Daily Archives: December 10, 2015

 

 

 

I just got my Christmas wish!!!!  For most of this year I’ve been looking forward to my last workshop of the year, the Celebration of the Opening of the Christmas Season with Joe McNally and Anne Cahill!  I have looked so forward to this event, and time with Joe and Anne who I love so much.  Two of my best friends, and two people I admire more than I can describe.  Joe is one of the most admirable photographers I know, a man of real substance and integrity, a man who has done so much for others and is famous beyond belief, but still a regular guy, a truly humble man! Anne is one of the greatest women I’ve known, and she and Joe got to come and spend an evening with Sherelene and I,  it can’t get better than that!

 

To start my Christmas Season, a very blessed season for me, with them and the truly great group that assembled in the Smokies was, well, divine!  For Jim and I to join them and do a workshop, was truly a great honor!

 

 

 

Joe’s teaching was incredible, everyone was blown away!  One  thing he did that was the icing on the cake was teach portrait lighting by photographing “all” the attendees, everyone left with a portrait made by no less than Joe McNally!  Let me share a few with you!

 

Wilson Reynolds, the lord of the manor, the Tremont Lodge!

 

A magic moment between Jim and Sue Haverstock that only Joe could capture!

 

Mike Early gets a great smile out of some Canon teasing!  Joe just knows how it do it!

 

Joe got a great serious expression for a truly great guy, George Flanagan!

 

A classy guy, Miles Smith, in a classic informal portrait!

 

The First Family of His Light, the Oakleys!  Nina, John and Ralphi.

 

Most of all, laughter that came from deep down inside!  Merry Christmas!

 

 

Our wonderful group!

 

So what do I want for Christmas?  Nothing!  I already have all a man could hope for, a year filled with workshops with great friends like Jack Graham, Jim Begley, Jim Haverstock and lots of other  folks!  A beautiful bride and family.  Then to top off the year, four great days with Joe and Anne and at the our gang!  Life could not be better!

 

Thanks Joe and Anne for giving me my Christmas wish!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

All Portraits by Joe McNally, the group shots of the team by Chuck Barnes!

 

Workshop Group and Bible shot by the pilgrim.

 

Top image of my great grandfather’s Bible shot in the Primitive Baptist Church in Cades Cove, with the Fuji X-T1 and the 90mm f 2 lens at f 2.