Monthly Archives: September 2015

 

 

If you want to watch something inspiring, and truly revealing, check out the You Tube post below. Brian Bosworth was one of the greatest college linebackers to ever play the game.  His life spun out of control when he created his self built identity as “The Boz”.  When I saw Brian in Do You Believe I knew this was real, something amazing that had happened in his life. When you watch the clip you may want to scroll over to where he first comes on the screen.

 

This testimony is real and heartfelt and what we pray for in our friends and to those we witness to.  I was so thrilled to get to enjoy seeing the peace and joy that has come into his life because he has accepted Christ!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyezUU9VbNo

 

I hope it blesses you as much as it did me,

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

 

If you shot Nikon or Canon, or Fuji or Olympus, or even Panasonic or Sony, you have a bewildering number of lenses to choose from!  Well, not so much Sony, but even they are adding more lenses quickly!  So if you have 40 lenses to choose between, how on earth do you decide????  For the sake of this blog entry, let’s limit ourselves to photo generalists!  ( Travel, Nature, Portrait, Wedding, Close-ups, Americana ).  Got it?  For now you Sports shooters, and Wildlife folks will have to sit this one out!  Why?  Because you photographers have to have long fast glass, and most of us don’t!

 

For some years three lenses from Nikon have been called the holly trinity, a term I’m not comfortable with!  There is only one Holy Trinity, and that would be the Father, Son and the Holy Sprit!  So let’s just call them the Big Three.  They are the 14-24, 24-70 and the 70-200, all fast f 2.8 lenses.  If you shoot Nikon, they are the best three lenses covering those focal lengths, PERIOD.  But I don’t shoot Nikon anymore!  So what are my Big Three?

 

In the Fuji X-System they are the 10-24 (15-36 equiv.), the 16-55 (24-83) and the 50-140 (75-210) all f 2.8 lenses, except the 10-24 which is an f 4. They cost at least 40% less, weigh at least 40% less and are equally well made and, I believe, are even sharper!  The 14-24 and the 10-24 are very close.

 

So that is my base lens system, so is that it?  Nope I feature a number of images in my approach that exhibit very shallow depth, so the 16mm f 1.4 (24mm) and the 90mm f 2 (135mm) With those two lenses I get extraordinary sharpness and spectacular bokeh!

 

I love to do closeup work so while I await the arrival of the Fuji 120mm Macro, I carry the 60mm f 2.4 Macro and a few Automatic Extension tubes.  One last lens that is always in the bag is the very versatile, and extremely sharp 18-135 f 3.5-5.6 (27-200).

 

The point is have a super wide, a moderate mid range zoom, a fast tełephoto zoom, some fast lenses for available light and shallow depth shots, a Macro lens, and a smaller, versatile, and a all day walk around zoom!  7 lenses to do it all!!!!!  Oh, and later we will get a 1.4 teleconverter that will extend the 50-140 and the 90mm!!!!  By-the-way the 90mm f 2 is a very close focusing lens and with extension tubes, diopters and when the  1.4 converter comes along it will serve as a 135mm Macro lens too!!!!  I will test it with all the above (except the 1.4 converter – not out yet),  soon for a blog entry on this incredible piece of glass!

 

How sweet it is!

 

Blessings and have a great weekend,

 

the pilgrim

 

 

Tour the Historic Route 66 through Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.  We will end our journey in Nelson Ghost Town and a visit to the Neon Museum in Las Vegas.  If you are into Americana this is a must trip.  Relive the glories of The Mother road!

 

 

One of America’s most unique and spectacular parks Arches and Canyonlands.  Hit the most incredible locations for early and late light each day and full classrooms sessions each day.  If that were not enough you will get to join Bill for a burger at one of the top rated cheeseburger locations in America, Milt’s Stop and Eat!!!!

 

 

Spring in the Smokies is one of the most pleasant n natural history sites in america.  We will shoot spring flowers. beautiful streams and that perfect spring green array of color.  This is my home park and I’ve run over 40 worships intros park, trust me, you will hit the best locations!

 

 

 

One of our most popular event a week in Nashville, Music City with Ricky Skaggs Country and Bluegrass Music Legend and great shooter.  Ricky will be with us on location and in the classroom for the four of the five en a half days.  View one of the countries most valuable and largest classic car collections, shoot at Antique Archaeology, (the American Picker’s Store) and The Marathon Motorworks area.  The bonus, your registration fee includes a ticket to attend Ricky and Kentucky Thunder’s annual concert at the Historic Ryman Theatre.

 

 

One of the parks that few people get to shoot in is the wonderful Badlands, Black Hills, and the beautiful Spear Fish Canyon.   The Fall foliage is spectacular and the region is filled with interesting and exciting , wildlife, landscape and Americana subjects.

 

His Light Workshops Details

All Workshops limited to 8 attendees except Nashville which will have 12.

All Workshops are $995.   *excluding lodging sand meals.

To Register:  Contact Bill Fortney  @   billfortney@earthlink.net  or call

(606)-528-6119  or (606)-344-0455

EARLY REGISTRATION: Register before December 31 for a workshop in the 

Following year and receive an additional 10% off .

 

All of His Light Workshops will deal with Learning to See Photographically, Advanced Composition and the Art of Extraction.

NOTICE: MY WORkSHOPS ARE 30% FILLED ALREADY.  ACT SOON.

 

 

I will also be doing workshops with Jack Graham and Jack Graham Workshops including our New Fuji X-System Workshops!

 

 

 

 

To join Jack and I for His workshops contact Jack at:

 

 jack@jackgrahamphoto.com 

 

 FUJI “X” PHOTO WORKSHOPS 

WORKSHOP DISCOUNTS 2015-16 

 

 

http://fujixphotoworkshops.com/ 

 

Please note that these discounts are for FUJI “X”PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSOPS ONLY and are different and do not apply to workshops run individually by Jack Graham or Bill Fortney as well as workshops found under, Ultimate Photo Workshops and His Light Photography Workshops 

 

1. RETURNING ATTENDEES: 10% discount 

 

2. EARLY REGISTRATION: Register before December 31 for a workshop in the 

Following year and receive an additional 10% off (domestic workshops only) 

 

 

 

 

I have found another 5.0 Burger!!!  On my way to New York for a Fuji meeting, (more on that later), a friend recommended I give  it a try and now I owe you big thanks!  Great place, great burger, nice folks that run it!  The do it really right, last steel grill, great meat, wonderful bun, I would guess baked there, and nice service!  If you get into Lexington, drop by then and go  them a try. You can Google them at Bru Burger!

 

 

 

I just returned from a  quick trip up to the Fuji headquarters in Valhalla, New  York.  They asked me to tape some interviews for a film crew from the home office in Japan.  We had a great time, and as always I really enjoyed spending time with Justin and the great group at Fuji.   As much as I love the Fuji cameras and lenses I value their service and attitude about photogprahers even more. Every time I meet with these great folks they listen, ask relevant questions and take notes.  It feels great knowing they are listening to us!!!!

 

 

 

 

The train is getting ready to leave the station.  Next week I will publish next year’s schedule to the big mailing list, I’m really looking forward to seeing some of you next year in-the-field!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim