During our UP workshop we visited one of our favorite locations but it was sunny day and the light was killing us!  This pine forest often has a few very colorful small softwood trees scattered among the pines and it is,  on a cloudy, overcast or foggy day a fantastic location.  On this day it was snot!!!!  looking at the shot above everyone was asking is there “Anything we can do?”  I suggested we all was around to the back side of the tree so that the tree trunks would all be back lit and the leaves of the red tree will be too!  The shot below was the result!

 

 

Much better!  And now some images of what you can get when the conditions are perfect, from previous trips to the UP!

 

 

All shoot within the past four years of trips to the UP!  Perfect light, perfect conditions and great subjects, can how can you loose!  It’s why we keep going back!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

I just returned from a week in the UOP of Michigan.  Jack Graham,  Rick Browne and I had a great time with 7 fantastic students.  When we arrived on Saturday before the event started Sunday night,  the color was disappointing, but in just two days it turned around fantastic!!!  Thanks for answered prayers!  Above, an aerial view shot witty DJI Air 2S drone.

 

 

When shooting an early morning at one of our favorite spots, a fisherman cruised through the frame trolling, he barely disturbed the still water and made for a great shot!

 

 

The UP around Munising is dotted with a  lot of small lakes that make perfect places too capture the fall color in the still waters!

 

 

Individual trees can make for a great subject scattered through the dense north woods of this region!  Above and below.

 

 

 

This was our fourth straight year to be in the UP at this exact time, all of them have been wonderful!  Hope you can join us next year!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

It’s simple, thought I might share some favorite images!  Have to lead with my dear shooting buddy, Charles Stanley, I did not shoot this my dear brother, Carl Turner shot this one!  Hope you enjoy them!

 

 

So enough for now!  Try to do this again next Thursday!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

 

Roger Staubach one of the richest ex-NFL quarterbacks, worth over 600 million. He made most of it in the real estate and construction business after his playing days. I shot this photo many years ago!!!  He is a great guy, if anyone deserves success this man does!

 

Let’s start here:  Who are the highest paid state employees by state in the entire United States?

In 39 states it’s a college basketball or football coach. The rest are all college administrators at Universities.

 

Here are some of the top highest paid public employees, all per year:

 

Nick Saban, Alabama football coach  11.7

Kirby Smart  University of Georgia football coach 11.5 million

Jimbo Fisher Texas A&M football coach  10.8 million

Dabo Swinney, Clemson University football coach 9.3 million

John Calipari, University of Kentucky basketball coach 9.3 million

Jim Harbaugh University of Michigan football coach  7.5 million

Lincoln Riley just got a new contract at Southern Cal and it is undisclosed but likely 10 million plus, for sure.

 

How about pro athletes?

Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys  4 year contract for $107.5 million

LeBron James,  L.A. Lakers  96.5 million this list goes on with dozens of athletes making almost this much or more!!!!!

 

If you are a football coach at a middle of the road sports program like Nebraska, once a national football power, and you are there for 5 seasons and do not have a winning record the fans and sports media are calling for you to be fired, sounds awful until you learn that if Scott Frost is fired, they have to buy out his remaining contract for a measly 7 million!

Considering that a fireman in America has an average salary is $50K and a policeman’s median salary is $54k and they both risk their lives to do their jobs, does this make any sense?

 

I’m a capitalist to the bone, and I understand the these salary are based on how people are valued for their profession, and the money involved.  Sports in America is a multi, multi billion dollar industry.   I’m just saying that our values and expectations are terribly skewed.  A good school teacher that really loves her students and helps them build a foundation for a successful life, and has a profound on their futures. isn’t that valuable? It’s fun to watch a 7 foot tall man slam a basketball through the hoop, but how many lives does that change?  No matter how many Super Bowl Rings you have, that alone, is not a considerable contribution to others lives!

 

I attended the University of Kentucky in the early to mid sixties and we had a terrible football program, and lots of coaches came and went.  At the moment we have a pretty good program and have played in 5 straight bowl games, this coming weekend we play Florida, who will be a real challenge for us, I’m considering not watching the game, because I know how frustrated I will be if we loose, which we well may.  What’s wrong with me, it’s a game, when it’s over no matter what happens my life will not be changed in any significant way, why do I care so much?

 

I don’t know the answer, but I know I can only speak for myself and I need to get a better perspective on this whole thing!

 

Blessings

 

the pilgrim