I had a wonderful opportunity this morning to learn about a fantastic medical team that flies all over the world to help restore sight to the blind, and train doctors world wide how to continue to perform these sight giving surgeries.  The organization is called Orbis and since 1982 it has been the world’s only Flying Eye Hospital!  Every year volunteers donate their time to sharing and exchanging skills with eye care teams in developing countries who desperately need the further training to meet the community’s eye care needs.  This onboard training restores sight, returns prospects and give people back their lives!!

 

Volunteer Pilots, leading Opthalmologists, Anaesthetists, Opthalmic nurses and Biomedical engineers make the operation possible. These highly trained, professionals sacrifice their own potential earnings to reach out to a world in need!

 

The team travels in a DC-10 aircraft that is being replaced with a new MD-10 later this year that has been graciously donated by FedEx. With the support of contributions from around the world the new airplane will be converted to a  flying hospital even more advance than the current plane illustrated in the images below.

 

The current Orbis DC10.    * Image provided by Orbis.

 

 

I photographed the teaching theatre on the DC10, this is where doctors watch real time as operations are performed on the plane.

 

 

This is the post-op area on the DC10

 

 

This is the fully equipped operating room.

 

And finally the HDR shot of the cockpit.

 

 

I made a small contribution to the effort and encourage everyone to be a part of this wonderful sight giving effort.  I also want to commend the  incredible pilots, and medical professionals that give their talents to the same ends.  The world would be a better place if more of us gave so freely, it’s already a better place because they have…….

 

the pilgrim

 

You can reach Orbis @:

Orbis International

520 Eighth Ave.  11th Floor

New York, NY    10018-6507

 

email:  flavia.draganus@orbis.org

Skype:  orbis_flavia_dragnus

www.orbis.org

 

 

Wonderful before and after teddy bears!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

P.S. Yes I did do an airplane shot this morning, a classic B17!!

 

Applying human standards of behavior to God’s ways is dangerous, but I do think I have an analogy that might work.  I had an interesting conversation early this morning with two photographer friends about the level of a photographers skill being directly proportional to his or her commitment to the craft!  When you get married in a traditional ceremony you pledge your commitment to your partner.  Under your pledge you are “obligated”, but if there is not a desire to keep that commitment it will be of very little value. Our relationship with God is the same, it is only our deep desire to keep our commitments that have lasting value.  When we are obliged we may develop the attitude that we are being forced, almost against our will, to a behavior, not of our choosing.  Commitment is when we want deeply to “stay the course”.  In my own marriage, I’m not obligated to love and honor my wife, it is my hearts desire.  Much of the credit for that goes to her, she is the kind of wife, mother, grandmother, friend, and love that makes it impossible for me to feel otherwise.  So it should be in our relationship with our Heavenly Father!  The love that He show us when he sacrificed His Only Son for us, makes it impossible to have any other kind of relationship with Him.

 

My desire is to keep my commitment to Him fresh and alive.  When you consider all He has done for us, that’s not hard to do.

 

the pilgrim

 

 

 

I would like you to meet a new friend of mine, actually I’ve known Mike Moats for some time and he was very gracious to help me when I did the close-up classes for Kelby training.  I want to introduce you to him and his work, and give emphasis to how we, as photographers grow through out associations.  If you believe you know everything and need no help, it’s time to get over your delusions!!  We all learn from one another and the mark of good shooter is they steal or borrow as much knowledge as they can from others, whose work they admire.  I really admire Mike’s work!  Before I get into some information about Mike let me take you back about forty years and tell you that I’ve been blessed to get the chance to learn from some of the great masters of close-up shooters past!  Greats like John Shaw, Larry West, John Netherton,Tony Sweet, David Middleton,  and Bryan Peterson.  There were many more including one of my favorite teaching partners of all time, Cliff Zenorl  All of these people taught me a lot about close-up work.

 

When I started to get into close-up photography again I looked at the work of the current masters; the late Nancy Rotenburg, Charles Needles, and Mike Moats.  Back to Mike, Mike is a really nice guy and a tremendous close-up artist. One of the things i like most about his work is his utter lack of ego about it!  He could easily be egotistical, but he isn’t.  When we got to visit at length in Amherst at NECCC he shared with me that he used the D7000 not only because of how capable it was an it’s great advantage with the 1.5 crop factor, but because he wanted his students to see just how good of work you can do without spending thousands for camera body.  I was impressed with his philosophy!

 

Mike is an artist, he makes images that are more than technically perfect, he makes a strong artistic statement.  I believe anyone that has watched my Kelby classes and wants to learn more needs to be familiar with Mike’s work, his  eBooks and workshops.   Here are some links to Mike, followed by some of my favorite Mike Moats images!  Enjoy!

 

www.mikemoatsblog.com

www.tinylandscapes.com

www.mikemoatsbooks.com

 

 

I told you,  you would love his work!!!

 

* All images copyrighted to Mike Moats

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

I can highly recommend his new book below!!!!

 

 

 

Well, it’s another day, so it’s another burger!  Last night Francis Yeh, our star repair tech, and I ate at Kodiak Jack’s again, and I had the cheeseburger, and I have to say it was a pleasant surprise.  No suspense, I would give it a solid 4.0 and that is no slouch!   The burger was well cooked and seasoned and even though the bun looked like a train wreck it was very good.  The fries were pretty good too.  The restaurant is very popular and with this being the busiest week of the year in Oshkosh, it takes a couple of hours to get a meal, but it was a nice reward after a long wait!

 

 

When you’re on the road, away from home, it’s fun to continue the search!

 

God Bless,

 

the pilgrim