Let me set the record straight, for once, and for all……
I got this question from yesterday’s blog and it made me want to set the record straight….. I really appreciate the question!!
This starts with a short story. In my early years as a photographer I used to love to read articles, and publications from a photographer named George Lepp. George was one of the original columnist of Outdoor Photographer Magazine, and still is! When I first met George he was a Nikon shooter, he later switched to Canon and is highly supported by them. That didn’t keep him from being honest when evaluating equipment or products, he called it the way he saw it, which I’m sure did not always please Canon, but he was honest! I came to trust him because I knew he had integrity. My late father stressed to me that when it is all said and done we have nothing more valuable than our character, integrity, and our faith. I’ve tried very hard to always adhere to my father’s advice and follow George’s lead.
So to the answser to the question above is;
I worked for Nikon for 11 years as their NPS tech rep for the southern U.S. I did my very best to always be honest with my customers and give them the best guidance I could. Nikon paid me a salary and provided benefits, and I very much appreciate all they did for me. However, that never affected what I said when I offered advice, I always told the truth. Fortunately my telling the truth was never a disadvantage to Nikon. I believe my customers thought more of Nikon because they provided that kind of service to them, through me. If I ask for some ones help, I expect them to tell me the truth, and that is what I do. I do the right thing, because I said I would.
I no longer work for Nikon. I now write a blog, teach classes for my own company, for Jack Graham, and Kelby Training. I appear before audiences all across America, and I only want to do one thing, make their lives better, because I was in it for a brief moment. For my entire career I’ve believed that almost all companies in the photo industry make good products, some are better than others for their intended purpose, but most companies make very serviceable, cameras and lenses. What you buy is up to you, I don’t benefit either way, I hope to offer my opinion, and they are only that, my opinions. I do however have 43 years of industry experience to back up my opinions.
Do I work for Fuji? No. Do I work for Nikon? No. Do I work for Singh Ray filters? No, or Think Tank, or Lowepro? No. I want to keep my position as a neutral source of information so I may be of real help to you! Let me tell you how far I’ve gone to do that. In late July I was contacted by Fuji and asked to send a photo of myself and a testimonial about how much I loved the Fuji X system for use in a 2 page spread, national ad. I thanked them, but declined. It was way to soon after leaving Nikon to appear in a competitors ad, even though I was happily using Fuji cameras. I wouldn’t do that to my friends at Nikon, I respect them to much, I owe them better than that, and I don’t want to be perceived as on the payroll for Fuji, which I am not. By-the-way, every piece of Fuji equipment I own was paid for, nothing has been given to me. I was offered the chance to be used as a featured speaker representing Nikon yesterday, I said thank you, but no thanks, I am a free moral agent and I want to keep it that way. Both of those decision cost me money, a lot of money, and some good exposure which for a blogger and workshop leaders is a valuable commodity, but it isn’t worth it to me. I want people to come to this blog and know I will be honest in my evaluations of products, that matters more to me than the money. Money can’t buy integrity, that must be earned. While we are on the subject, some of the sponsors of my workshop company do provide some products for us to use and evaluate, but I receive nothing that I have not paid for to own long before I was sponsored by those companies. In other words, if I promote a product, I first bought it with my own money, free stuff could not buy my loyalty.
Have I turned my back on Nikon? No, I still own a significant amount of Nikon gear and still love it. When I can have it handy, I still use it, I just can’t comfortably carry it in the field as I did when I was a younger man. Do I still think Nikon makes great gear, you bet, 95% of everything I’ve shot in my career has been with Nikons going back to the Nikon F. Do I think Fuji makes great gear, you bet, I am using it 95% of the time now and I’m getting wonderful results from it. I can hear someone saying how can that be???!!! Let me ask you a question, do you have children, more than one? Do you love all of them? Do you love them each in different ways, but all equally? There you go. My cameras and lenses are my photographic children, each are different and I love them all. Are they equal, of course not, each have their own strengths and weaknesses but I still love them. I also think Canon, Olympus, and Sony, Panasonic and Leica and many other camera companies make great stuff too!
I do this blog for two reasons; to spread my belief in and love for my God, and to share my great enthusiasm for photography and the wonderful people it has brought into my life. One thing is for sure you can always come here knowing I will shoot straight with you, as best as I can. I hope you believe me, but then, that is your call.
Blessings,
the pilgrim
This entry was posted on Friday, November 22nd, 2013 at 3:34 pm
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Bill,
Anyone who has ever met you knows that you a Godly man of great integrity. I met you when you were with Nikon and you talked about using the appropriate tool for s given skill set and in the recent wonderful workshop in Glacier and you were talking about using the appropriate tool for a given skill set, For you those tools have changed as your life has changed, but many of us who embrace photography loose sight of the role of the equipment – they are just tools. Maybe the reason your took great images with Nikon cameras for all those years and now capture great images with the Fuji system is that you are a great photographer. My guess is that if I could lend you my old Pentax K1000 (my first SLR camera) you would still capture great images. I value you you views on equipment, but even I am not foolish enough to think that if I had the same equipment as you my images would be as good as yours. I have and will continue to learn from you and you do impact the quality of my images. As always many thanks and God Bless!
Bob,
Thank you for your gracious comments, and you did get it right, cameras are only tools, it’s up to us to become the craftsman worthy of the tool!
Blessings!
I guess photography is alot like NASCAR, there are Ford fans, GM fans, Toyota fans and MOPAR fans. The funny part about all of it is none of those cars are what we drive on the road. Just as your dad said they are tools to an end result. Just continue to let your photography be your tool to get your faith out in the open, guard your integrity and keep making great images. But I must say I enjoy your preachin’ better than the photography although I do enjoy the photography. So bottom line is I could care less what camera you tote around what matters is that we see through our Fathers eyes. As the old song says Lord Thou be my Vision, I just wish I could attend one of your workshops someday.
Steve,
You win the prize! It’s all about Him. The photography is fun and it draws interested folks to this blog, which is great, but it is delivering “The Message” that matters most! I love the minutiae of gear and technique, but He always comes first! Now I need to think of a prize!!!!
Blessings!
Bill,
God has blessed me by bringing me into contact with your blog. I have learned a great deal about photography here, but even more importantly have gained inspirational support for keeping The Lord first and foremost in my life. I hope to meet you in person some day, but until then appreciate the contact through this blog.
Chuck Nickle
Thanks Chuck, it’s notes like yours that remind me that, this mission is by Him, for Him, and inspired through His Holy Spirit. It is my profound my privilege to sit in the fields by night, and tend His sheep! Only what we do in His name and for His sake lasts!
Your blog is the first thing I read everyday because your love for our Lord helps me set the day! Aside from teaching me a lot about photography and equipment, your example of a Christian with strong faith, character, honesty and integrity is what has has helped me grow as a believer. You have helped me believe that I (even with my messed up past), can, through Him, be whole again – get back my character and integrity and hopefully “finish well”. I don’t check in often enough to say thanks for the time you commit to serving Him and helping me with photography! But each day I am saying thanks!! Also, the children analogy was perfect! God bless you Bill!
Rodney, I’m honored to have you along, and I know you will finish well!
Rodney, I love what you wrote. It reminds me of Phil. 1:6 – He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ. I find that so reassuring!
That is our mission!
Bill,
You have very clearly stated this more than once in the past. Your integrity & character speaks for itself & if you told me a lens that was on sale at the Dollar Tree was a good one….I’d believe you without question. Have a Blessed Thanksgiving!!
Wish I could pick up something for a buck!!!
Bill,
You are the ONLY person, photographically speaking, and personally that I would love to meet and shoot with. Many bloggers and other folks seem to be either paid by someone, or pushing their own agenda.
I love your honesty and your integrity. Your dad, like mine, raised us right.
Thanks for the great read. Best to you and yours.
Jorge
I hope we can fellowship one of these days, never know that May be God’s will! Shoot me your email address, where are you located?
Well said!
Thanks Joshua!
Your consistency in not being swayed by profit and or incentives when giving your opinion is so refreshing. What’s sad is that what you demonstrate here on your website has become more novel than mainstream in today’s world. “Truth”, nowadays, is often in direct proportion to the amount of product or cash the person giving the review receives. Thank God this sight is void of that nonsense. Love the sight and love the straight shootin honesty.