An L.A. 80 Degree Winter

Fred Judkins of Burbank sets up for the Alice in Wonderland Croquet Field at the Coach Barn on The Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden grounds on an un-seasonably warm, Sunday, Dec., 12, 2010. Judkns was dressed for the Victoria Tea and Dance Society.

While many of my Facebook friends are buried under snow drifts it has been a miserable winter here in SoCal... not to rub it in...

12 Miles Per Hour

How long does it take to get from South Pasadena to West Covina at 3pm on a Thursday. You guessed it... One hour. I spent a little time with self-described shutterbug and photo blogger Laurie Allee -Allee's South Pasadena Blog-for her Image Award from South Pasadena then to Tennis Athlete of the Year Alexis Valenzuela in West Covina. Sent both and blogged before I have to photo a meeting. Working from a car has some time advantages :)

Off Beat Sports

The past two weekends have been filled with shooting some off-beat sports for me. One weekend was piles of pro skateboarders at XGames 16 in L.A. which was a blast. Easy access, good free food and ok shooting locations. The parking was a bit much $50 for both days but... The next weekend there was a friendly soccer match between the L.A. Galxay and Real Madrid and 90,000 beer-drenched screaming fans in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena (parking $20) then a horse of a different color the next day with Hunter-Jumper horse riding in San Gabriel Canyon. All of which was a blast except for the hours of traffic getting out of the soccer match.
Jamaican-born Los Angeles Galaxy goalkeeper Donovan "Spiderman" Ricketts during the LA Galaxy and Real Madrid match, Saturday, Aug. 7, 2010, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. SGVN/Staff Photo By Eric Reed
Real Madrid's Royston Ricky Drenthe, left top and Galaxy's Juninho try to recover the ball during the LA Galaxy and Real Madrid match.


Monique Bienvenue of Downey jumps a Thoroughbred horse named Dillon on the Cross Rail competition at The Rainbow Canyon Ranch during a Hunter-Jumper style horse show called the Rainbow Summer Classic in San Gabriel Canyon in Azusa, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2010.


Curren Caples Men's Skateboard Park Competition of X Games 16, on the Event Deck of LA Live in Los Angeles, Calif. on Sunday, Aug. 1, 2010.
Taylor Bingaman on the Men's Skateboard Park practice of X Games 16, on the Event Deck of LA Live. Kevin Kowalski watches his fellow skateboarders practice before the Men's Skateboard Park Competition of X Games 16, on the Event Deck of LA Live in Los Angeles, Calif.

Soccer Gallery
Horse Show
XGames

Take My Flag... Take That!

"It is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me," said (WWII Vet, Carl) Harstine, 84, who then corrected himself to say the day he married his wife took the top spot. "This has been a close second."

This is a follow up story that Tribune writer, Dan Tedford and I did on how WWII Vet Carl Harstine of San Dimas had his U.S. Flag stolen off his home two times last month.

We (in the media) and I for that matter have rarely ever seen any reaction to a story. Feedback is rare in a positive way, you are often working in a very social vacuum. It was heartening to see this kind of public outpouring in reaction to a story I helped produce.



More than 100 people came out to give Carl Harstine, a WWII veteran a new U.S. Flag Friday, Aug. 6, 2010, at his San Dimas home. Harstine has his flags stolen - twice - in the last couple months, the event is the communities response. A motorcycle club, city officials and people from La Verne and San Dimas presented Harstine with new flags and poles at the event. SGVN/Staff Photos By Eric Reed

I drove past Carl's house hours later and was reminded of a story relayed by his neighbor, Bob Knoll. He told me how Carl lives alone and when the local sheriff's deputies read that in our initial story one took it upon himself to knock on Carl's door and let him know that he will never be alone and that the officer was also a Marine and knew many in the neighborhood who would do anything for him.

Full Story

More Photos

Edgewood Middle School’s RC Club

Edgewood Middle School’s RC Club for radio controlled race cars had its last race on Friday, June 4, 2010 on the Jim Mandala race track as the track will be lost to the new high school next year. SGVN/Staff Photographer/Eric Reed

Dodger Blue

Los Angeles Dodgers' mobs Casey Blake (23) after scoring the winning run from third base on a balk by Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Esmerling Vasquez (32) in the ninth inning as the Dodgers beat the Diamondbacks 5-4 during a Major League baseball game at Dodger Stadium on Monday, May 31, 2010, in Los Angeles. SGVN/Staff Photo by Eric Reed

Nine innings on the LA Dodger diamond felt like 10 minutes compared to the time a high school game takes in five innings. It was cool evening on Memorial Day in Down Town Los Angeles with a nice breeze at the bottom of the bowl of 30,000 fans and with a 'happy ending' to boot. The Diamond Back's pitcher balked to walk a run in for a Dodger win in the ninth inning with two outs. Usually professional players do not show a lot of emotion in a game but this unexpected win was something to shout about.



Dodgers' shortstop Fafael Furcal catches an infield drive then throw to first for the doubble play. The Dodgers beat the Diamondbacks 5-4 during a Major League baseball game at Dodger Stadium on Monday, May 31, 2010, in Los Angeles. SGVN/Staff Photo by Eric Reed

Dodgers Manny Ramirez hits a pop fly to be caught for the out as the Dodgers beat the Diamondbacks 5-4 during a Major League baseball game at Dodger Stadium on Monday, May 31, 2010, in Los Angeles. SGVN/Staff Photo by Eric Reed

Let The Games Begin, Again.

South Hills High School's #3 Richard Rollice watches as Montebello's #1 Daniel Lopez falls over him after sliding out into second base during varsity baseball in West Covina, Thursday, May 20, 2010. (SGVN/Staff Photo by Eric Reed)

Our profession is often based on creativity and originality in photographing the things we photograph A LOT! So the 'games' are literal and metaphorical because the challenge is to 'see' the same things over and over with a little better attitude. Trust me, this is not easy. It is easier to just get what passes and move on, sometimes that is all the time your given, but when and if it is at all possible - look for something completely different.


About 100 students graduate during the University of La Verne's College of Law Commencement, Sunday, May 23, 2010 at University of La Verne's Sports Science and Athletics Pavilion. Commencement speaker was the Honorable Irene Khan, former Secretary General of Amnesty International. (SGVN/Staff Photo by Eric Reed)

Scott Tsai of Monterey Park plays video games at Infinity Arcade in Rowland Heights Tsai is a player in the "Save the Arcade" contest. Infinity is one of three arcades in the nation that has been selected to participate in the contest. Players donate their points from the online game to the arcade of their choice and by June 15th the arcade with the highest score wins $25,000 to be used towards new and fixing popular older games. Saturday, May 15, 2010. (SGVN/Staff Photo by Eric Reed)

Fork U

You know the old expression "Just stick a fork in it?" Well, I aint done.



Bob Stane sits at The Fork in the Road at the division of Pasadena Avenue and St. John, Monday, May 24, 2010, a piece of guerrilla artwork that's become a big favorite locally, must be moved from its Caltrans island by the first week of June. Ken Marshall who installed the giant fork as a birthday prank for his friend Stane, six months ago, is looking for its new home. SGVN/Staff Photo by Eric Reed