Monthly Archives: January 2012

 

Well, I finally got some time today to walk around the French Quarter and spend some quality time with my point and shoot.  I’m amazed at just how easy it is to get really nice images out of this camera!  I assigned myself two subjects; Color for Color sake and texture.  Hope you like he results.  All hand held, Aperture Priority.  Let me know what you think!

 

Yep, Glamour Glow!

 

 

 

 

 

 

God loves you!

 

the pilgrim

 

Well, the color assignment will have to be shifted forward to today and the next few days.  The security was wildly exaggerated at the stadium last night.  I had to beg just to get up to the balcony level to make the one shot above.  We were stationed in the bowels of the stadium just off the field but had no sideline access.  There must have been a credible terrorism alert, because I saw about as many people in blue police uniforms, tan sheriffs office folks and U.S. Marshals to cheer for an entire third team!   A bearded man with a camera and official credentials shooting lots of things not related to the activities on the field,  just didn’t look like a very good idea!  You have to take these security concerns seriously.

 

So I failed, but will try to do better.  Below is the wonderful scenery I spent 8 hours with yesterday, oh well, such is life.

 

 

So, dealing with disappointment?  Here is my simple, but very workable philosophy, and deep held belief that gets me through troubling and confusing times;

 

A.  There is a God.

 

B.  He knows me,  and loves me.

 

C.  He only wants what is best for me.

 

D.  My understaning of His ways is not necessary for His ways to be fruitful.

 

E.  He will reveal His plans at the proper time. not a second sooner.

 

F.  So, again, there is a God, and I’m not Him………..

 

G.  There will be better days ahead!

 

Simple, but true, none-the-less,

 

the pilgrim

 

One of my favorite self-assignments in to look for color as a subject, or as I call it, color for color sake.  It can be anything as long as the color works, subtle color, or knock your socks off color, odd color combinations, or complimentary color, but color!  I’ve found that it helps me stay on top of my game to make myself go out and search for things I would not normally look for, and the color assignment is a good one. After you get pretty good at this, start assigning yourself just a specific color like Red.  You will surprised at how much it helps your visual acuity.  Developing a good since of visual awareness is one of he major keys to becoming the photographer you’ve always wanted to be!

 

In a couple of hours I’m headed over to the Super Dome for tonight’s Sugar Bowl, I’m assigning myself a color assignment, so tomorrow we will see how I did, extra pressure!!!  I love it!

 

Thanks Father for a great job, and an adventurous life!

 

the pilgrim

 

*Note:  All of  these images ere made at Old Car City in White GA, a great place to color hunt!  Can’t wait to shoot it with our group in March!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All I have to do is get on and airplane and fly south during the winter and a snow storm arrives back home by the time I can check in my hotel!!!!   It seems as long as I’m home to help roads are fine, weather is tolerable, but when I get to a great winter weather location my wife is getting attacked back home!   So it was last night!  I went up to the French Quarter and enjoyed a nice walk around in very reasonable temps, high 50’s, got to the room and got a call from Sherelene, she was stuck on I-75 trying to get home when an 18 wheeler jack knifed and blocked the road for 3 hours in a driving ice and snow storm!   I was thankful that she had a full tank of gas and a good heater.

 

So what does this have to do with my Lord and Savior?   Actually quite a lot!  Last night when Sherelene called, I was over 700 miles from home, there wasn’t a thing I could do but pray.  Isn’t it funny that we say things like that, “all I could do was pray”,  like prayer is a weak response to a situation.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Let’s do a quick spiritual inventory.  We serve the Living God, the King of all Kings, the Lord of all Lords, the single most powerful force in all existence anywhere in the Universe and all the universes we don’t even know about!!!  He made the earth we stand on, the stars and planets we see in the night sky.  He speaks and it happens.  He can command anything and it will be accomplished in the flash of lightning.  Now the most incredible thing is that He loves us more than anything else He created.  When we were lost in sin and doomed to die, He sent His “only” Son to die for us, and take the blame for our collective sins.  He loves us that much,  Scripture says that when a single sparrow falls to the ground  he knows, an that he knows every hair on our head.  So concerned he is about our welfare.   Knowing that He is all powerful, all present, in our lives, and always “listening”!!!   Yes, THE magnificent powerful Deity is listening to hear from you!  When I asked him to be with Sherelene and to protect her from harm, and get her home safely, it was immediately done.

 

I don’t know exactly how He did it, I would like to believe that even before I asked, He,  knowing and loving Sherelene,  dispatched Angels to stand around all four corners of her car.  I believe they followed her until she was safely off the interstate, down the local roads, into our drive way and then in to the house.  As she went to sleep, last night in a warm, cozy bed, they were standing outside the four corners of the house standing guard over God’s child.

 

I don’t know if you have studied much about angels?  Most angels are described as feathery floating aberrations, with delicate wings.  That is not the biblical description of God’s most powerful army.  Imagine a bigger, stronger, more cape-able Thor!!  Angels are described as the second most powerful being in existence behind the Holy Triad, the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit!!!   So when you pray and God dispatches any members of His army, you’re covered my friend,

 

What a privilege to be a child of God and to have this kind of  power and protection surrounding you 24/7!  When Sherelene called and told me that she was safely home, I breathed a real sigh of relief, but then when my faith is even stronger I will be able to relax knowing that when I prayed God was already at work!!  We don’t pray to issue orders to God regarding what we want done!!!!  We pray to acknowledge that we know He is already on top of every circumstance in our lives, and we pray so we can learn more each day just how much He loves us and cares for us, and is always looking over us.

 

Today’s Prayer;  Thank you Father for watching over my family when I  am away, for always having their backs!  I’m so sorry that sometimes I loose sight of Your power and Your majesty and reduce You in my mind in to the King servant.  Thank you for reminding me that you’re always present, always fully aware, and always fully engaged in our lives.  Thank you most of all that you keep loving me when I do not show enough faith, enough awareness, and try to fix things myself without your help.   If you were human I know i would try your patience, but I’m so thankful you are the Great I Am!  I praise and Honor You Father….   Amen

 

the pilgrim