I have a confession to make.  Until I retired I was very busy, sometimes too busy for family and friends. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always appreciated my family and my friends, but the day to day grind made it very hard to devote as much time to them as I knew I should.  The last six months has been really great as I’ve had more time to stop what I was doing and say yes to many requests from my family and friends.  Being a husband, father, grandfather, and friend is a time consuming commitment.  I’m learning more than ever that you get out of relationships what you put into them.

 

Just recently I have finally gotten started with Facebook.  I’m still trying to get my Facebook page up and rolling after years of neglect, but the His Light Friends Facebook page has been a great daily way to stay in touch with some of the people that really matter to me.  I’m sure that a proclamation like that over the last few years wrung hollow, as I just din’t follow up on so many emails and calls!  It really wasn’t that I didn’t care, I just was being pulled in so many directions. I was watching TV the other night and started seeing the commercial for the Masters.  I was at every Masters for eight years!  I have to be honest I got a big smile on my face remembering that that is one more week of my life that I’ve gotten back every April.  April is spring flowers, full streams, and fun outings with my grandchildren and Sherelene, not golf!!!!

 

You don’t have to retire to put your time in it’s proper place.  It is matter of deciding what really matters, and then making plans to do the most important things, first!  I’ll be praying that you will be able to tame the clock!  Please believe me, the rewards are amazing⁄

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

Photo Note:  Fuji X-E2 and the 60mm Micro lens.  ISO 1600

When Jim and I sit down to plan events for The His Light schedule, we try to pick places that will provide great shooting opportunities and fantastic experiences for our guests.  Last year I was honored to be the Keynote speaker for a great event in South Dakota called the Black Hills Shootout.  I me a lot of wonderful people and because Spearfish, which is where the event was based is so close to a lot of great shooting locations, I jumped at the chance to go out an spend a fews extra days in the region.  This is a fantastic area and I wanted to share a few images from that trip.  First though I wanted to tell you that I was inspired to add this great area to this year’s workshop schedule and we did something extra special!  Usually our six day workshops and tours are $1,295.  I so wanted people to discover this amazing place that we set the workshop fee at $995.  The trip will start in Wall, South Dakota the jumping off point for the Badlands and amazing landscape depicted in some of these images.

 

 

The multi colored Badlands and below one of the easy to approach and photograph wildlife. the Western Prairie Dog!

 

 

Out time in Wall will be spent at the famous Cowboy cabins, neat individual , cozy, and fun lodging right near the Badlands.  Wall is also home to the very famous Wall Drugs, a old time drugstore the size of a city block, filled with many great uniques shops!

 

 

After a few days in Wall we will move west to Custer State Park (the largest free range of Bison in America), The Black Hills, and Mount Rushmore!  While staying and working out of Spear Fish South Dakota we will shoot the absolutely spectacular Spear Fish Canyon!  Some of the most beautiful waterfalls I’ve seen anywhere!

 

 

Everywhere we travel their are interesting and exciting things to photograph!  Even the side of the road forests in the area are breathtaking!

 

 

This tour will be limited to twelve attendees and only 8 spot remain available.  I hope you will check your schedule and plan to join for the is amazing adventure in the beautiful fall color!!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

Ye, we even have a fantastic old fire engine shoot just out side of Rapid City!

 

I woke up to a snow storm this morning and it has continued through out the morning. All road including the interstate are slick and dangerous, so I will not  make it to Pigeon Forge for my 5:30 p.m. program today.  I hope to have clear roads tomorrow for my 3:00 to 4:00 program.  Sorry for the inconvenience.

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

Join me tomorrow and Sunday in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee!  I will be speaking at the Wilderness Wildlife Week Event being held in the new LeConte Center in Pigeon Forge.  It’s a week long festival of mountain crafts, learning opportunities, Mountain Music and Photography sponsored by he Pigeon Forge Office of Special Events.

 

http://www.mypigeonforge.com/events/wilderness-wildlife-week/

 

This great event that is free and open to the public is made possible by hundreds of great instructors that donate  their time to make this annual event successful.  This is the 24th year of the event!

 

I am doing two programs:

 

Saturday, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.  Seven Steps to Becoming a Better Photographer

 

 

Sunday, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m.   Improving Your Photographic Vision

 

If you are going to be any where near the Great Smoky Mountains come over and say Hi!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim