Monthly Archives: January 2012

 

This is personally a real thrill for me, I’m under the stands watching it on TV, but I’m in the middle of the action and can hear the crowd roar ahead of each delayed play on out big screen TV!  Sorta confusing, but this is one of the great things in life for me, college football and this is the night a National Champion will be crowned!  I really love both of these football programs!  I’m pulling for Alabama, but will not be disappointed no  matter how it turns out.  After interviewing Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant so many years a go, I’ve been a fan of their program.

 

I know I spend a lot of time talking about how much I love my job, but this is a thrill to be at this great game.  Thank you Father for such a great life!  Roll Tide, Go Tigers….

 

the pilgrim

 

Mike Anskat does his magic with photographers cameras!

 

 

Photo Courtesy ESPN Web & AP Photo.

 

Many sports commentators found themselves last night having to eat big slices of humble pie.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge Pittsburgh Steelers fan, my Christmas gift from my wife was two terrible towels!!!!  I’m also a brother and big supporter of Tim Tebow’s.  I know that scripture tells us that if you believe in Christ and stand up for Him you will be rewarded in Heaven, but persecuted down here.  The great thing about this story is that Tim Tebow has continued to stay humble and lift up his Savior and just continues to do miraculous things on the field.  To be honest, it’s fun to watch God have a little fun with doubters!  I’ve never believed that Tebow is a great classic NFL quarterback, but he is a winner, with as much determination and drive as anyone in the game.  Can his style of play survive in a pass happy, in-the-pocket NFL?  Only time will tell, but for now it sure is fun to see the detractors have to eat their words.  What bothers me from a spiritual perspective is that some of the detractors are not driven by thoughts on football technique, but resentment about his witness.  I am not foolish enough to to think this will not happen, it has in fact been promised.  For believers, especially those that stand up for Him, it’s coming, expect it!  I understand after years of witnessing to the lost, many simply don’t want to hear it!  They are lost with out hope, yet they don’t even want to hear the name Jesus. So great is the enemies deception.  But we must press on and reach as many as we can before His return.

 

So God is allowing Tim great success, it’s a wonderful public example of how much He loves His children.  I believe that Tim Tebow is doing what he does as “unto the Lord”, it’s just that simple,  as Tim said in his opening remarks in the post game interview, “Thank You Lord!”  enough said, Tim, enough said!

 

the pilgrim

 

 

Postscript:  Just turned on ESPN to catch up on tonight’s big BCS Championship Game, they were still reporting on Denver’s big win, the announcer said, “by the way, last night Tebow’s numbers; passing yards “316”,  ten passes for an average of 31.6 yards per throw!, you can’t make this stuff up!“

 

color |ˈkələr| ( Brit. colour)noun1

the property possessed by an object of producing different sensations on the eye as a result of the way the object reflects or emits light.

 

When I think about life, i think about what joys come into it.  For me as a photographer, I can’t help but think of those joys as brilliant, gorgeous colors that come into my life.  When I see a wonderful color, whether brilliant like the flower paintings above, or subtle like some of the old rusted cars I so often post, they are all beautiful to me.  In the same way some of the most beautiful colors in my life are the great blessings from God.  I got a text from a dear friend at Nikon today telling me I was missed at a big meeting taking place for most of my co-workers in Las Vegas.  It meant a lot to me that someone took a moment to say they were sorry I was not with them.  I work with a great group of people and I’m blessed to be a part of that team!  I’m married to an incredible woman, truly the love of my life, and she brings wonderful color into my life.

 

Over the Christmas season, all my family was with Sherelene and I and once again the fellowship was great!  I email and speak on the phone often with Chuck Summers, and Jim Begley and it is wonderful to have great friends like that, they truly color my life in a marvelous way!   I’m planning several workshops this year, and I can’t wait to see those fantastic friends we’ve made through photography and faith! Being in New Orleans this past week, covering the bowl games,  has been a color experience all in itself.  What I’m trying to say is that as a photographer I’m excited by light and color, and I see those things as part of the incredible joy that comes from belonging to Him.  I know He wants to give us really great experiences, that will bring us joy, and help us to draw closer to Him.  The recognition of these blessing is an important part of a walk with Him!  Thankfulness is expressing how wonderful He has made our lives and the sheer beauty we see in His plan for us!

 

I pray you are allowing Him to color your world in a beautiful way!

 

the pilgrim

 

 

 

In the first few hours after the D4 was announced I was flooded with questions, and I thought some were very good ones!  So I thought I would attempt to address some of them, but first, this is why I’m excited about the image quality, Below are a full frame image and a 100% enlargement of a small portion of the file, I think you will be impressed!

 

 

 

O.K. I will let the images speak for themselves, now to your questions:

 

Question 1.  Is the D4 enough better than the D7000 to pay $5,999.95 for one?

 

Answer; I’m not trying to be evasive but that is an impossible questions to answer.  What I mean is for some photographers it’s worth every penny, for others it will definitely be over kill.   If you are a professional sports photographer or photojournalist, I would say I don’t see how you could live without one.  If you are a serious amateur and have and unlimited budget, once again, it’s well worth the price.  If your budget for equipment would be stretched to the limit to just buy the body alone, I would say a D7000 and few very good lenses might be the best answer for you.  Comparing the D4 to a D7000 is like comparing a Toyota Camry to a S Class Mercedes.  They both do the same things but at a very different level.  Both will get you from point A to Point B, but the trip is going to be very different!!!

 

Question 2.  How much better do think the D4 is than the D3s?  

 

Answer:  In terms of video, it is revolutionary, in terms of still photography I would say it is very evolved and significantly improved!  I say that while still believing the D3s was one of the greatest cameras of all time!   You have to keep in mind that the professional top model from Nikon is very specifically designed for a certain kind of photographer, and in that respect those shooters should be very, very pleased indeed! I would say that if extremely high resolution like the D3x is not necessary for what you do, the D4 just might be in your future.

 

Question 3.  How do you think it will compare to the New Canon X pro camera?  

 

Answer:  I have not seen the Canon camera, or used it, so making a comparison would be impossible, I’m sure their camera will be a fine machine, but working for Nikon I don’t spend to much time shooting with Canons!

 

Question 4.  If you compared the D4 to a D3s, or D700,or even a D7000, how much better will the images be?

 

Answer:  It is hard to address that because except for the D3s you’re comparing apples and oranges.  First, the D4 is going to be better than any of the camera you mentioned.  In terms of video there is no comparison.  For still work if images are not blow up very large, or not shot at extremely high ISOs (like 6400 and up)  I think the comparisons would be closer than you might think, however, at very high ISO and very large print sizes, the D4 is going to really shine by comparison.  The D700 is virtually equal to a D3, now two generations old, and the D7000 is a different animal altogether, the D7000 is a screaming bargain a 1/5 the cost of a D4 , but definitely made for different uses!

 

Question 5.  What has impressed you the most about the D4 in your first month of shooting it?

 

 

Answer:  That’s a great question!!  I love the solid no nonsense design and the way it operates, smooth, quick and very responsive.  I love the fact that it offers all the controls in a familiar way but with a lot of enhanced capabilities, like the much expanded bracketing options.  I love the viewfinder, and the image quality, even when blown up huge is very impressive.  In the film era the Nikon F5 was once called a mean picture making machine!  Among pro DSLRs I would have to say this is this generations Mean picture making machine!

 

Question 6.  Do you use the D3x much, and do you like the D4 better even though it has less megapixels?

 

Answer:  My work does not require the level of megapixels that the D3x offers, many people do want, and need that kind of resolution, I’m just not one of them.  I love the D3x, I just don’t find I need that extreme resolution that often.  If I did studio or fashion work and huge prints I would use one far more often.

 

Question 7.  When you retire from Nikon, someday,  do you think you will buy a D4 to keep?

 

Answer: I think there is very little doubt about that!

 

Hope those were helpful!

 

In Him,

 

the pilgrim

 

* PS:  Thanks to Ken Rockwell for the studio shot of the D4!