Rise and fall

I decided to make a solo trip out of town to try and capture the lunar eclipse scheduled for early Saturday morning as the moon set in the west.  Since I was going to be up already I decided to try for some sunrise art and decided to do my photography over at the Isenberg Crane Reserve outside Lodi.

All my prior trip to Isenberg have given some beautiful sunset and sunrise photo opportunities.  The only problem I might have would be fog from the wetlands or a low cloud deck either of which could obscure my view of the eclipse.  I arrived at Isenberg just after 5 a.m. and began to rig my camera.  All the eclipse photos were taken with my 300 mm lens and the 1.4 extender.  The lower the moon sank toward the horizon the more it dipped behind clouds.  Just after entering totality around 6 a.m. the moon disappeared for good in the morning mists.  I was able to capture some of the moon's eerie orange glow as it bathed in the Earth's shadow.

With the eclipse over I waited in the chilly morning air for daybreak.  Sandhill cranes cackled all around me as dawn began to illuminate the fog and clouds above the wetlands.  Clouds made for a pretty sunrise as the Sun's orb rose  in the cold gray sky.  Flights of thousands of cranes and other water birds circled above as the dawn broke.

I photographed the procession of cranes and other wetlands visitors as they left for their daily flights until about 7 a.m. and then chilled to the bone I headed for the nearest cup of coffee.

The next lunar eclipse for us is going to be in 2014 so I have some time to warm up and get ready.  Sunrise and sunsets at Isenberg are always spectacular and I look forward to a return trip for pictures of their colorful hues.

The Year in Review: Back in the swing of things

I really thought I had lost my mojo.  My super secret bunker dance had been failing me on assignment and I was stuck shooting mundane putting photos of golfers.  Then low and behold the photo gods answered my prayers and the bunker dance brought not but two local players into the beach at a golf tournament I was assigned to cover.  Just like Stella I had my groove back.

One of these days I will have to make a You Tube video demonstrating the bunker dance.  Not not really, well maybe....not.

The Year in Review: The best photo that never ran

I knew this photo didn't have a snowball's chance in hell of making the paper as soon as I tripped the shutter.  I was covering a Tracy High baseball game when something odd happened...

I was shooting from the third base line and had my camera focused on on the pitcher when the home plate umpire called a balk.  I remember seeing people moving out of the corner of my eye from behind the camera and wasn't sure what was going on.  Seems like the pitcher stopped his motion when he caught sight of this "fan" running on to the field.  Buck naked wearing a mask and some kind of weird wig he ran around the infield before heading out to left field.

I didn't pull the camera trigger as he passed by from the front, no way Jose.  Even I have standards.  As he cruised into deep left field it looked like the outfielder might be setting up to try and tackle this idiot.  Instead the streaker did some kind of weird hippie-hop dance and I had my shot.  The guy then climbed the chain link fence straddling the top where he waved to the crowd before jumping down.  I can only imagine what kind of nasty spiders and bugs were lurking in that ivy as he climbed up in the buff.

So yeah I had my streaker shot which was destined never to see the light of day anywhere but on my blog.  It ranks as one of the stranger sports shots I have ever taken in my career.

And what was the count on the batter?  I think it was two balls, no strikes.

The Year in Review: The weirdest crime scene of the year

So after getting lost for about 15 minutes looking for a dirt farm road I finally arrived at the scene of a big methamphetamine and gun raid north of town.  As I am looking around this creepy old farm I spot this lovely display.  It must be lonely being a meth fiend.

The Year in Review: Big bang theory

My two favorite fireworks shot this year are very different.  I had a chance to shoot the annual city fireworks show from a vantage point near their launch at the old Heinz factory.  It seemed as if they were exploding directly overhead.

The other memorable fireworks shot was during a photo shoot with the fire department igniting illegal fireworks to show their danger.  They decided to ignite a particularly large one called a Dyno-Stick.  As soon as the flare's flame touched the fuse it blew up showering sparks everywhere and giving us a good scare. Too much fun with the rockets red glare.

The Year in Review: Sudden impact

This had to be one of the worst years for accidents that I can remember.  Every year has their fair share of fender benders but 2011 was filled with on the road carnage the likes I can't remember.

The fortunate thing is the vast majority of accidents we had in the area did not result in a fatality.  I manged to make it through the year with out having to watch them cover a body with a yellow tarp.  There were lots of calls for an air ambulance to take a critically injured driver away but no one died when I was at the scene.

The crashes were some of the more spectacular incidents I have been to.  I walked up to more than one crash expecting a dead body.  Walking through mud and bits of broken glass and plastic car parts it's sad how you can become cold and oblivious to the carnage and be more interested in the composition and storytelling of the scene.

Hopefully the roadways will be calmer in the coming year and the toll on the traffic will be much less.

Life in the slammer

Ok so today's Brighter Christmas Jail assignment was a tad strange.  Maybe strange is the wrong word.  How about weird??

So aside from the fact that the city manager shouted  that he was "too pretty to be in jail;", to a 3-year-old getting a $5,000 fundraising bail amount then getting over $6,000 to the guy who flipped us off because he had to wait to make a right turn I would say yes it was weird time on 10th Street and Central Avenue today.

It is for a good cause and I guess I can take a little weirdness every now and then.

The Year in Review: WTF?

You know some assignments are going to go bad quickly, like when a guy in a giant chicken suit and sneakers is running in a marathon or a land shark is devouring a kid on a football field.  Its those little signs that tell you maybe you should have stayed in bed or become a plumber.

I had quite a few assignments where my subjects were dressed lets say, “uniquely”.  Makes for an interesting edit back at the office. 

I think the most annoying costume was the “Nutri Beast” good nutrition mascot.  He was supposed to lead students in exercises but all he did was a bad skit and pose for pictures. On days with assignments like this I just go across the street and get a cookie.  That’s why I’m fat.  That and I like cookies.

The Year in Review: How far we’ve come

Celebration and sadness, terror and triumphs, a time of new beginnings and closures, these were just some of the assignments I covered this year.  And as the days wind down on 2011 I will be taking a look back at some the year’s memorable and forgettable moments.

It was a year of section championships and horrific crashes.  Gunshots echoing in the night and cheers celebrating are victories.  Tears as we remembered those love ones who have left us and quiet smiles as we celebrate the beauty and joy around us. 

A year of racing to fires and watching the warm glow of a sunset cross the sky, the sadness of a father’s loss and the joy of a song on a warm summer day.

Another year closes and it’s stories slip into the pages of our hearts and minds but we will take one last look before we say goodbye.

Coming soon