Sample 147 - The Range Calls

"Live first, and tell the tale when you've got nothing better to do. 

There is never a dull moment."

- Sample 146, 'Still Flourishing'

Right about this time, my brother probably stopped for us to take pictures around 20 times already, but this was one of those times when we actually got out of the car. 

When I think back at these times, I could just imagine how much of a prick I was to my parents. They were just being excited about the whole trip, and seeing as I had the DSLR, they would call me instead of my brother to take a shot of them. I would take their picture, but not before making a 'I'm not a tourist, I'm an artist' kind of smug face. 

Yes, these shots were taken during a time when, I admit, I made an ass of myself by treating my camera and my 'photography' as a status symbol. Now that I'm actually going through all these shots and now that I'm actually posting them, and now that I'm actually taking time to write about them, I feel so much better. I feel free from any presumptuous obligations and preferences I place upon myself with the ultimate purpose of presenting these pictures for the greater glory of God me. 

I suppose this has to continue to be taken offa my chest. There was a time that I would deliberately procrastinate in posting, and I would deliberately hold back from spending time to post simply until when I felt it was the perfect time. Sadly, that 'perfect time' never came, and I ended up swinging at random, choosing 'perfect' shots, making them more 'perfect' through manipulation with my 'perfect' standards in Photoshop. 

I've learned now that an imperfect shot posted is far better than a 'perfect' shot that stays on my local hard drive. Photographs are infinitely better shared.

You'll probably hear me talk about this more as I post more. It's just that I need to teach and remind myself of the value of humility and taking action more and more every day. Just like I need to keep reminding myself that I am driven and established not by the fear of failure and rejection but by God's perfect love for me. 

These shots have stayed stagnant long enough, I say. 

Enjoy these panoramas... at the time I really took them seriously. Nowadays taking them with the X-E2 is a cakewalk. 

There is never a dull moment. 

Close-Up

Blown-Up

One Last Shot Of The 'Bristlecone' Pine

My blessed brother and my wonderful parents. 

My wonderful mother. Yes, it was pretty windy out at this time. 

Sample 146 - Still Flourishing

"The mountains and hills seemed to go on and on into the distance, and though that could have been picture perfect in itself, it seems as if The Lord was saying, 'You ain't seen nuthin' yet, son!' as a cloud in the distance burst with rain over the rolling landscape." 

- Sample 145, 'From A High Point'

I couldn't remember whether the rains subsided, or it seemed as if we were led to another side of the mountain on the way down, just to see even more things, to take more pictures. 

It's because just like that, the grey clouds were gone, and we were brought back to a viewpoint which was more overcast. I wasn't bothered by this at all; in fact, I was fascinated by what I saw next: trees that as far as I knew were known as Bristlecone pines. 

Hi, I'm Troy McTree. You might remember me from previous blog posts such as Sample 73 - Still Standing. 

Okay, I just did a quick Google search and no, these aren't Bristlecone pines... but they do look like they've been alive for quite some time. Older than my father? Probably. Older than me? Definitely. 

It gets me thinking about my current endeavors to blog and to write and to post and to share. I remember posting once, that there's so much life going on to write about it all. Now this may be true, but I suppose I would rather live that way instead of the other way around - more to write about than to live for. Seeing how these pines were still standing, how this one in particular was still blooming, I guess a lesson for me to take from this is that there's always time for writing, and time for living. 

That sounds just like something King Solomon would say. In this day and age, He would write it as part of Ecclesiastes 3, 'A time to blog, and a time to... what, live? Experience?' 

Now that I think about it, it would have been plenty awkward if I insisted on writing all about this while I was up there, with my family waiting, with the clock running... 

Live first, and tell the tale when you've got nothing better to do. 

There is never a dull moment. 

Sample 137 - Descent

Blurred is blurred.

Mextures Formula, 'Evans Descent' (Code: HBCNTEJ) used on pictures 1, 2, and 4

Mextures Formula, 'Benevolence' (Code: ZWMEHBG) Converted to B/W, used on picture 3

When you're on top, there's nowhere else to go but down. I suppose we should be thankful whether we be in the top of the mountain or in the bottom of a valley. When you're at the bottom, there's nowhere to go but up... and when you're on top, you're reminded that you still need to go down, just to come back up again. Not sure that makes sense, but I do know that wherever we are, and wherever we were, the believer can stay at peace, determined and encouraged by the fact that Christ will never leave nor forsake him. 

The snow turned to sleet and then to rain as we began our trip down Mount Evans. This gave us the opportunity to behold the mountain ranges in a different perspective - the rain was close to us, but the sun shone over the peaks in the distance. The sight was just so much better than what I shot at the time, thus the decision to spruce things up through Mextures. I will be posting more of these sorts of shots without edits, as the weather maintained itself for a good amount of time while we drove down. 

Soli Deo Gloria.

Sample 134 - Shots of the Locals (Colorado '08)

What you lookin' at?

"The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats..." Psalm 104:18a KJV

I've been playing with my X-E2, and I completely forgot that before I started posting shots from it I was going along with posting my backlog, starting from the shots I took with my very first proper camera... the humble Nikon D40, and its kit lens, the (Non-VR) 18-55mm. Well, actually, for these shots I was blessed because my brother's roommate happened to have a (VR) 55-200mm lens I took with me during our first (and, God willing, not the last) trip to the highest points of Mount Evans. 

For us to see these mountain goats was a consolation blessing, a break from the breathtaking landscapes we already beheld on the way up. It was as if they were so used to cars and people - though they kept their distance, they didn't flinch when I took their pictures again and again. 

Now that I look at these shots again, I am seriously thinking of the XF 55-200mm as my next photography purchase. I suppose expanding my focal range would give me more opportunities than, say, a fast prime. 

Next: Deer.

Soli Deo Gloria. 

Sample 118 - The Ascent (Mt. Evans, 2008)

As I was editing these shots, I saw that it was raining while I was shooting these. I remember that it was raining, but it wasn't too hard for me to leave the window down to shoot with the (non-weather sealed) Nikon D40.

I had to leave this off-angle. 

The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.

Proverbs 18:10

Sample 113 - To Colorado, 2008

Denver International

DEN Parking Lot

If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.

Psalm 139:9-10

It's pretty timely that I'm posting this set at this time. Colorado 2008 shots will be posted as Christmas comes up next week. God bless you. 

Sample 88 - Otay Lake At Dawn

Be still and know that He is God. He will be exalted in the mountains, and in all the earth. 

_________________________
jb.redeemed
email me at jibee@rocketmail.com. 

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift His countenance upon you and give you His Shalom. - Numbers 6:24-26

Sample 82 - Five

There will be situations that would be hard to understand... And perhaps, during these times, the reason why we fail to grasp why things happen is because due to some circumstances, we could only see (or bear to see) one side of the story.

If we are in Christ, we should always remember that though we would not be able to see all the angles all the time, our God is still always faithful to make things happen for our good, because He loves us. As we go through every trial step by step, I believe the Lord would make us see how the whole picture unfolds... and we would move forward, conquering in His name, for His glory.

God bless you.




_________________________
jb.redeemed
email me at jibee@rocketmail.com. 

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift His countenance upon you and give you His Shalom. - Numbers 6:24-26

Sample 77 - Step Up

'Do not be afraid of moving slowly
 be afraid of standing still.'

- Seen on a car sticker


_________________________
jb.redeemed
email me at jibee@rocketmail.com. 

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift His countenance upon you and give you His Shalom. - Numbers 6:24-26

Sample 73 - Still Standing

My sincerest apologies for not posting recently... I've been busy. And God has been working on me. :)

Here's something taken on the way down from the top of Mount Evans, Colorado on our 2008 trip to the United States. I love these mountain landscapes, and I pray that the my brothers and sisters there would continue to see the glory of God through His creations that they are so privileged and blessed to behold on a more regular basis. I pray that as they see the magnificent Rockies, there would be no doubt in their minds as to how great God is, and how deep His love for us, as demonstrated through Jesus Christ.

This particular shot, verse and all, was a 'page' for a photobook I intended to print some years ago. My lack of experience back then led to the abandonment of the project... but hey, who says I couldn't share what came out of it? :)

Maybe it's time to revive the project. I lift my intentions to the Lord, and I thank Him because He will make my paths straight. To God be all the glory. 


_________________________
jb.redeemed
email me at jibee@rocketmail.com. 

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift His countenance upon you and give you His Shalom. - Numbers 6:24-26

Sample 65 - Loveland Pass

I had my brother take this for scaling purposes. Solely for scaling purposes. No, really. :D

Partial Panorama Crop

Full Panorama (Click to enlarge and enjoy. :))

"By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas; the one who by his strength established the mountains, being girded with might; who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples..." - Psalm 65:5-7

_________________________
jb.redeemed
email me at jibee@rocketmail.com. 

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift His countenance upon you and give you His Shalom. - Numbers 6:24-26

Sample 42 - Towards Midday (Colorado '11)

This is the first shot I'm uploading without reduction. Please take the time to view it in full resolution.

 Based on all I've been through these 4 years I've owned a camera, I honestly felt iffy in posting this. The picture was shot at approximately 10 am in the morning from a moving car (we were on our way to Vail - more from there and on the road to there to follow! :D ). You'll see noise and the softness of the 18-200mm (though I remember shooting this at f/8)...

...But I guess it's better left alone. After going through the first black and white landscape photo in a reprint of Ansel Adams' work as compiled in his book, The Camera, I felt more encouraged in posting this picture. Thank God for the creativity and the eye He gave Mr. Adams. What an absolute genius in landscapes he is.

Besides, Pao liked the shot too.

It goes to show that though the sun is so high in the sky, there are still opportunities to take some landscapes to be happy with...

...sometimes God sends you motivation to share it through the work of a legendary landscape photographer, and my girlfriend (who, I must say, shied away from my camera during the first months of our relationship).

God bless you.

Verse of the Day:

"The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolish doeth not so." Proverbs 15:7

_________________________
jb.redeemed
email me at jibee@rocketmail.com. 

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift His countenance upon you and give you His Shalom. - Numbers 6:24-26

Sample 40 - Transition (Baguio '12)

Nikon D80, 18-200mm @ 55mm, f/8, 25 second shutter (-0.3EV, Center-weighted metering), ISO 125

Nikon D80, 18-200mm @ 36mm, f/8, 1/800 second shutter (-0.3EV, Center-weighted metering), ISO 100

Transition - From the lights of the night to the light of day. As the night fades and as dawn looms, the glow of many lights gives way to the slow yet pronounced ushering in of the brightness of the sun.

This is the second time I shot the sunrise with some good friends in photography up in Kabuyao, an area you would pass as you climb Mt. Sto. Tomas. You'd have to wake up really early to make sure you're up there, all set up and ready before sunrise. As I go through these shots I'm reminded of some very important lessons.

You need to be prepared - well rested, fully charged, with all equipment accounted for. Also, sometimes you need to do some travelling to get to some good spots to shoot.

I have to be honest; The reason why I posted these shots is because I took some shots from my iPhone during the same shoot, and I posted that shot on Facebook first. Here it is:

iPhone, Auto-all Settings (Like I had a choice), Instagram filter (Forgot which one)

Now I figure, posting this shot on Facebook was an accidental challenge I gave myself - is it possible for the pictures I took with the D80 to look at least a bit better than what I took from my iPhone?

I'll leave you to decide on which pictures look better. Of course, constructive feedback is always welcome.

God bless you!



_________________________
jb.redeemed
email me at jibee@rocketmail.com. 

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift His countenance upon you and give you His Shalom. - Numbers 6:24-26

Sample 26 - Summit Lake, Mount Evans (Colorado '08)

It's been exactly 4 years since my brother treated my parents and I to a drive to Mount Evans, Colorado. Though it's been so long, I could remember exactly how exhilarated I felt with my handy-dandy Nikon D40, prancing around in the near-freezing weather going shot-crazy. We were pressed for time, so most of the 'stops' we had were more of my brother just hitting the brakes while I took a few shots from the car window. Here in Summit Lake, however, we had the chance to step out of the car to move around a little bit.
 
I remember taking shots of my first glimpses of snow - I remember feeling really excited to be so close to the stuff as compared to just seeing it in a book! This was my first time to see it for real, and I was the last one in the family to be in it. 

Just before I made a mad dash back to the car I saw this puddle, and I took these pictures.

Oh, and here's a panoramic shot of Mount Evans from a spot between Summit Lake and our car:

More to come. To God be the glory! Thank God for these opportunities to shoot in such beautiful locations... God bless you!



*These shots were proudly edited with Adobe Camera Raw, instead of throwing them into Photomatix Pro. :)


_________________________
jb.redeemed
email me at jibee@rocketmail.com. 

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift His countenance upon you and give you His Shalom. - Numbers 6:24-26