The family visited Wes in Lexington yesterday, at the Markey Cancer Center where he is finishing his BEAM chemo treatments. As you can see, he is  looking great!  Today is his final and hardest infusion, and they expect him to feel weak for the next couple of weeks, the good news is tomorrow he gets his own stem cells back and the recovery should be in full swing!!!!

 

About the shirts!?  When Wes was waiting for his medical team and Dr. Byrne to give us the results of the original tests, he, and all of us, were pretty fearful it was some form of blood cancer.  He told his friend Jim Lacefield, “I’m pretty sure I’m going to have to fight a bear, but I still don’t know if it is a bear cub or a grizzly bear!”  With the diagnosis of T Cell Lymphoma we all knew it was a a really big, mean, aggressive, grizzly bear!  I found these shirts and bought one for his friend Jim, also fighting a tumor, Wes, Elijah and myself so we could all support him.  We call ourselves the “the grizzly team!”  Above is the pilgrim, Elijah, Wes’s son and my grandson, and Wes all sporting our Part Grizzly shirts!

 

 

 

Above, Elijah, Rhonda, Abigail and Wes.  During our visit yesterday I shot a few images of the family and this one of their whole family.  Wes asked me to thank all of you again, from the bottom of his heart for the miracles that have, and continue to occur, becasue of your prayers and God’ Grace!  Rhonda has been a rock and I’m more proud of her every day as she has walked this road with Wes!

 

 

 

Father’s and daughters have a really special relationship, as many of you know!  I love my sons, but my relationship with our daugther Catherine is equally special! Not better just special!  I’m not the greatest people photographer but this magic moment was not hard to capture!

 

I also want to thank Sherelene for her tireless efforts to fill in every gap she could to help Wes and Rhonda, we both have, but Sherelene’s efforts have been immense!  Rhonda’s mother, Helen, has also carried a huge load during this time, and does all the time, to be there for Wes and Rhonda and the kids.  Times like this magnify how much family means.

 

 

So when I get up to speak in Little Rock on Friday I plan to share how faithful God is and how the community of Faithful Friends, (that’s you!) have been with us through it all!!  By-the-way;  I will be wearing my Part Grizzly shirt!!!!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

 

Have you ever been interviewed and wished they had asked you different questions?  Would you like to be interviewed?  I truthfully love to do interviews becasue I am desperately trying to stay on top of my game, and one of the best places to judge how you are doing on that goal, is when you are asked questions and you see how you respond!.  So, for fun, I am going to interview mysyelf.  I know that sounds stupid, but I had a number of things I wanted to try on for size and I thought maybe if I asked the questions, ” I wanted to get”  it would be fun to see what the answers are.  this was not rehearsed, I’m making it up as I go…….which may become apparent, soon!!!!

 

Question:  We know you change your gear packing at the drop of a hat, what is packed for your fall swing of events?

 

Glad you asked, I just packed my Think Tank Essential bag , (for car trips),   yesterday, the same stuff will go in the Airport Advantage rolling bag for trips by air.  I’m going to Little Rock to speak in about ten days, will likely not take anything but one camera and lens for that.  The Fuji Summit in Portland, The Grand Tetons in Fall (with Jack), a spekaing event in Buffalo, New York, followed by the Amish Country Workshop with Jack, a talk at Liberty University, the Smokies Summit and a workshop with Jack in the Smokies in early Novemebr all will get this same set of gear.

 

Fuji X-T2 body

Fuji X-PRO2 body

10-24

18-55

23 f 2

35 f 2

50 f 2

60 Macro

55-200

100-400 + 1.4 converter

 

 

 

When you are off the road what is a typical day like?

 

It depends on what my “honey do list” looks like.  If I’m free to set my schedule I spend most of my time in my upstairs office or projection room, working on programs, making travel arrangments, responding to phone calls and emails, or editing and processing images.  If I am doing something that doesn’t need “severe concentration” I will have a favorite movie or tv show in the upper left hand corner of my iMac.  My curreent favorite is NCIS!

 

 

 

What are your “current,  life goals”?

 

At my age the goals don’t change.  To serve the Lord Jesus Christ with all my heart and strength.  To be the best husband I can be for my bride, Sherelene.  To be a great father to my children and a great, grandfather to my grandchildren.  To be the best friend I can to those I’m so fortuante to have as friends.  To be an effective witness to God’s love.  To try to continue to enjoy and improve as a photographer, presenter and writer.

 

 

 

Do you have any regrets about your professional life?

 

How much time do you have????!!!  Absolutely, we all have regrets.  I once ingterviewed Kenny Rogers and I asked him if he had any advice with people just starting their climb up in the music business.  He said “Be careful how you treat people on the way up, because you’ll see them again on the way down!”   I have tried to treat others the way I would want to be treated, but I know I’ve fallen short of that sometimes, for which I do have regrets.

 

 

 

On a less serious note, are you still 100% sure you did the right thing switching to Fuji as your camera system?

 

110%!!!  I was not bored with photography at all, but was tired, the switch really revitalized my enthusiam.  How sweet it is!

 

 

 

Which three lenses in the Fuji system do like the most, or do you think are the most perfect in terms of optical quality?

 

Let me approach this from two different directions.  The three lenses I use the most are the 10-24, 18-55 and the the 55-200 the 100-400 comes in right after or along side the 55-200.  In a way that makes them my most “valuable” lenses because they are what I use to make photographs!  Get the point?  Which are the most spectaclaur performers in terms of optics?  16mm f 1.4, 56mm f 1.2 and the 90mm f 2, followed closely by the 35mm f 2.

 

 

 

If you were limited to only one lens for the rest of your life, what would it be?

 

Believe it or not, the 18-135 is the easy answer.  It covers everything from around 28mm to around 200mm and those are the most used focal lengths.  ….and yet it is not in my trip bag, curious, don’t you think?

 

 

 

 

What is the greatest reward you have ever recieved as a photographer?

 

Many years ago I had a book called,  Bill Fortney’s Great Photography Workshop (always hated that title!!!), any way my grandaughter Cassidy who was about 5 at the time crawled up in my lap and in a very lady like manner looked at every page in the book.  She then turned to me and said “Papa, these are beautiful pictures!”  I said thank you, to which she responded, “You now what?”  What sweetheart?  She said, ”  You could be a photographer!”  It doesn’t get any better than that!

That was fun Bill,  let’s do this again someday soon!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

August 2nd, Wes takes the final step in his treatment.  The Markey Cancer Center team have captured  billions of stem cells from his own blood and they will be reintroduced into his system after one final 6 day chemo treatment calld BEAM.  This will be his toughest chemo and he must remain in isolation for up to three weeks after completing the treament.  Wes is most distressed about being seperated from his children for that long.  Rhonda will be with  him through the whole process and Sherelene and I will have limited, but some time, with him.

 

My request is simple, pray that this last treatment works as God intends, and give Wes the courage, peace and determination to fight through this one last journey.  His Docs have declared him in full remission, cancer free, this is just the knock out punch to keep it from roaring back!

 

So, after all you’ve done, I hate to press  you back into service, but if you would, one more time, spread the word and lift Wes and Rhonda and his family up in prayer for the month of August.  If you do, I  will be eternally grateful!

 

I thoroughy expect to have another incredible victory story to share  with you in September!

 

Blessings and much thanks,

 

the pilgrim

 

P.S.  I read this to Wes to be sure he was o.k. with it, and he said, and I quote;

 

“Gotta get better, football season is coming!”

 

That’s my son!!!!

 

 

First let me apologize to anyone that still comes here!  Everyone knows that to keep readers you must publish every day or every couple of days, well I blew that, but good, but…. with good reason!  Between Wes’  battle with Lymphoma and spending more time at home and remembering how much I love and enjoy my family, doing blog entries all of a sudden seemed less imporant!  I started a blog to witness my love for Jesus and how much he loves all of us!  That won’t end, I’ll try to do better!

 

The photograph above was shot by Wes of his children, my grandchildren, and I in the hot tub with them, one of my favorite places!  We were down in Lexington to support Wes as he starts his last treatment regime’ at Markey Cancer Center.  So first, an update on Wes.  Thank you for your prayers because only God could have pulled off this miracle.  Wes has been declared in full remission!!  He has one last chemo tratment and stem cell transplants and we should be home free.  He feels great, though this last treatment is a tough one he has been up to everything they have thrown at him!  We continue to pray that by early September we can start putting this in his past!

 

The Future of Workshops!  I have ten events planned with Jack next year, several Fuji Workshops included.  I don’t have any His Light Workshops scheduled but will think about maybe adding a couple.  I do a number of events for Fuji and hope to continue to do that.  I want to slow down some, but I have no plan to stop until the Lord takes me home or my body screams for relief!  So that’s, that!

 

Fujifilm X-System Updates:  I have been doing  more extensive testing of the lens line and I continue to be more and more impressed with each and every one!!  The new 50mm f 2 continues to amaze me and surprise me, I was pretty sure that it was a useless focal length, I guess I wanted a 70mm so much more, but I have to say, I love the 50mm it really grows on you!

 

I had a 50-140 f 2.8 but sold it when I realized when flying, which I do way too much, because I came to understand  I wouldn’t fly with both it and the 100-400 and I miss it, but still don’t think I would leave the 100-400 home and take the 50-140.  So it’s best I did what I did, but wow is that lens special!  I recently re-purchased the 55-200 and the 18-55 and I really love both of thoses lenses, they are really sharp and handy!

 

I’m really looking forward to the 80mm Macro f 2.8 (this fall) and wishing for the long rumored 8-16 f 2.8!!!!!  I did say rumored, I know nothing, honest, except I want one if it ever becomes a reality!!!

 

Getting close to God!   If you have a friend and you don’t talk to them very often, the friendship never grows much. God is our best friend and the last 6 months, He and I have talked a lot and it is amazing how much better our friendship is going!  If I could be so bold as to offer a suggestion, talk to your Heavenly Father more, that way when you really need Him you won’t be as much a stranger to Him!

 

Blessings and stay cool,

 

 

the pilgrim