Personal Stuff…….
I love the American flag, I photograph it every time I find a great one. Why? Because it stands for something bigger than ourselves. Men and women far braver than I have given their very lives to hold it high, to preserve it, to help it stand! Love of country is one of our greatest devotions, right under our Love of God, but above all else.
The love of friends is still very high on the list of our priorities. It is that devotion that has led me to a very difficult decision, but one I must make. Let me give an illustration to that point. Let’s pretend that I have been invited to my son Scott’s house in Florida for Christmas with my entire family, Sherelene, all of my children, their spouses, and my six grandchildren. I’m so excited to get to be with them! My time with them is always so precious. Then I get a call on Thanksgiving that the plans have changed, each of my three families and Sherelene are going to have to be somewhere else, but I’m still invited to their empty house and enjoy Christmas alone. What do you think I would do? I’m sure you can guess!
I joined NAPP almost a dozen years ago, then worked with Kelby Media and now KelbyOne. Over those dozen years I’ve met and adopted the teams into my family of close friends, a lot of people that were part of all those different iterations of the same company! Business is a fickle thing and all kinds of things can happen to change the fortunes of a business, as sad as it is, it sometimes means some people have to be let go to help the company survive. This has happened several times over past few years. A number of great people are still at KelbyOne, unfortunately the ones I was closest to, with the exception of Scott himself, are now all gone.
This is my dilemma, can I still go home for Christmas? Sadly no. I have decided to pull out of Photoshop World, and from Kelby One. I’m not mad at anyone, quite the opposite, I am very thankful for all the great times I’ve had working with Scott and all his incredible team, for all those years. I’ve loved taping classes, speaking at Photoshop World, meeting all the great members and Scott’s people have treated me better than I deserve! I want to thank Scott Kelby for allowing me to be a part of such a great team, meet so many wonderful people and for being so kind to me. I wish it could have gone on forever!
But, sadly, now I can’t go home for Christmas!
Blessings,
the pilgrim
This entry was posted on Monday, February 15th, 2016 at 4:59 pm
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Bill
I admire your decision ~ At the end of the day you have to stay true to yourself.
You continue to be a true roll model and inspiration to all!
I just hope I’m a faithful friend.
oh I don’t think there is any question about you being a faithful friend at all! In the way the world is working anymore I don’t think it is possible to be a faithful friend to EVERYONE. To me a “faithful friendship” is something that must be earned — both at its beginning and throughout the friendship — by all the parties involved. Just my 2 cents….
A good two cents!
We all have to make decisions and take control of our time, and our relationships. I don’t see how you do what you do. I actually met you once out in Cades Cove many years ago but had no ideal who you were, but several years ago I signed up for Kelby Training, found your videos and at the same time discovered who that man I met was. I owe a lot to you and Kelby because between the two of you I have learned more than I ever knew and hoped to know. I have been photographing nature now for 43 years and I hit warped speed when I found your courses on Kelby along with many others. I have to admit my favorite ones have always been yours. I continue to seek to learn, even though I ain’t no spring chicken myself. So I will see you again at the Summit Lord Willin”.
Absolutely, Lord willing!
Making changes is seldom easy but often necessary. And it can be bittersweet.
I spent 32 years as a state prosecutor and was devoted to it. But relationships are reciprocal and the working conditions (inadequate staffing primarily) made it increasingly difficult for me to do the job I loved in the manner that both the public and my professional standards deserved. It was difficult and bittersweet to leave. That said, my present jobs are good and I feel that I am where I need to be.
It’s good to be where you “need” to be!
Sad to hear you that you leaft Kelby! You will bee missed!!! You are/were one of my favorite teachers!
Thanks Allan, maybe after the dust settles I may try to produce some of my own?!
Looking forward to to this!!
Allan
Hi Bill
It’s all about the people and the relationships. I joined NAPP many years ago and have taken a lot of lessons from the “Photoshop Guys” and many from you. This will be my last subscription when it expires this year. I hate to see those people gone and now that you have left I will as well.
Looking so forward to finally meeting you in Nashville this July. Bringing the whole family and making a great vacation out of the experience.
Blessings!
Dave
Thanks for your kind words, and Nashville is going to be an epic event!
Bill, you are such a faithful man of God. I appreciate your loyalty to friends. What a great statement of friendship you have made. I know you have made such an impact on the lives of those at Kelby who were let go. I’ve been praying for those let go and Scott. I know it was hard on him as well. We need to catch up brother!
Yes we will, courage is hearing God’s voice and saying, “Yes Sir!”
That is as gracious an exit announcement as I have ever heard, Bill.
I owe Scott the same grace and courtesy he has shown me!
Bill, I agree with all the above comments and though my time with you when we worked together was short, I found you were and continue to be a positive person both on the job and as a friend. You have inspired me from the day I met you.
I know I don’t verbally keep in touch as much as I should but part of my ritual of viewing imagery daily, is I look at your website along with numerous others. Your work and words inspire and will continue to inspire.
Be safe my friend.
Brien it was truly an honor to work with you and even more of an honor to call you my friend! God speed my friend!
I look forward to see how your life continues to unfold. These times of transition pull one between sadness and excitement. I’m going through one myself. I decided to leave the IMB last fall after I realized my skills and calling were no longer a fit in the new organization. In January, the entire communications office was cut. I’m still working through some anger over how my friends and former colleagues were treated. But more, I’m excited about this new chapter in life and the working out of it. I miss seeing you, my friend, and anticipate the unfolding of your new chapter.
Bill, I know wherever you apply your talents and ministry it will find fertile soil. From the day I met you I knew I was in the presence of a man whose heart was set on a God, you inspire me to be a better man, a better brother, and most of all a better servant of my a Heavenly Father! I would love to see you again!
Bill,
I miss you and Sherlene and hope you are both well. You will always be family to me!
Love to you both,
Kathy
Great to hear from you, please give me a call!!! (606)-528-6119. No worries it’s on my website!
Bill, Wherever you go you leave a positive impact and many blessings. Now it appears that GOD has a new adventure waiting for you. I know you will let HIM lead the way.
With many blessings,
Doug Berg
Thanks Doug, I do know he has great plans for all of us, and I start each day excited to see what he brings my way, I’m sad to leave Kelby One, but I have great memories and am excited about what God will do next!
TO EVERYBODY,
I have known Bill for a long time. because of him I have been a successful workshop leader for over 20 years now…. And for the past few years, we’ve been teaching together… what a dream.
I learn something from Bill every time we are together..6 times in 2017,.As I always say,” ii’s like learning to hit from Babe Ruth.
As I sit here in northern coastal Norway this AM with the wind howling and the ice pelting down, I know I am the lucky one to be a small part of Bills professional life
Bill will survive and go on. This is their loss.
having standards and staying true to God, friends, family ( certainly not in that order!) is what it is all about. That’s been Bills greatest lesson I have learned….Thank you my friend… I love ya… Now go get a burger and smile… We al love you too!….. Jack Graham
Jack,
As I sit by a roaring fire with my legs wrapped in my favorite goose down sleeping bag, looking out at the gently falling snow, I’m so glad I’m not in Norway!!!!! (Ha) I’ve always loved your tremendous sense of adventure and ability to go anywhere a great shot can be made, and when you get there, make the great shot! Now to your very kind comments, first I doubt that I deserve such high praise, but it does bring a smile to face getting them from someone who I admired so much!! It is me. my friend, that benefits greatly from working with a wonderful photographer, friend and person like you. It has been my honor and great pleasure to teach alongside you over these past few years, and I very much am looking forward to 2017 and beyond!
A theme that keeps coming in comments and emails is concern for me. Let me be clear, I’m fine, great in fact. I haven’t lost any friends, they just are moving around to new opportunities and I will continue to stay in touch with them and work with them, they just aren’t all in the same building anymore, a minor inconvenience for me, a bigger one for them!
Business models change and sometimes it means people move on to new places, it is sad when happens, but it happens everyday, all over the world, it’s called change and we have to adapt to change. All my friends are talented and know how to make it happen, and they will again after this.
You hit the nail on the head, Jack, if we put God, family and friends first in our lives, He has a plan and He will land us on our feet, where He wants us, where we can do the most good and that is always the best we could ever hope for. When He landed me next to you, doing workshops, He proved once again how much He loves me. Thank you, my friend, “you’re better every day in every way!”
Bill