Monthly Archives: December 2015

 

 

Almost two years ago I got a great Christmas Gift, in March!  I was speaking at the Florida Birding Festival and was introduced to John Oakley and his grand daughter, Ralphi (Raphaella) Oakley.  She was a very sweet young lady and had won the Youth contest at the festival.  The more I talked with her and John it was obvious what an exceptional young lady she was, and how talented.  I offered her a His Light Scholarship.  Later she attended a workshop with John, and her sister Nina.  It went so well that I extended the scholarship for another event.  Long story short, I’ve had the opportunity to meet and come to love a great family!  Tami, her mother is a terrific lady, classy and sweet, and her other sister Carlie has become a great friend too!   She has an assortment of brothers, all great guys, and a new baby sister Mia.  It  has been a real pleasure for Sherlene and I to get to know them.

 

Back to photography, Ralphi has developed into a terrific shooter and gets better by the minute!  The most impressive thing about her work is the diversity of her subject matter!  Ralphi has been willing to try any new subject category and excels at everything!  Here are some of her wonderful photographs!

 

 

 

 

I am constantly amazed at how she adapts to such diverse subjects, and has a great feel for each! When I visited the store the family owns, Original Pieces, I got to see some of the fashion posters she has created and was once again I so impressed with her diversity. Here were  few of my favorites,

 

 

 

 

So almost two years later I keep getting a great Christmas gift over and over, thanks John, and Nina, and Carlie, Tami, and the boys, and most of all, thanks for turning my gift into a great gift to myself! Thanks Ralphi, and Merry Christmas!

 

 

 

Nina, John and Ralphi!  I want to nominate John for Grandfather of the Year, he has brought Ralphi to 9 workshops!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

 

Ponte Vedra’s Serenata Beach Club did it,  the third 5 pickle rated burger!!!  Now I’ve said many times that the person you are eating  with can raise the score of a burger,  good company = good food, but this burger didn’t need the help, it was nothing short of amazing!

 

The great food staff of the Serenata Beach club have crafted a great burger!

 

 

The team at Serenata Beach Club posed with me for a picture, Left to right, Steve Putnam, a wonderful burger crafter, the pilgrim, Eric Butcher, Executive Chef, and Jane Z. Norton, General Manager. Thanks guys for a terrific lunch!  And to you John for treating us!

Photo by Ralphi Oakley.

 

 

 

Ralphi with her youngest sister Mia!

 

The greatest treat was to have lunch with John Oakley, Tami, Nina, Ralphi, and the entire family, what a great Christmas treat.  We really love the Oakley family, what a classy group and sharing a 5 pickle burger with them was a delight!

 

Have a great weekend,

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FIRST CONGRATULATIONS to Jordan Smith of Harlan, Kentucky, yes the same Harlan I’m from, Jordan won the top prize in The Voice last night on NBC.  If you want a Christmas blessing of epic proportions go to you tube and play his rendition of the wonderful song,  Mary Did You Know.  I’m betting you will listen to all his other songs and you will be in awe.  Most important is this kid shared his faith through out the entire process, he wowed the judges when he sang Great Is Thy Faithfulness!  Please do yourself an incredible favor and check him out on You Tube. Trust me your going to be hearing a lot more about him in years to come.

 

Now I got a chance to do a little extra testing of the two new optics yesterday here are some results.

 

I love this inflatable Christmas Van in my daughter Catherine and her husband Clint’s yard.  They were big Jerry Garcia fans, and this Christmas wish is right up Jerry’s alley!  Fuji 35mm f 2 at F 9. Super clean, sharp, and great pure color.

 

My Christmas decoration with the Fuji 35mm f 2 lens at f 2.8.

 

Fuji 50-140 @ 140 f 2.8 shot hand held at 1/142th of a second, OIS  turned On.

 

Fuji 50-140 @ 140 f 4 with  1.4 converter shot hand held at 1/69th of a second, OIS  turned On.

 

 

More to come!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

 

I got a couple of new Fuji products today and they came after dark, but I still starting the testing process.  I shot some close-ups with the 50-140 and the 1.4 Converter and some images with the new 35mm f 2.

 

 

The new 35mm f 2 at it’s closest focusing  distance at f 2.

 

 

35mm f 2 shot at f 16.

 

 

50-140 at close focus distance and 140mm at f 2.8

 

 

50-140 at close focus distance and 140mm at f 2.8 + 1.4 converter!

 

 

50-140 straight f 2.8.

 

 

50-140 at 140 with 1.4 Converter.

 

 

So tomorrow we go for some more infinity distance shooting.  I don’t expect to see anything that I haven’t already determined.  So here goes!

 

The new 35mm f 2 is compact, very well built, and super sharp.  the original 35 f 1.4, (which I own), is super sharp too, but honestly I think this one edges it out!  It benefits from all Fuji has learned up to now and it shows.  The aperture ring has very sold, and very smooth action.  The focusing ring has great damping and is wonderful for manual focusing.  I found a 43mm lens hood on Amazon designed for a Leica lens that is vented and does not vignette and gives great protection for the lens. The size is really sweet and I think I’m going to enjoy it a lot!  By-the-way, just in case you were wondering I bought both of these new toys with my own money!  Just want you to know my reviews are honest.

 

For some time we’ve known that the 50-140 is a spectacular lens, among the very sharpest of it’s focal lengths.  The introduction of the new Tele Converter XF 1.4X TC-WR give that wonderful lens the extra reach it needs when 200mm is simply not enough.  But that would be of no value if it didn’t work!  Actually it is spectacular. Color is true and rich.  For now it only works with the 50-140, but it will soon be mated to the 120mm Macro f 2.8 and the 100-400 that comes later this year, or at least so says Fuji Rumors!!!

 

Stay tuned….

 

Blessings,

 

 

the pilgrim