Bookmark Creek walking and cycling trail-Renmark,South Australia.

,I have been visiting Renmark for 53 years now.
Many times I have driven over a bridge on Bookmark Creek at Renmark West not realising a hidden gem of ecology and wetland.
The local council and others have now created a great leisure trail for walking ,cycling and running.
Here are some pics.

Essential Kit for Wedding Photographers-Non Photographic.

Much is made of Camera Equipment and other things photographic when people are seeking information about getting started in Wedding Photography.
There are essential items that are overlooked and usually you will already have them.

1. A reliable air-conditioned car and a full tank of petrol.
In Australia the wedding season is usually in hot weather.
You need to stay cool and be cool when photographing a wedding and moving around the different locations.
Also if you car stops you are in big trouble.
I once went off in my Camry station wagon  on a wedding and forgot to fill the tank up before I went.
I was still a long way from home and realised the tank was nearly empty.
Thankfully I had completed the wedding.

A well earned cup of coffee after the wedding assignment is completed. Roof of my car is used as a table.
2005

2. A GPS navigating system and a street directory.

If you get lost you are in even bigger trouble.

3. A time sheet for your wedding day.

Essential to have a plan. See my previous post on wedding timetables.

https://geoffthompsonsblog.blogspot.com/search/label/wedding%20photography%20timetable

4. A wedding photography agreement.
 You need to have yourself covered by a contract if things go wrong.See my previous post on this.
https://geoffthompsonsblog.blogspot.com/search/label/wedding%20photography%20agreement

5. Water and food.

You need to stay hydrated. You need food also to keep your energy levels up.
Your clients will not necessarily be supplying you with food and drink.
It is a long day.

6. Phone. When I started mobile phones were unheard of. Could you do one now without your phone.

7. Drivers license.

You could get stopped by police. I have been.
Ironically I was on my way to photograph a police wedding.

8. Credit card and/ or cash.

You might need to pay for  a car park  or even by something like batteries or an sd card if the need arose.

9. An assistant to help you on the day.

https://geoffthompsonsblog.blogspot.com/2011/08/working-witrh-assistant-wedding.html

Either as second shooter and/or as a helper.
I started out doing weddings by myself but found it essential as I got into it to have an assistant.

If you haven't got all these bases covered you may strike problems on the big day.

What Camera should I buy?

This is a regular question I get when people start talking to me about photography.
As much as people like their phone cameras people have been asking this question since cameras were first produced for the amateur home photographer.
When we only had film cameras when I started in 1970 this was a lot easier to answer than in today's digital age.
I was a keen Pentax user so it was usually whatever the Pentax entry level slr film camera of the day if they wanted a new camera or the many used cameras and lenses on the market.
They are still a great bargain today on the used market.
However I  used to recommend most of the time for a basic family snaps and holiday camera , the Ricoh 500g.
It was and still is a beautiful compact manual rangefinder 35mm camera.
Could be used on manual or Auto.
I was a good unofficial sales rep for this camera back then.
I still have one.
Flash synced at all speeds as well.
If you can't find a battery or the meter is dead you can still take pictures with it.
If you don't have a lightmeter there are inexpensive lightmeter apps you can put on your smart phone.
The question is a lot harder to answer now . There is so much choice.
The best thing is to keep it simple and ask someone like me who will ask you what you want the camera for.
Then take it from there.

"Spiritual Death" by Frank Hunting

I was listening to this sermon while out walking the other day.
I have previously posted it on my "Going Deeper with God" blog some time ago.
I decided I should post it here.
Please note it was recorded in the 1970's in Adelaide at the Church of Christ in Grote Street, long before we had the internet and social media where ideas are propagated and "tweeted" every minute.
Where you have a supermarket of spiritual beliefs and ideas saturating the world.
This takes us back to the Word of God.
Perhaps the Spirit of God can speak to you and to me through this message.

"This sermon by Frank Hunting is a challenge to us all. Particularly if you are not yet born again you may find this something you will dismiss.The Bible teaches that all people are either in the process off perishing or being saved.
At our peril we turn away from God.
My prayer is that if you listen to this and are not yet a Christian,that if the Holy Spirit speaks to you, don't delay.
I sat in Church for 3 years as a believer in God in a vague way but one who could not swallow the "Born Again" stuff.
(Please note when I use the Biblical term of being born again I am not talking about miraculous signs and wonders  and speaking in tongues which some people associate with the term).
After to listening to preaching by Harold Long in that 3 years I ran out of arguments and took the steps to receive Christ as my Saviour.
I used to sit in the very back row of the Church in the corner thinking I was safer there for most of that 3 years.
My wife was already a Christian and I had agreed to attend Church with her.
I was not going to become some sort of "fanatic"
On the night I made my "decision" I was sitting 2 rows from the front.
"Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God" the Bible teaches.
That was 45 years ago.
There have been ups and downs and strong challenges along the way.
We were fortunate that Harold Long's preaching was used by God to convict me of my need.
Frank Hunting arrived at our Church  after I had been a Christian for about a year.
Not long after he arrived I was facing a personal crisis.
His personal counselling set me free from things that had me tied up in knots.
Listen with an open mind to what Frank has to say.
Don't delay taking those  steps to Jesus.
You will not be disappointed."

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