for outfits and one of everyone’s favorites was Kentucky Blue. I promised to share some of the results so here goes, a lesson will follow.

I’ve often said that this blog is not about me, so
this may seem strange, but it is another act of
supreme thankfulness. When I was a child
a Christmas tradition was to lay out on display
the gifts from Christmas morning with the cards
so that guests, back in those days, everyone
would get dressed up and visit family on
Christmas day, could see who received what
gifts. It wasn’t bragging or one upsmanship.
It was a way of saying thank you so much for
your kind remembrance of us.

This is my way of acknowledging the great gifts my Heavenly Father has bestowed on me. It is away of saying thank you so much for these great gifts. It’s also a gentle reminder to all who come here that they to have been richly blessed with those in their lives that God has gifted them with.
Last night we had a good picnic, took these images, and then settled in to watch old family pictures. Another tradition in my home. Each grandchild got to see pictures of their, great grandparents, grandparents, and parents from birth to the present. They got a history lesson on who came before them. After that they got see images of themselves growing up and the laughter
was music to my ears. Mostly they saw how a family is made up of love and caring, and I hope they got the message that, among God’s gifts, family is one of the most to be treasured and honored. Thank you Father……

the pilgrim

I write often on this blog about how blessed I am. This weekend the entire Fortney family is home with Sherelene and I. My oldest son Scott and his wife Diane, and their children Hannah and Ben,
My middle son, Wesley, his wife Rhonda, and their children Elijah, and Abigail, and my daughter,
Catherine and her husband Clint and their children, Cassidy and Cade. So I’m enjoying all six of my grandchildren, and my six children (yes the spouses are my children too), all at once! We always have a great time when we get together and this is going to be a wonderful weekend for us. My sister-in-law Terri is a great, and I really do mean great, portrait photographer, check out her work at http://www.fortneyphotographystudio.com/ . She will be coming down Sunday to do a family portrait of all of us, I will share that with you guys after she gets it back to me.

Of all the earthly treasures God had blessed me with nothing is more important to me than Sherelene, and the family we’ve had together. Every time we get together I burst with joy at seeing what they all have become. Family is a wonderful centering point for my life, after a little time with them I realize again how deep the love and roots go. In a real sense your children and grandchildren, will carry on everything you lived for and believed in. When we go to be with the Lord, they are the evidence that you were ever here. When I’m with them looking across the group I realize how I could never bear to allow any harm to come to any of them, if I could prevent it.
Then I think how incredible it was that my God gave up His “only” Son so that I might be forgiven for my life of sin. Could I give up one of these precious ones for the multitude of the world’s sins? That’s one of many, many, many, reasons I’m not God……..

As if this were not enough blessings for a weekend, I got an email this morning from a long time friend, that I love dearly, thanking me for helping him work his way back to God. I can’t tell you how much that means to me. First, let me be clear, the most I may have ever done is encourage others to know my Heavenly Father and accept Him. I do not have the power to save anyone, but it is an honor, and the greatest pleasure in life, to just point the way. I will not divulge his name, but I would ask everyone who reads this blog to lift him up in your prayers. He’s from up north, so we will call him the northerner, God knows who he is, He is standing right beside him.

Make no mistake about what happens here. I love my Heavenly Father, His Son, and the Holy Spirit. Though very human, I strive to live in a way that will honor all of them. My mission is to be the best Husband, Father, and Grandfather I can be, which is only possible with His help. I want everyone I come in contact with to see God’s character in me, and pray that it leads them to want to know Him. That He will get all the glory is what I desire. Look at the picture above again, I’ve already been paid in full for what little I’ve done in service to Him…….

In Him,

the pilgrim

Thanks for dropping by, I hope you continue to get blessed here………

*Photo Note: Nikon Coolpix P300.

A dozen years ago I saw a film that was life changing for my photography. Fly Away Home was the story of father and daughter who drew closer together as they attempted, and succeeded in teaching some geese to migrate by following their ultralight airplanes south. The aerial footage was spectacular and it gave me a deep hunger to spread my wings and shoot from up there, 500 feet above the earth. A dozen years have past and this new perspective changed me as a visual artist. Seeing things from a fresh perspective often leads to wonderful images. I’ve illustrated this entry with some of the images that have resulted from that new photographic perspective. I’m sure you knew, and were expecting that this was about a lot more than photographs, and you would be right.

Perspective: 2 a particular attitude
toward or way of regarding some-
thing; a point of view : most guidebook
history is written from the editor’s perspective.
a true understanding of the relative
importance of things; a sense of
proportion : we must keep a sense of
perspective about what he’s done.

What a deep concept, “a true under-
standing of the relative importance
of things.”

How often we find ourselves in
trouble because we’ve lost the
relative importance of things. When
I was a young man, I wanted so
badly to be a “successful” photo-
grapher. The problem was my
definition of success at the time was
flawed. I thought success was to
have such undeniable talent that
it would lead to fame and fortune.
Forty years later I know that joy
and peace do not come from
fame and fortune. All you have
to do is read the daily newspaper
to see how many “quote, successful
people” have lives that are a mess.
Peace comes from real security
and joy comes from the genuine
knowledge that you are unconditionally loved and accepted. The world cannot give you either of those. Only your Heavenly Father knows your needs, your insecurities, and can give you the solution to all that is going on in your life; His love and forgiveness. When I’m up in my ultralight, floating above the world, I get the detached perspective of God, looking down and seeing things more clearly. When you fly above the earth, you can clearly see the perspective of how one geographic feature relates to another, distance is compacted, and the relative nature of space is much easier to perceive. I’m sure God’s vision of our lives goes far wider and deeper than my superficial “observation” from an airplane, but my temporary broadened vision gives me a little perspective into His vision of us. His vision is all encompassing, and fully understanding.

Is your vision of your life limited, do you fear what is coming next? Do you feel boxed into a life that seems to offer no alternatives? My friend, you are in need of a fresh perspective. It’s time to go flying with God. He wants you to strap in, and let your spirit soar with Him. The same feeling that I feel of freedom and release when my wheels leave the ground can be felt deep in your spirit when you let go of this life and all it’s cares, and place them in your loving Heavenly Father’s hands. Let Him open up your eyes and heart to His glorious perspective. I promise, it’s a thrill like you’ve never experienced……..

I wish you gentle tail winds & His love,

the pilgrim

*Photo Note: Images taken with Nikon D3 and D700 bodies, 24-70 AF-S f 2.8 lens.