EricReedPhoto

Holliday Lighting

2011-12-20T18:26:00.000-08:00

Its that time of year again... no not Christmas. Newspaper players of the year, and its my lighting for the holidays :) Sports portraits are a bit more fun than the average because of the potential for action. I have always liked the look of well lit portraits but I am trying to push my understanding and skills of lighting a bit more for this year's resolution.

Here on Yucaipa High School senior volleyball outside hitter Kelli LeClair, I used three sources of light. (I should draw diagrams and post them if anyone wants to see them?) A six-foot diffusion pannel with three heads to light her from the left and head to toe, a bounce fill from the floor and a softer fill umbrella from the upper right.

Melissa Fairchild of Serrano High School in Phelan is a cross country runner who I lit on campus with three lights to our right. Side, frontish and from the ground. Needless to say the focus on the last two shots was a B----.

St. Lucy's senior Jackie Macy in Glendora, made for a nice clean portrait in the gym with only five lights. Grid spot to the left, barn doors to the right, umbrella overhead, back light and accent on the cross on back wall. One may notice I shoot all this at 2.8 for various reasons. This shot is with the Nikon 35-70 at about 60mm. The runner with a Nikon 70-200 at about 135mm and the jump shot with the Nikon 17-35 at about 24mm.

A little exercise in light: I got to shoot a cycle class at the Fontana 24 Hour Fitness and decided to bring the light to play with. Sometimes a different look at the usual flash on camera off ceiling and room light look.

24 Hour Fitness member Roslynn Pomahatch of Rancho Cucamonga exercises during a cycle class in Fontana. This was the 17-35mm as well with three lights: front umbrella, bounce fill on the leg and a back accent light behind the instructor.

Redlands High School's Jacob Rubio, right, against Fontana High School's Robert Duran (win) during, Thursday night's, Dec. 15, 2011 varsity 145lbs weight class wrestleing match in Redlands. This match was (no joke) 10,000 iso at 2.8 at 1/125th with out the lights! No bueno! But I fix... three lights, left and right Nikon SB 800s and the on camera master as a fill and voilà its 2.8 at 1/500 at ISO 800. The sensor on the D3s can handle very high ISO ratings so I like to push it a little to save battery and recycle times on the flashes.
As with lighting a very poorly lit high school gym...
Which brings me to a tool that makes this all possible... wait for it... Radiopoppers. Yes, 2.8 in the daylight, high ISO and high sync speeds with any other strobes does not fly:)

Lane Victory

2011-08-16T12:37:00.000-07:00

Mojave Floor

2011-08-15T22:50:00.000-07:00

Ok, Let Me Splain

2011-08-07T20:59:00.000-07:00

Ok, Let me Splain... no that will take too long... Let me sum up.

It has been a quite a while since my last post but things had got away from me there for a bit. I will break all the big news into acts for easier digestion.

The Epic Post in Three Acts

Act I: Transition
I am self employed, again. A funny thing happened to me on the way to the assignment... I was on one of the best shoots I had while at SGVN (and there were only a hand full) not good news but good pix, during the memorial of a police officer.
An added bonus was shooting next to L.A. Times' Don Bartletti all day. Whata great guy!
Any hoo, I got back to the office and got layed off, again, from the same company, after 11 years, from different papers. As the journalism industry continues to circle the drain I had been working in earnest on the preparation of my own departure to go back to freelancing. I was only weeks away from cutting through the fence when low and behold, a severance package. I was giddy, nervous but giddy.

Act II: Freelance
Through several sources I am able to photograph for corporate and editorial outlets as and independent contractor/freelancer. This is keeping me moderately busy photographing for companies like Baskin Robbins,
events for T-Mobile
and Hershey's,
Magazines like Foothills Magazine
and online news services such as The Associated Press and Patch.com.

The Hershey's event was to photograph their S'mores Snacktivity Suite at the BlogHer 2011 convention in San Diego, which brings me here. 2000 women bloggers got me inspired to start posting again!

Act III: Family Time
One thing that was very hard to do in my last job was spend quality time with my family. With abysmal conditions in the newspaper including furlough days and no vacation accrual our time together was a bit dodgy. So a long awaited trip to Monterey and San Francisco was not to be missed,

visited Evan at Boy Scout summer camp,(right)
Hiked Mt. Baden-Powell
and went to The Huntington Library to see some nice art.

Its been a good summer :)

An L.A. 80 Degree Winter

2010-12-16T18:15:00.000-08:00

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

2010-12-16T18:00:00.000-08:00

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

2010-08-09T16:01:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-08-06T16:23:00.000-07:00

"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

2010-06-07T20:54:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-01T14:03:00.000-07:00

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.

2010-05-24T13:26:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-24T13:19:00.000-07:00

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

Navigating the Helladays

2009-12-28T17:48:00.000-08:00

Navigating the Helladays:

Bruce Leinbach has been spreading Christmas cheer and turkeys in his West Covina neighborhood for more than 20 years. Monday, Dec. 21, 2009.

The Tournament of Roses Queen and her Court stand in front of Kaiser Permanente's Rose Parade float was unveiled at the hospital's Family Day in Irwindale, Saturday, Dec. 12, 2009. The float will feature eight riders, ages 11-18 who are fighting cancer, sickle cell, asthma and diabetes.

Sliding into the wall of Christmas is the expression I use describing the shopping and photo free-fall from Halloween to New Year's Day. The usual assignments procure themselves. Santa, parades, toy drives, toy give-a-ways and of course, this year "in the current economic climate," shopping. Not that it is not a story each and every year but everyone is keeping their ear to the ground on this year's spending trends. An added twist for me this year is anything Tournament of Roses. The Court, the floats the flowers. This is as unique to So Cal as the various parking lots that receive a few tons of snow to be played in by the local kiddies. I've got to brace myself for Pasadena on New Year's day, come what may.

The Elks Club on Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena was occupied in 1908 and is in need of renovation. Dec. 28, 2009.

A slide show of some of my season's greetings...

CLICK --HERE-- to see the slide show.

Friday Night Ouch

2009-10-19T17:22:00.000-07:00

Walnut High's #88 Aubrey Coleman turns Rowland High's #3 Michael Ball's head backward with a facemask (snapping his collarbone) during Friday night's varsity football game between the Walnut Mustangs and the Rowland Raiders in Walnut. Oct. 16, 2009. SGVN Staff Photographer/Eric Reed

Breaking News: Rowland's all-everything Michael Ball out six weeks with a broken collarbone
By Fred Robledo on October 19, 2009

Rowland coach Craig Snyder informed us this morning that junior quarterback Michael Ball is out at least six weeks with a broken collarbone suffered in Friday's 27-7 victory over Walnut. Ball helped lead the Raiders to a perfect 6-0 record and the No. 1 ranking in the Southeast Division. Walnut's Aubrey Coleman, shown in this picture below, almost spun Ball's head around by the facemask and was given an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, and later in the game drew another unsportsmanlike call, though was never ejected from the game. "It was a blatant cheap shot," Snyder said. "He (Coleman) tackled all night going for the head. When you watch him tackle, his arms are always going above the pads. I know that (Walnut coach) Mike O'Shields doesn't teach that, he's a great coach, but that kid should have been thrown out of the game. For a 15-yard penalty we lose one of the best players in the Valley for probably the whole season, it's heartbreaking. Michael's obviously crushed, he was having a great season and it's over in the snap of a finger."
More: Walnut coach Mike O'Shields phoned Snyder on Monday to offer his condolences for Ball's injuries, and also felt that Coleman, who is 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds, did not intentionally try and hurt Ball. "It was an obvious facemask and it's tragic when something like this happens because Michael's a great kid and he's having a great year," O'Shieds said. "Because Aubrey's so big, he struggles getting low on anything. I don't think there was any malice or intent on hurting Michael on Aubrey's part. I understand Craig's frustration, but If I thought any of our players were out to intentionally hurt someone, I would have handled it. That player won't be in the game."

Fred's Blog - http://www.insidesocal.com/tribpreps/2009/10/breaking-news-r-1.html

Entire photo gallery: http://sgvtribune.mycapture.com/mycapture/folder.asp?event=866971&CategoryID=27239

Who Needs A Gym?

2009-10-18T17:06:00.000-07:00

Its not the norm, although my job entails being out much of the day, but today was an exercise day. Two walking assignments kept me on my toes. The AIDS Walk L.A. was to start with about 30,000 good friends and then over to Pasadena for a "CropWalk" church fighting hunger walk. There is no lack of causes to march for out there... I gotta get one of those pedometers!
A Barbie display in a shop window with the reflection of real walkers during The 25 Annual AIDS Walk LA in West Los Angeles, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009. SGVN Staff Photographer/Eric Reed

Gallery of Aids Walk - http://sgvtribune.mycapture.com/mycapture/folder.asp?event=868170&CategoryID=27239

Saul Valasquez, 12, of Pasadena caries jugs of water representing the water many in the world people have to walk for daily, as apart of The First Baptist Church's Crop Walk on Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009. Hundreds of participants walked a 5-K thru Downtown Pasadena to raise money and awareness to fight hunger. (SGVN Staff Photographer/ Eric Reed

SGVN Gallery: http://sgvtribune.mycapture.com/mycapture/folder.asp?event=868170&CategoryID=27239&ListSubAlbums=0

Were still walking. Monday.

Supporters of health care reform stand at the Pasadena City Hall to listen to speakers while holding signs as The San Gabriel Valley Interfaith Coalition for Health Insurance Reform held a walking vigil on Colorado Blvd. starting at the Pasadena City Hall, Monday, Oct. 18, 2009.

http://sgvtribune.mycapture.com/mycapture/folder.asp?event=868955&CategoryID=27239

UCLA vs Kansas State Football

2009-09-19T23:07:00.000-07:00

UCLA vs Kansas State Football at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.

http://sgvtribune.mycapture.com/mycapture/folder.asp?event=841008&CategoryID=27239&ListSubAlbums=0

Trial By Fire

2009-09-01T19:38:00.000-07:00

The first two weeks of re-entering the workforce as a Staff Photographer has been, to say the least, a firestorm and just in time. Getting used to a new area for assignments is one thing but for spot news is another. This area is buzzing with breaking news as a regular occurrence and like from my previous entry, getting anywhere in a hurry is an impossibility. Kicking off week two at the Trib broke out with a Red Flag Warning and within minutes it was off. A news photographer takes images along Highway 2 near Upper Big Tujunga road during The Station Fire as it burns near Mount Wilson in the Angeles National Forest, Aug. 31.
A Hot Shot Crew member Patrick Callahan, right, and Collin Shafer, from the Plumas National Forest watches as The Station Fire burns above Altadena in the Angeles National Forrest, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2009. A bulldozer cuts away brush from The Station Fire as it burns above Altadena in the Angeles National Forest, Aug. 30.

The Morris Fire on Highway 39 above Asuza followed in tandem with the Station Fire along California Highway 2 above La Canada Flintridge. One aspect of wildfire photography that I am used to but not to this degree is the Media/Law Enforcement interface... not cool. With the increased amount of media in the Los Angeles area the tensions between the two groups in a heated situation boils over quickly. The 107 degree temps were not helping this or the fire-fighting effort.

Smoke fills the air above the Mt. Wilson 100 inch observatory as the Station Fire burns up Mount Wilson in the Angeles National Forrest, Aug. 31. Mt. Wilson was of special concern because of the millions of dollars in communications equipment and the services it provides to the Los Angeles area along with the historic observatory.

Glendale Battalion Chiefs watch a fire-fighting air tanker make a drop as The Station Fire approaches neighborhoods in the Altadena area, Saturday, Aug. 29.

I have said before that I have been shooting wildfire for more than 20 years. These fires are proving to have added challenges in terrain and access. I find creating the images for this season thus far to be about working incredibly hard just to get something publishable (in my opinion) and not about the art and ballet of fire and firefighter. I think we are far from over as of writing this. The Station fire still rages at 130,000 acres (that is almost 1/3 of the entire Angeles National Forest) and its not even Santa Ana Wind season yet.

Dalton Hot Shot crew member rests as The Station Fire burns above on Mount Wilson in the Angeles National Forest, Monday, Aug. 31, 2009. All Photos San Gabriel Valley Newspaper Group/Eric Reed/Staff Photographer)

A Mighty Dense and New Place to Play

2009-08-22T20:18:00.000-07:00

dense |dens|
adjective
closely compacted in substance : dense volcanic rock | swirling, dense smoke.
• having the constituent parts crowded closely together : an estuary dense with marine life.
• figurative (of a text) hard to understand because of complexity of ideas.
• informal (of a person) stupid.

Some good news. I have been hired as a staff photographer once again. After seven months of 'furlough' (laid off) from the Los Angeles Newspaper Group, I have been re-hired back to LANG to lend my full-time photojournalistic skills to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, The Pasadena Star-News and the Whittier Daily News (The San Gabriel Valley News Group). After a few days of intensive self-imposed training including: studying the coverage area on the map (that area will take about a year for me to get the lay of) finding, organizing, typing in and programing the emergency frequency codes in the scanner and most importantly, learning the ropes of my new gear. After shooting Nikon gear for 20 years I was handed Canon gear. A bit of a learning curve for the level I need to shoot at right out of the gate.
This area is dense. The basic footprint of our coverage is the Los Angeles County area from Pasadena to La Verne to Diamond Bar to Cerritos. I am finding that it takes time and patients to get from A to B in constant road-rage, L.A. traffic using a lot of surface streets.

Union Pacific Rail Road workers clear the debris of a Penski rental truck after it was struck by a freight train at Nogales St. and E. Railroad St. in the City of Industry, Friday. Aug. 21, 2009. SGVN/Staff photo by Eric Reed
Muslims gather for afternoon prayer to mark the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan at the Islamic Learning and Practicing Center in West Covina, Friday. Aug. 21, 2009. SGVN/Staff photo by Eric Reed

The Summer of Holga

2009-08-04T11:01:00.000-07:00

Student Work:

Holga images from Kimberly Albright's "Untitled Architecture" series.

The Summer Photography 101 course at Victor Valley College proved to be quite a lot of fun and a good learning experience for all including the instructor, yours truly. The Holga is a piece of crap camera with a plastic lens and light leaks galore. With that in mind it makes truly amazing images that have that old photographic aesthetic and levels the playing field of those using it. Because it has no relevant settings it has a 'point n shoot' nature so a high degree of technical ability is not required, just your creativity and in the case of this class the learned ability to hand develop black and white 120mm or 2 1/4 film. I enjoyed the opportunity to develop my Holga images along side the students to see the difference in cameras (each one is unique) and trouble shoot the assignment. One thing is for sure, enthusiasm and a true love of photography makes a huge difference in the learning process for everyone not just regurgitating facts and numbers. Shoot on!

Holga image from Ashley Wilkins' "Working Lives" series.

Holga image from Sara Taylor's "Lost Hearts" series.

Holga image from Johnny Martinez's "Vintage Wheels" series.

Holga images from Crystal Carroll's "Little Helga" series.

And to add one of mine. I had to take this to a new level for me and shot 35mm color film run through the Holga.

Freelancing New Politics

2009-07-29T10:47:00.000-07:00

The game of freelancing has its ups and downs. I often find myself happy to shoot whatever, whereas as a staffer I would complain about some assignments. Don't get me wrong there are some things I am very happy not to be shooting anymore, like a lot of spot news and courtroom. So like the Obama inauguration day to photograph one of San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom's town hall style meetings in San Bernardino as part of his campaign for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, seemed to me, to be a treat. At least the Mayor's team did a little decorating to make the photos a little more interesting.

Gary

2009-05-19T15:39:00.001-07:00

Desperate Water

2009-05-01T10:55:00.000-07:00

Desperate Water is a social documentary project which is to use my skills as a photojournalist, journalist and digital story-teller to bring the issues of water into a new light. Water is becoming a hot topic. Most people never think twice about it. It flows from the tap and that is that. Only when it stops may it command attention. The public understanding of our most precious resource in life and a basic human right in society is out of mind, taken for granted. Here it will no longer be out of sight.

Here is where I officially begin, a kick off if you will. To start in earnest a photographic documentary project I have wanted to seriously work on for many years. Now is the time. Now it begins.

A side note on the ethics of a documentary photographer. I have been covering news and events for the main stream media for decades. To some, that means I can not be objective by default. To others there is opportunity to critizize a journalist for being 'too close' to the subject matter. I contend it is utterly impossible to be un-bias in any form because we are human. We care. We get involved. I would not attempt to cover an issue I cared nothing about. The story and images would suffer in quality due to a lack of passion. Great documentary photographers of history and in our time have been accused of getting to close to their subjects. Photographers like Hansel Meith, Sebastiao Selgado and Matt Herron. There is a fine line between a documentarian with passion and a propagandist. A fine line to walk.

About 400 people walked the streets of L.A. for the symbolic journey of three miles that many in the world have to walk for fresh water each day. Clean and available water is something many of us in the U.S. take for granted but that is changing.

With pollution, drought and population issues arising more often, the future of water in the Southwest region of the U.S. and our neighbor Mexico is in question. Like air, water is seen by many as a basic human right. The cost of infrastructure and who controls its delivery is seen to be threatened by corporations who seek a profit from those who can’t afford to pay and who need it like everyone else. The rising cost of water will hit those who have the least like many other things. The cost of water will also affect the cost of food produced in California’s San Joaquin Valley (Central Valley). The lack of water will also cost jobs.

El Mirage Dry Lake Bed is a recreation area run by the Bureau of Land Management in the High Desert area of the Mojave Desert. Many off-roaders and the like enjoy the vast three-mile smooth surface of the lake bed to go fast. These landsailors scoot across the moon scape with a fine dust rising in their 40mph wake only mere yards from thousands of cows. Several dairies boarder the rec area know for its lack of water. On the surface anyway.

Taking a look around, ultalite pilot Max Colman of Lancaster flies over the California Aqueduct in the High Desert region of Llano in the Mojave Desert. This view gives some perspective to water resources in the arid landscape.

Rick Harris fishes in the California Aqueduct in the High Desert region of the Mojave Desert. Eric Reed/Photographer

Desperate Water

The world is becoming an increasingly thirsty place. People expect clean water to flow from the tap and do not realize the social, political, environmental and technological problems that loom down that pipe.
Desperate Water is a photographic documentary project exploring the aspects of water and its future in California.
California has more than 37 million people most of which live in the southern third of the state. The water that provides the resources for drinking, business, agri-business and recreation come from two main sources: The Sacramento Delta and the Colorado River. These regions are under increasing pressure and threat from dwindling supplies, tainted quality and increasing demands. The disparity of water uses and users are becoming more prevalent. The politics of water, where it is acquired and who gets how much is slowly creeping into the public consciousness as the topics of environment and climate change unfold. Those who can afford it will feel little difference in their daily lives but pollution can and will affect the health of every one, especially those with out adequate health care or clean water supplies.
There are many public programs to help the public understand the importance of conservation but there are very few using the power of photography to connect and educate that same public to understand the people who are most effected. People who have less means in the state are often those who are adversely impacted from water quantity and quality. California’s low-income workers and families are loosing jobs on farms from decreased water allotments from the state’s resources and often can not afford the rising costs of clean water for them selves. These people are the ones lacking a voice. Drowned in today’s mass-media market, lost in the river of world affairs and the public’s divided attentions, these people need that voice and some one to help tell their story.
I have wanted to work on this issue for many years, watching and waiting, but have lacked the time and resources to seriously tell this story. Out of frustration and a driving force to move forward I have attempted in earnest to begin researching and photographing aspects of our Desperate Water.

NPPA: Best of Photojournalism

2009-04-10T10:37:00.000-07:00

< from Poynter Institute on href="http://vimeo.com/3927633href="http://vimeo.com" Vimeo

http://bop.nppa.org/2009/

2009 NPPA BOP Judging from Poynter Institute on Vimeo.

A Blur of Bikes

2009-03-31T19:34:00.000-07:00

Over 800 kilometers of professional cycling and countless kilos of amateur mileage at the 25 Annual Redlands Bicycle Classic. Pro bikers from around the world converge on the premier U.S. cycling event in the Inland Empire. After shooting this event for the past 10 years it is still possible to occasionally see something new and find a new angel. It helps that the course changes a little each year. Another thing that made the Saturday of shooting more fun was having photography students hang with me to force me to look for and explain what I was shooting and why. I know I was no were near as beat as the riders on the course come the finish line Sunday but several of miles of walking with gear each day was enough for me to enjoy Monday off.

The Men's and Women's Criterium Races during the 25th Annual Redlands Bicycle Classic in Redlands. Saturday, March 28, 2009. Eric Reed/Photographer

Runnin on Fumes

2009-03-26T15:49:00.001-07:00

Lets just say, for now, that it was a 20-hour 550 mile day.

1-Wildomar-Lake Elsinore

Ken Warta, Owner of Big Dog Plumbing, uses has used bartering as an alternative to cash for services. Warta with a Jaguar and mountain bike he traded for with plumbing service. Wednesday, March 25th, 2009. Eric Reed/Photographer/The Business Press

2-Harper Dry Lake - Barstow

March 25, 2009 - Barstow - Calif. USA --Emergency and United States Air Force personal at a command post set up at the site where a F-22 Rapter fighter jet crashed at Harper Dry Lake about 18 miles from Barstow, Calif. also near Edwards AFB in the Mojave Desert. ZUMA Press/Eric Reed

3-Palm Springs

Students from different California universities dance during a Spring Break party at the Holiday Inn in Palm Springs, Calif., Wednesday, March 25, 2009. (AP Photo/Eric Reed)

The End Game

2009-03-24T15:08:00.000-07:00

I have photographed basketball games for the past 22 years and from my experience... they never end. I don't mean that they go on forever, I mean, I never see the end of them. Because of sports and newspaper deadlines, halftime is time to scoot. I got the rare opportunity to shoot a whole game because the client, California State University Monterey Bay wanted the whole game. Who am I to argue with that? So in this rare shoot I got to see that games do actually finish in victory or defeat.

Food Glorious Food

2009-03-04T11:50:00.000-08:00

Citrus Salmon at Ciao Bella Restaurant in Riverside. Eric Reed/Photographer

A plethora of food shoots. I would never complain about good food especially when it comes to Italian restaurants. Four of them as a matter of fact. In the last few weeks each restaurant shot for magazine food reviews have been from the European boot. Spaghetti Eddies in Rancho Cucamonga, Isabellas in Redlands, Ciao Bella in Riverside and Spaggi's in Upland. Food shoots can be a challenge, the light needs to be right on the food and that does not change much,but the extras, like the atmosphere and chefs change with the mood of the establishment. It dose not work out often but a chance to taste the art is always a perk.

Chef Juan Solarzaino at Ciao Bella Restaurant in Riverside. Eric Reed/Photographer(left)Henry Gonzalez, Owner and Executive Chef checks in with his customers at Spaggi's Restaurant in Upland. Eric Reed/Photographer

The Bruschetta Pomodoro at Isabellas Restorante in Redlands. Eric Reed/Photographer

And So It Begins

2009-02-27T09:04:00.000-08:00

Today, with the death of The Rocky Mountain News began the long road of a ailing industry. What the future holds is anyone's guess.

Watch this high quality, very haunting video till the very end.

Final Edition from Matthew Roberts

Rocky Mountain News publishes final edition

By CATHERINE TSAI, AP Business Writer Catherine Tsai, Ap Business Writer – Fri Feb 27, 5:20 am ET

DENVER – Questions about the future of the Rocky Mountain News had become so common, the newspaper's staff put up a handwritten paper sign on the news desk that said, "We don't know."

On Thursday, someone wrote over it in heavy black marker: "Now we know."

Colorado's oldest newspaper, which launched in Denver in 1859, printed its last edition Friday, leaving The Denver Post as the only daily newspaper in town.

"Goodbye, Colorado," read the headline on a 52-page commemorative edition wrapping the regular newspaper. "STOP THE PRESSES," read the front-page headline inside.
(whole story) http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090227/ap_on_bi_ge/rocky_mountain_news_closes

Crossing the Desert

2009-02-26T11:00:00.000-08:00

There is nothing like careening across hundreds of miles of desert at high speeds in the dark to make sure you have a boarded-up cross photographed in "good light." About 300 miles round trip to Cima Road where it was 81 degrees today, gas was $3.29 and the nearest Starbucks was 100 miles back to Barstow.
Taking it up a notch, the U.S. Supreme court is debating the location of a cross in the middle of a national preserve. The American Civil Liberties Union has taken this religious symbol on "public land" (in the middle of the preserve, but Congress moved the land into private holding)to court. It stands covered with plywood for now.

A 8-foot-tall metal cross bolted atop Sunrise Rock along Cima Road in the Mojave National Preserve is the center of controversy and is being reviewed by the Unites States Supreme Court. Erected as a war memorial in 1934 in the vast California Mojave Desert by the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Eric Reed/Photographer

L.A.Times Story: http://www.latimes.com/business/careers/work/la-na-supreme-court-cross24-2009feb24,0,6413397.story

Pressing NASCAR

2009-02-21T12:14:00.000-08:00

Matt Kenseth in his Carhartt Ford #17 pulls out from the garage to enter the track for the Auto Club 500 practice at the California Speedway in Fontana,Calif., Feb. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Eric Reed)

Tony Stewart, driver of car 14 after qualifying 11th for Sunday's Auto Club 500 at the California Speedway in Fontana,Calif., Feb. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Eric Reed)

What makes a left turn for 500 miles. Well, this weekend its about 50 drivers going 186 MPH during the Auto Club 500. Friday was practice and qualifying and it was for me as well. On assignment for the Associated Press this weekend at the California Speedway I was in practice mode. I have shot about 18 races here in Fontana but I had a break for two or three years, which had me scrambling and begging for information. You see, when it comes to celebrity car racing I am not a fan so playing catchup with the who's who on the track and in the garage was my speed Friday.

In the media lounge at lunch during the Auto Club 500 qualifying at the California Speedway in Fontana,Calif., Feb. 20, 2009. (Eric Reed/photographer)

"Look for guys wearing the driver (overall type) suits and wrestler type shoes." my good friend and NASCAR mentor Will Lester tells me while we try and not get run over by cars and carts of equipment, constantly stuffing my earplugs further into my skull. It was a 12 hour day of shooting and moving pictures, shooting and moving again. Trying to keep up with the fastest and well-known drivers and constantly jockeying for position with scores of other photographers from around the world. One cool caveat to a long day was seeing my pictures in publications world-wide in a Google search the next morning.

THE FOLLOW UP:

A fourteen-hour-Sunday left me scrambling for my chiropractor's number Monday morning. Two valuable things I learned on Friday, that luckily I remembered on race day, were: wheeled luggage and noise-canceling headphones. Both made the walking commute from the car and the nose level more tolerable. See for your self...

I also worked on a shot (I thought went well) called the poll cam. A D700 with a 20mm atop a mono pod --extended-- and held out at arms length about 8 to 10 feet. Then triggered with a wireless remote. I set the camera on ISO 2000 and on P for "professional" mode because it was away from my eye. (Me and Blair in the Photo Media Center during the race for a test shot)

Matt Kenseth's team pulls a last, late-race pit-stop on a rain-induced yellow flag before going on to win the Auto Club 500 race at the California Speedway in Fontana,Calif., Feb. 22, 2009. (AP Photo/Eric Reed)

Bring in the Herbs

2009-01-30T11:10:00.000-08:00

Bring in the herbs

By Eric Reed

Many of us who garden cannot stand the off-season. So one alternative to pacing the indoors is bringing the outdoors in. An indoor herb garden is a splendid way of keeping a green thumb dirty. Not to mention an occasional spring or leaf making its way into whatever is on the stove.
Many herbs will take to growing indoors. A small planter box, terracotta pots or a re-purposed aquairium may serve well. Just make sure there location can provide about five hours of sunlight. Adding some life to your window and growing seeds for that Spring transplant will help ward off a gloomy Winter. For the more ambitious grower, starting a few veggies from seed can also get you a jump on the season when it is time to move outdoors once again. A small indoor herb garden can keep those fresh greens close and the love of nature closer.

Things you can use:

A planter. Recycled items such as old pots or boxes can work. Use your imagination.
The basics of live. Water, Sunlight, seeds and soil. Organic potting soil works best.
Any seed will do. Pick your favorite and add variety to what you might like to look at and eat from your windowsill. Dill, parsley, thyme, savory basil, oregano and rosemary.
Start a bed. A wet mix of potting mix.
Seed it. Push seeds into mix about ¼ - ½ inches down and gently cover.
Make it cozy by creating a mini green house using plastic wrap, with small holes.
Keep the soil damp, but not soaking, and in the sun. A Southern or Western facing window helps.
Adding some organic fertilizer once they have grown up a bit and clip herbs’ outer leaves as not to kill the plant.

Counting Thoes Who Often Don't Count

2009-01-23T20:39:00.000-08:00

Bundled to ward off the occasional Southern California drizzle a woman pushing a shopping cart on the streets of down town San Bernardino is stopped not by a cop wanting to move her along, but by another woman who just wants to talk. San Bernardino County Supervisor, Jose Gonzales, spends time talking with her until her team mates press her to move on and continue the hunt. Teams of volunteers fan-out across San Bernardino County in a one night effort to count the homeless population. Gonzales along with the Mayor of San Bernardino, Pat Morris, San Bernardino City Police Officer Marci Atkins and approximately 700 others, spend their Thursday night to scour the city in search of finding people living on the streets. They volunteer their time for a cause that will ultimately help those being rousted from their spots of relative shelter.
In order to receive grant money from the government the county must count those who are difficult to find.
The San Bernardino County Office of Homeless Services and Homeless Partnership conduct a "Point-in-Time" bi-annual census count of the counties homeless population, late Friday night, Jan. 22, 2009. The census is to help determine the need for services and allow agencies to apply for federal funding. This count is mandated by the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.
As Mayor Morris approaches a man in the dark to ask if he would answer a few questions, Moses Sanchez hesitates in an uneasy manor at first to see if he is in any trouble. Sanchez is street savvy after four years but is quickly impressed to find the Mayor is out this late evening to talk with him.

In the Presence of History

2009-01-20T11:40:00.000-08:00

Inauguration: A Nation Gathers
Students and faculty of California State University San Bernardino gather at the Santos Manuel Student Union's Event Center on campus to watch the Inauguration of the 44th President of the United States, Barack H. Obama on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009 in San Bernardino, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Reed)

Keeping in the loop is a challenge in a news vacuum. The lack of a news room, as a listening post, can be a disadvantage in a breaking news sense. But, the freedom to choose what to do when has its advantages as well. I was able to find this event of people watching the Inauguration of our 44th President at Cal State San Bernardino and cover it for The Associated Press. It was nice to have a reason to push myself a little.

Photo Annon

2009-01-15T07:12:00.000-08:00

Photography Anonymous: What do you get the REAL photographer for the holidays? A point and shoot camera of course. It is important to have THE shot than no shot at all. I just got one this year and love it. I find it satisfies the overly compulsive urge to shoot with out the hassle of 10 to 30 lbs of camera gear on you like normal and fits in your pocket. Hours of fun posting family snaps and fun pix to Flickr.com. Also there is a professional note to take into consideration. The real stealth mode. When you need the shot but the powers that be find large cameras in close quarters intimidating and want to throw you out. Sometimes being anonymous has its advantages.

Here is my new website as well - http://www.ericreedphoto.com/

Let It Snow, Its Officially Xmas

2008-12-19T17:07:00.000-08:00

It is hard to get into the holiday spirit when it is 80 degrees and blue skies here in the Mojave Desert of Southern California. But when we were blessed with almost two feet of the white powdery bliss I kept hearing the song, "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas." It was not an easy transition. Hundreds of people were stuck, stranded and cold. A few were injured as you might imagine, So Cal drivers do not mix well with ice and snow. I was not too happy about working in it either. I can not decide which is more stressful, driving in those conditions or shooting in them.
(Below)An AMR supervisor takes pictures of a ambulance that rolled over in the snow on El Mirage Road near Sheep Creek in El Mirage, no one was injured, as the High Desert experienced a day of heavy snow on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2008.
(Above)Motorists and truckers were stuck over night, many of whom stayed it a Red Cross Shelter at the San Bernardino County Fairgrounds in Victorville until roads could be cleared Thursday, Dec. 18, 2008. Eric Reed/photographer

One trick I have learned over the years is leave the cameras in the trunk. They need to stay cold and not change temperatures or they will fog, no bueno. Cameras (electronics) like the cold but not the wet and batteries do not like cold either, so I keep an extra in my pocket. The first venture that got my rear moving was an over-turned ambulance about 15 miles from my house, do the math at 20 mph on how long it took to get there. That was at least one major advantage of living in the High Desert... I was stuck where the rest of the LA basin media can not get to, so I shoot and send to the rest of the world from my side of 'the hill'. Well after a couple of days of driving in and shoveling snow off my driveway I realized Christmas is here and I am glad I don't live in the mid west.

A Lot of Protesting

2008-11-18T16:27:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I feel like Andy Rooney, who considers himself a newspaper man. I still consider him a TV man because he sure can talk a lot without saying anything. But his observations of the world come to mind when I or he points out things we see around us. With this climate of politics and economy everyone has an opinion. And we should. As the saying goes, "If your not outraged, you're not paying attention." Or as I heard on the paintball field receintly, "If you're not gettin hit, you're not playin." People often like to have their issue out there in the form of a protest, march, picket. And even better if it makes the paper. It is hard to keep track of all the people who do not want their budget cut or need more money, especially in California with this economy. So today I photographed some Union workers yelling at the San Bernardino County Govt Center. I guess the basic point is when everyone is underpaid and Calif. Governments are making cuts which protests are going to be heard? At least with Prop 8, 20 million voters are passionate about one issue.

Members of the SEIU Local 6434, United Long-Term Care Workers Union, held a march and rally with about 40 participants at San Bernardino County Government Center in San Bernardino to spur negotiations between workers and officials.

What is Lost?

2008-11-16T09:33:00.000-08:00

An Annual Event: Residents of the Grass Valley Lake area of Lake Arrowhead Cindy Chavez-Gastel and Michael Bainbridge look over the ashes as they return to their homes to survey the damage and sift through the ashes of the homes lost, October 30, 2007. Eric Reed

It's hard for many people to comprehend the loss that others endure when dealing with the aftermath of fire. The fires in Southern California have become a yearly event. With hundreds of homes lost each year from fire due to Santa Ana driven winds, drought starved vegetation and Global Warming enhanced destruction, we can expect to see more. That does nothing for those who loose everything. People take on the grief of loss in many different ways, just like the grave yard vandalizing post, loss is relative. Some are thankful for the truly important things in life like their lives and those of their loved ones. Some are in grief over the loss of things. Those things that mean the most to us are usually connecting us to the past and people who have passed on. I have learned a lot about attachment to the things around us from my many years of talking personally with those who have gone through these experiences. Probably more than most. They almost invariable impart this wisdom: they truly are grateful for what they do have and will continue on, living. That's good advice, even if we never have to experience this first hand.
Resident of the Grass Valley Lake area in Lake Arrowhead, Sid Lewis stands in the ashes of his Medera Lane home as many return to their homes to survey the damage and sift through the ashes of the homes lost, October 30, 2007.

Thank a Vet

2008-11-16T09:06:00.000-08:00

I had the opportunity to spend a day at Rebuilding Together's Heroes at Home with local volunteers as they worked on the home of disabled U.S. Marine Sgt. Jeremy Weissmiller's home in Crestline, California. I thought that THIS was a good way to thank a vet. After all the Veterans' Day activities this was a fitting end to the week. A real gesture of gratitude toward the men and women in uniform. Jeremy was injured while negotiating a load in a cargo net from a helicopter. He was among the first wave of military personnel to arrive in Afghanistan. The load dropped on top of him. Rebuilding Together has helped more than 300 veterans and their families in the last year with their project Heroes at Home. http://www.rebuildingtogether.org/

The Great Southern California Shakeout

2008-11-13T16:43:00.000-08:00

November 13, 2008 Redlands, California USA - Nine-year-old Victoria Elementary School student, Tina Ngo ducks under a table with classmates as her school participates in the Great Southern California Shakeout, which is the largest earthquake drill in history intended to prepared residents for the disaster. More than 469,000 county residents had registered to participate in "duck, cover and hold on" events, Thursday, Nov., 13, 2008.

We live with the threat from underneath. Anytime. Anyplace. The problem is that people in denial will not properly prepare. Remember Katrina? The projected magnatude for the drill was 7.8, on the Richter Scale. That could drop freeway overpasses and make getting about or help very slow. The difference between here and New Orleans is about 15 million people.Martha Rendon of Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton takes off the fake wound or moulage from Redlands Adult School Student Earl Leong as Students from Chaffey College and Redlands Adult School participate with the staff of the Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton during the Great Southern California Shakeout.

Lionel Lee, Resident Physician at Arrowhead Regional Mecical Center in Colton works with mock earthquake victim Amanda James, a student Redlands Adult School during the Great Southern California Shakeout.

Pushover In The Afterlife

2008-11-12T11:32:00.000-08:00

About 22 gravestones and markers were pushed over during the night at the Pioneer Memorial Cemetery in San Bernardino. Wednesday, Nov., 12, 2008. Eric Reed/photographer

It is interesting how different people react to such an image. Everyone has a different idea about the afterlife and what that means. Some people hold on to the sentiment of the grave. A marker or stone where ones final remains were interred. It is not for the dead it is for the living. Keeping a connection to a loved one here on earth as a symbol of our attachment to it. What would happen if one did not have that to hold onto? My Grandfather's ashes were spread from and airplane over a lake in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. My Grandmother at Forrest Lawn. I do not visit either location but choose to remember them and our connection. These graves will be fixed but it gave me pause today to remember people while they are here and let them go when they are not.

Vets Day

2008-11-12T08:45:00.000-08:00

I had the opportunity to cover two different Veteran's Day events here in San Bernardino and Bloomington. A few people come out to see what ceremonies are going on, probably many others just see them in the next days newspaper. I understand that no living WWI vets were living on this Armistice's Day, the last two, one German and one French, both died earlier this year. And the WWII vets number are fading fast. The living history and their stories are important to the people who follow them because those who fail to understand where we came from are in danger of going back and repeating the mistakes of the past. One vet said in his speech that he did not want to see the Unites States of China. I of course agree. But I an not totally sure what he meant. Was it a fear-based message of an impending attack or a tie to the economy and its woes? At another event it came to me (when I was handed a pin of the American Flag that was "made in China") that we need to stop selling ourselves and our jobs to the global economy and start thinking about sustainability. Not isolation. We are making our own bed by finding the cheapest way of doing or making something as being the American way. Well that thinking is going to be the Chinese way soon if we don't look up.

The Day After

2008-11-06T12:37:00.000-08:00

It is hard to look for stand alone art or an image with no pre-concieved story. It takes patients and imagination. Looking for a political related photo the day after an election on a cold start is even more daunting. I demand luck in my photography and I always get it. So I drove straight on to campus at Cal State Berdoo and found this image like I was assigned to it.
—California State University San Bernardino’s campus radio station, Coyote Radio has student DJs Diana Lepe and Erik Hunter discussing political issues and their aftermath the day after the election, Wednesday, November 5, 2008. Hunter’s program on Wednesdays and Firdays, called Sports Madness, will focus on issues related to Tuesday’s elections by talking about sports personalities who ran for office in local elections across the country. Coyote Radio en Espanol is Lepe’s program airing Monday and Fridays from 12 to 2 P.M. “We will have some time before my next show on Friday to digest the issues.” Said Lepe, “That will be a good time for people to call and talk about what happened on election day.” Student DJs are grateful to be able to use their “Air time” to communicate with the student body through their music program available on iTunes. “I don’t think there were many reasons for the youth to vote in the past but this time there was a candidate who energized the student movement, he addressed the issues we were thinking about.” Said Hunter. Eric Reed/Staff photographer

Changing the Vote

2008-11-04T14:22:00.000-08:00

Changing America one vote at a time is how I saw this election day coverage in Sun country. I have been photographing and voting for over 20 years and have never seen people so happy to stand in line and actually pump their fists in the air in victory after voting at the polling place. Record turnouts despite early morning rain, although I think I saw more people voting in the days prior to Tuesday in order to avoid long lines. The catch was only a few locations were open before Tuesday and today there are many.

If anyone had doubts about the hope for the future of this country this is a day to remember for those who never thought they would live to see this day.

Polo Anyone?

2008-10-28T19:44:00.000-07:00

I am on the late shift. That means sports. For some reason I have been getting a lot of Water Polo. So much so I decided to lay down some lines here and some photos from the last few games. The portrait I shot today of Redlands High's Andrew Heine was the tech shot. Everything else was action. 600mm f4 at 1/2000

The portrait was a fun 4 minute shoot of about 40 shots. The specs are: Nikon D2HS with a 14mm 2.8 at 2.8 and 1/8000 with an SB800 on a double TTL cord with an assistant holding it out on a mono pod with a superclamp. Its like something you would see on the Strobist blog.

And in case you missed it the portrait was shot half-way under water from inside a fish tank.

Berdoo On Fire

2008-10-15T17:04:00.000-07:00

Despite my best efforts I was not able to stop the Santa Ana winds from having their first event of the season. Not only did I have a cold, hampered even further by inhaling fumes from a house fire in Wrightwood only days before, but I was in no mood for the stress of wildfire photography.

It takes a lot out of me and I like it. This was more of an urban wildfire. Starting in San Bernardino downtown and blowing through empty lots and God's torches the palm tree southward. It managed to create chaos for about 15 blocks along the 215 and burned several structures. Strangely enough I felt much better the next morning.

Training The Force At NTC

2008-05-12T16:10:00.000-07:00

I spent a few days embeded with a Army unit out of Ft. Carson, CO. at the Army's National Training Center NTC at Ft. Irwin, Ca.
It was only three days for me and a writer which seems insignificant compared to the 30 days for the soldiers of the U.S. Army's 167 Armor, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division.
Lucky for us and them the full force of the Mojave summer had not taken hold. The wind and dust however were to be reckoned with. I took advice and taped up my cameras like Olympic athletes. Blocking as many cracks dust may get into as possible.
Some highlights of the trip included about 20 minutes in the back of a Bradley Fighting Vehicle, a once-in-a-lifetime trip... not to be attempted (on purpose) again. Sealed in, dark, dust still found its way in anyway, look out tiny periscopes, hope you don't get motion sickness, fillings rattling from teeth, can't hear yourself think loud. Dang.
About five miles cross-country in an M1A2 SEP Tank. Much smoother and I was half way out of the top turret with fresh air except when the tank's plow hit dirt, then it was a face full of sand and rocks. I'm glad I had goggles on.
We spent time on patrol in the town talking to Iraqi actors who were there to add realism NTC style.
The Combat Out Post was "attacked" at dusk with a lot of gunfire and... dust. Off to bed in my wheel less box car and a midnight mock mortar attack.
This was about my 12th trip to Ft.Irwin for various assignments and the best.

CLICK --HERE-- to see the NTC slide show (not photos)

Hogs in Hell

2008-03-22T10:20:00.001-07:00

Here is a good example of not getting what you expect. I guess perception is the problem. I was going into this thinking about all the cool biker shots I was going to make, like at bike shows and charity rides, etc. But I forgot one small detail... many of the members of the Hells Angels are "outlaws" in the REAL sense of the word. So access was restricted. Do the best you can with what you’re given, on deadline, and run with it. I was given permission from the owner to take some pictures before 7 when the bikers were due to arrive (They did not show until 8:15). I generally am a happy guy, smilin at the people as I walk around looking for photos. I was gettin some ‘stink eye’ or ‘hairy eyeballs’, or whatever, from some of the pre-party crowd. I even wore a Hawaiian style shirt so I was not to be confused with someone who pretended to belong there, aka undercover cops, you can guess what the standard attire was.

The Hells Angels 60th Photo Gallery (Click Here)

Hells Angels drink in 60 years
Stacia Glenn, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 03/21/2008 10:49:21 PM PDT

YUCAIPA - Darkness cloaked a batch of bikers clad in black leather vests as they rolled into the Hells Angels' 60th anniversary bash Friday night, but nothing could obscure the thunderous roar of Harley-Davidsons arriving en masse.
Residents lined Dunlap Boulevard to snap photographs of the notorious motorcycle club as the first members arrived at 7:41 p.m.
Several partygoers at Angels Roadhouse Bar and Grill paused with beer bottles halfway to their lips to watch the first 75 bikers pour into the spacious red tavern.
This is not the first time that the bar has opened its doors to Hells Angels, which got its start in San Bernardino.
But the motorcycle club hailed it as the "biggest, baddest" party yet.
"We always have a great time," bar owner Renee Vicary said. "They are who they are, and they're a great bunch of guys."
About 4,000 people were expected to turn out for the celebration, which kicked off about 5 p.m. with more than 100 people gathered inside sipping beer and socializing.
Angels Roadhouse can hold 2,200 people, and Vicary said she expected to reach capacity by 10 p.m.
Bartenders were prepared to turn people away.
Three bars were set up inside the 12,800- square-foot tavern, and Los Angeles-based rock band Judge Jackson ripped into its first song as the crowd swelled to nearly 1,000 people.
Bartenders fished bottled beers out of trash bins, trying to keep up with demands, and men continued to unload cases of beer from a Budweiser truck out back.
Forty extra San Bernardino County sheriff's deputies, including several undercover officers and two teams from San Bernardino Movement Against Street Hoodlums, patrolled roads around the bar.
Some bikers said deputies took pictures of their tattoos as they exited the 10 Freeway.
A law-enforcement helicopter circled overhead.
Some people came to gawk at the tattooed bikers, others came to show their support of the Hells Angels.
"They've been around for so long, and they're all over the place," said Johnny Martinez, 58, as he leaned against his 2003 Soft Tail Springer Harley-Davidson. "It's who they are and what they represent."
On March 17, 1948, in San Bernardino, the motorcycle gang - which back then was a group of World War II veterans who refused to settle for 9-to-5 jobs and picket fences - started its first chapter.
Since then, the Hells Angels have repeatedly proved themselves to be rowdy partyers and charitable givers.
They operate an annual toy drive, delivering stuffed animals and games to sick children in hospitals.
But their San Bernardino clubhouse at Medical Center Drive and 19th Street has also been raided for drug and gun activity.
As in previous years, the private festivities are expected to continue tonight at the clubhouse.

Lighter Side of Music

2007-11-27T17:53:00.000-08:00

And to lighten the mood... some music.

CLICK --HERE-- to see the concert slide show. (not photo)

Battle On Brentwood Drive

2007-10-28T10:58:00.000-07:00

This is a audio slide show from the first day of the Grass Fire in Lake Arrowhead.

Click the play button on the lower left of this blog entry...

CLICK -HERE- Battle On Brentwood 4 slide show if you cant see it full size in Safari

Video Journalism

2007-10-19T21:43:00.000-07:00

Creating video pieces is new to newspaper 'still' photographers. So on the journey of a forced learning curve we go. Get on the bus or under it is the mantra. I will post some of the good, bad and ugly in the process to view and improve the products.

With the web element of the newspaper, the video story-telling is one of several tools we can use to fill out the story. In this case there is a paper story and photos, web story and a photo gallery and now a video as well. Also, in this case, as I am sure there will more of this, some assignments can be better videos than stills. This story is also an easy target for a video supplement as well because nothing changes over time. The animals are in the cages etc. Stay tuned....

Dana Casey Fights Cancer

2007-10-15T14:51:00.000-07:00

Click Here Or Photo Above For Full Photo Gallery

MIRACLE WOMAN
Ex-29 coach, USC great beats cancer
By John Murphy/ Staff Writer

Dana Casey edges forward in her seat as the Cal Poly Pomona women’s volleyball team puts the ball in play.
Moments later, Samantha Casey – Dana’s daughter – hits a rocket that kisses the back line for a Bronco point and a 29-28 lead against visiting Cal State University Monterey Bay.

Dana raises her arms in triumph and stomps her feet. It was a joyous moment for her during an otherwise trying 18 months.
The former Twentynine Palms High School volleyball star and coach was diagnosed 1 ½ years ago with a severe form of breast cancer. So grim was the outlook, that an oncologist in Palm Springs told her there was no hope.
“He said there was no point in getting any treatment,” Dana said. “He told me to go home and enjoy my quality of life.”
Dana now sardonically refers to the physician as “Dr. Doom.”

CHARMED LIFE
Until 2006, Dana had lived a charmed life. Known as Dana Smith in high school, she was a three-sport star. She especially excelled in volleyball and earned a scholarship to USC.
As a Trojan, she was a three-time All-America. She has two national championship rings and also finished second once.
She now teaches art and health at Monument Alternative High School in Twentynine Palms.
Dana became a successful volleyball coach at her old high school, married former Twentynine Palms and Cal Poly Pomona football player Richard Casey and had two wonderful children, Samantha (19) and Andrew (16). Andrew plays football for Twentynine Palms.
But then on a routine visit to the gynecologist, she received stunning news.
“They took a mammogram and the doctor saw something on the ultrasound,” Dana said. “He said ‘It looks like cancer.’’’
A biopsy revealed Dana has breast cancer – estrogen-positive, and severe.

NO RETREAT
As a former athlete, Dana was not ready to put up a white flag. She went online, applying at City of Hope Medical Center in Duarte. She was deemed an ideal clinical trials’ candidate.
She resigned as the Wildcat volleyball coach after 12 years. She also went on what is called “catastrophic leave” from her teaching job.
June brought 16 weeks of chemotherapy.
In October she had a mastectomy, the removal of one breast.
Two transplants followed during which she received strong chemotherapy that kills cancer-bearing white and red blood cells. The second transplant in February of ‘07 was especially grueling, as she had five chemo drugs pumped into her for 101 hours.
Friends and relatives from Twentynine Palms donated blood.
The ordeal was hell-ish. At varying times she suffered mouth soars, hot flashes, tingling in her feet and the loss of her hair.

Following the second transplant, she couldn’t use a razor or a tooth brush. Instead she used a sponge to clean her teeth.
Morphine had no effect. Instead she was given the stronger Dilaudid.
Richard Casey is the square-jawed husband of Dana who teaches and is an assistant football coach at Twentynine Palms. During a break in the volleyball action at Cal Poly Pomona, he discussed the situation.
“When she was first diagnosed, we talked to the kids and discussed what the future might hold,” he said. “They took it well.
“Dana is very strong. The treatments have been hard. But if they’ve bothered her, she’s hidden it well.”
Added Samantha: “My mom is really strong. A lot of people told me that, but I already knew it.”

TEAM EFFORT
Tight-knit Twentynine Palms took up the cause. Family friend Martie Avels had hundreds of postcards printed that said: “The road to recovery is paved with friendship.”
“The whole summer I had chemo, I would get the postcards in the mail almost every day,” Dana said.
Also, 20 co-workers donated a total of 100 hours of sick time to Dana.
“It’s amazing the community support I’ve gotten,” she said. “It’s made the biggest difference in the world.”
In April and May of ’07, Dana had radiation treatment. Toward the end of May, she returned to class. Sans wig.
“I wanted the students to see me in the recovery stage,” she said. “I felt like it was a way to reach out to my students. They’ve had trauma before. It proves you can have a trauma in your life and still get up and do what makes you happy.”

CHANGES
Noon at Monument Alternative, three days after Dana rooted Cal Poly Pomona to victory.
As Dana sits at her desk, teen-age girls enter and exit. A few push strollers with babies.
They are all toting the latest art project – posters deriding drug and alcohol abuse.
“She’s a great teacher,” said a petite teen, Patricia Huntz. “She helps us out a lot. Her class is fun. It’s not like a regular, boring art class.”
As Dana glanced at posters, she nibbled on fruit and cheese out of a plastic container. She is a reformed junk-food junkie who thinks her bad eating habits helped prompt the cancer. She doesn’t recommend processed foods and sugar to anyone.
She has changed in other ways, as well. A Presbyterian, she said she is more “at peace” and living “in the moment” now. If she feels anxious about her ongoing tests and scans, she recites scripture.
ANSWERED PRAYERS
It is mid-afternoon at Monument – time for Dana to leave. A PET scan – a powerful imaging technique that diagnoses cancer – awaits in distant Rancho Mirage.
Down Highway 62 Dana cruises in her silver Honda Odyssey. In her wake she leaves the roadside motels, new-age shops and tall Joshua trees that rise like stalactites from the desert floor.
Before long she arrives in tony Rancho Mirage, home of the Eisenhower Medical Center and the Luci Curci Cancer Center.
There she lay inside the Gamma imaging system, which performs the full-body PET scan.

Two weeks later, she reports she is free of cancer – though there’s still a chance it could return.
The progression from one-foot-in-the-grave cancer patient to healthy survivor, has both amazed and delighted many.
“She’s a miracle to us,” said City of Hope oncology nurse Julie Cox of Rancho Cucamonga. “When she came to us she had fourth-stage breast cancer that had spread to other parts of her body. There’s not a lot of hope for these patients.
“Her recovery is a God-given miracle – there’s no other way to explain it.”
The nurse added that although some patients do die, it’s important to know cancer is “not a death sentence.”
Reflecting upon it all, Dana stressed the importance of getting a second medical opinion. But most of all, she feels gratitude.
“One day I was sitting in my classroom, looking over the attendance roll and thinking about the things I planned to do when I just started crying,” she said. “I asked myself ‘Am I going crazy? Then I realized it’s just because I’m so thankful I’m here.”

The Show

2007-09-19T20:37:00.000-07:00

This work will be at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas' Fine Arts Department's Grant Hall.

CLICK --HERE-- to see the Hanging Left Behind slide show. (not photo)

The Mother Road Show 1
The Mother Road Show 2
The Mother Road Show 3
The Mother Road Show 4
Thanks to Lee Ann Fox, Bryan Smith and K for the tunes.

Tony Maher's Work
Jeremy Harris' Work

Fire on the Mountain

2007-09-18T21:55:00.000-07:00

The Butler II Fire

Butler II Slide Show Click 4 Show

The Butler II fire had singed 14,039 acres by Tuesday night, Sept. 18th, 1007, with about 2,300 firefighters from around California battling the fire.
For such a dry, hot year, we have not had much of a fire season. This was of course a reminder that here in Southern California there is no end to fire season anymore. Santa Ana winds have not even started yet. After a couple of days on the fire line it was time to procure new Nomex. The wear of the last 10 years on my old stuff was showing as a safety concern.
This fire had made several attempts at a small, Big Bear Lake community of Fawnskin, evacuated it and Green Valley Lake and even loomed over the desert town of Lucerne Valley. The weather played a critical part in the fire’s behavior. It always does, but this fire was ‘out’ at one point after lighting had started it two weeks prior when it was just called the Butler Fire. Mountain thunder storms had put a damper on its threatening nature. Or so it seemed. Hot dry winds blew it out of its containment and back onto the front page.
The low temps on the mountain over the weekend dipped to 37 and had me finding my way closer to the fire line for warmth during some night backfire shooting.

Map of Fire from Saturday, Sept. 14, 2007 14,000 acers

Cleaning took a pile of Q-tips and alcohol to get the smoke and PhosChek fire retardant off two cameras.

More fires to come?

"Several firefighters left the San Bernardino National Forest on Wednesday, as crews moved closer to containing the Butler Fire 2 Fire.

However Rocky Opliger, incident commander and assistant chief of fire and aviation operations for the San Bernardino National Forest, told firefighters assembled for Wednesday evening's briefing that the
blaze could be followed by additional fires in the coming weeks. "We're just at the beginning of fire season in Southern California. If you're not from Southern California, you probably don't believe
that," Opliger said. "Wait for the Santa Ana winds to pick up, and you'll be back."

Last year, the deadly Esperanza Fire caused the deaths of five firefighters in October after an arsonist lit a blaze in Cabazon that was heavily fanned by Santa Ana winds. The massive Old and Grand Prix fires were also October blazes. Those fires raged in 2003.

A cold one

Firefighters wore coats and gloves as they prepared for Wednesday night's shift. Temperatures were down to about 50 degrees around 6 p.m. and expected to get lower.

As a predicted rainstorm approaches the San Bernardino Mountains, crews were advised to watch out for signs of hypothermia "You're not going to stay warm," incident commander Rockty Opliger told firefighters near the conclusion of the Wednesday evening briefing. "I know you're going to stay busy."

Andrew Edwards - The Sun

Masters Thesis Progress

2007-09-18T21:10:00.000-07:00

Copy and paste links:

http://www.leareed.com/EricWeb/LabelleOnlineVideo.mov

http://www.leareed.com/EricWeb/StanLimInterviewNew.mov

The printout as well (this printout is the paper saver not the bound book version)

http://www.leareed.com/EricWeb/EricReedThesisBrooksInst08.pdf

Survey Says Traumatic Stress Is An Under-Addressed Problem In Photojournalism

SANTA BARBARA, CA (August 17, 2007) - A recent online survey of photojournalists shows that a majority believe that traumatic stress is an under-addressed problem in the news industry, that they currently feel or have felt the effects of work-related traumatic stress, and that there's an inadequate understanding of traumatic stress in the workplace.

NPPA Story link

Black Star Rising Story link

News Process

2007-07-01T19:52:00.000-07:00

I wanted to post this video I shot. It follows the photograph through the news process from pre-press to print. It was for a project in school so the strange soundless sections were for in class voice over.

The Think Piece

2007-06-30T16:22:00.000-07:00

Truly a photojournalists "Think Piece"

Follow this link to read what my undergrad teacher Kim Komenich thinks of our future.

Sports Shooter article

Is The Jury In?

2007-06-30T15:07:00.000-07:00

178,826 --- That is the number of "hits" or page views The Sun's "My Capture" gallery received in exactly one week from this moment. A week ago, Saturday, June 23rd 2007 at this time, 3:17 P.M. a week ago as I type this, I received a call on my day off of a major injury crash about six miles south of Kramer Junction. I was closest to this remote Mojave Desert location, so I went. Turned out five people were killed. I broach the subject of web hits because the average number of hits on any given "positive" news subject for a week is in the 200 to 2000 hit range. So 178 thousand and change is something to give me pause. I get comments from the public while I am in the field often lamenting the lack of positive news stories out there. I often tell them they are not thinking of my newspaper because I can prove that over half, and often much more, of our stories are, at worst, neutral. It is one of two things that give them this impression, I explain. One, they watch too much TV and this is their main image of the world, the other, is people scientifically remember "bad" news more. Then there are the "hits". The sheer number of viewers also serve to push the news industry to cover what they, the reader, obviously wants. I would be completely happy to never see another horrific crash ever again, but it is a PART of the business of covering news. There are many great and positive images we create and affect change for the good of the community. People do not see the whole from the perspective of a newsroom, to serve the people.

P.S. I try to remember in the worst of times such as this wreck that even covering a subject such as this will have a positive effect, eventually, because stories like this, on this road, will change the road. I know because I have watched it happen many times in my career.

PPS - {{ 191,428 hits as of July 7, 2007}}}
PPPS = 197,679 Aug. 21, 07

Vacation

2007-06-24T17:33:00.001-07:00

The Fog Of War Tour - A link to what I did on vacation

Not so Real estate

2007-06-24T17:28:00.000-07:00

Some "video training" on a "news story" involving Real estate.
LANG shooters Al Cuizon and Marc Campos star in this irreverent mad-cap comedy, with a tragic ending.

That Time Of Year

2007-06-05T17:22:00.000-07:00

Its fire season here in Southern California... actually it never went away. Our winter this year was really only two weeks long. Here is a link on fire bag tips featuring yours truly and Brett Snow via NPPA.

Wildfire Bag

Here is a fun shot I got last week of a firefighter getting water on his head as the grandson of a man who just lost his home watches.

Redlands Firefighter Dempsy Chappell rubs his head with water he and one-year-old Paul Perez are standing in after a blaze that destroyed one condo and damaged another at the Vista Loma Condominium Complex in Redlands, Saturday, May 26, 2007.

An intresting day

2007-05-10T16:44:00.000-07:00

Yesterday began the mentoring and interning process of a new photographer a The Sun. Guy Kitchens. Watch for his stuff on our website www.sbsun.com ... We had quite a day. I wish I had that kind of luck when I interned in Vacaville at the Reporter. Although it was a very cool and invaluable experience to me. I would HIGHLY recomend a paid or unpaid internship to any serious student of photojournalism. Without it, one would really have no idea what they are getting into. We started the day with visiting a family whose brother was killed the night before by a gang member, then went to an auto salvage yard on fire and finnished off with a peace officers memorial.

Prodded, Herded and Handled

2007-04-10T09:38:00.000-07:00

Being a photojournalist for the news media gets you used to being “handled” by public relations, agendas and even The Secret Service. I had the pleasure of photographing the President of the United States this last week. Talk about being herded. Between security, the military and the schedule, it was show up at 8A.M. and wait here… wait there… check in here and there… dog sniffs bags and cameras, people sniff same. Then I got a total of 10 minutes as the Prez spoke, to get the picture. Not that photographing a speach is difficult. Sitting so long, then rushed into the room to photograph was funny. The speech started the minute we were cattled in onto the photo stands. I was literally white balancing my camera and setting the exposure during the actual speech. No prep time. Classic “hurry up and wait… now get lost.” They were running us out of the room before the Prez had even finished shaking anyone's hand.
On the other end of spectrum, I really enjoyed creating a front-page story from a stand-alone / found situation. I was driving in the rural Mentone/Highland area when I stumbled across a beekeeper. I have seen bee boxes along the roads for a decade or so but have not found a keeper working since ’93. They put me in a bee–proof suit and I got close. I love bees, so this was cool. I am kind of particular about how I leave my equipment set. i.e. which lens is on what camera, ISO, white balance set, formatted cards, etc. so when I mixed up my camera and lens combo a couple of days later, I thought to actually smell the camera body. The one that smelled like bees wax had the 14 mm on it.

Trippin San Francisco

2007-03-04T07:37:00.000-08:00

A collection of images from S.F.
Sidewalk/MUNI Imagery

Could It Get Worse?

2007-02-28T09:19:00.000-08:00

It was a bad day in Berdoo. I found my old friend Sponge Bob face down in a trash-strewn field in the pre-dawn rain, next to Pioneer Cemetery. You have to laugh or you will cry. This town is going through a very challenging time with violent crime. I have seen this type of scene many times with people over the last year or so, a couple only yards away from this very spot. The assignment where I had discovered this scene was to spend the morning getting soaked with the SB Mayor and a writer on a census of the homeless in the city. We were able to find one man who was washing a towel he used as a bandage in the rain runoff from the street above. He was tending a wound he received from a gunshot to the stomach and lost his colon. This is his home.

Mojave Marines

2007-01-28T17:51:00.000-08:00

Much like my experiences at Fort Irwin, (see previous blog entry in Archive: April 2006) the Marines at the Marine Corp Air Ground Combat Training Center in Twentynine Palms use the Mojave Desert as their playground. I recently spent some time at 29 Palms to watch the Marines train in a live-fire attack and work on urban warfare techniques. At the same time hundreds were deploying and returning from Iraq. This is an emotional time for the troops and their families. It is always an amazing experience to be apart of it, to witness this chapter in U.S. history.
--The slide show-- Large format, let it load... Then play.
MARINES

On the Spot

2007-01-16T09:39:00.000-08:00

Spot news is an unplanned event that has a timely aspect and mass effect or appeal. Often, people do not understand this concept that a newspaper is trying to convey. It has to be of interest to many thousands of people. With the change in schedules at The Sun and the number of photographers there, I often will go a while without any spot news on my plate for as stint. Other times it comes in waves and I seem to see a lot in a shorter period of time. We, in Southern California, have had some unusual weather patterns of late. Overturned semi-truck season is usually around October. We seem to be in an extended season here in January. Along with the Santa Ana winds in Jan., high winds in the Mojave Desert caused dust storms along Interstate 15 to Vegas causing accidents as well. Apart from weather, a four-alarm fire of an apartment building in Grand Terrace broke out where 12 units were damaged. When I was called on this one I was already on the same street , the next city over. Being able to respond early to an event is 100% luck. Our coverage area is so large that getting to spot news often becomes a clean-up news feature late. In case you did not know, firefighters who are published have to buy ice cream for the department... I sent these photos of the GT fire to a firefighter's trade magazine. I said I would buy, this time, if they were re-published, One firefighter acepted! This may cost me.

Nutcracker Access

2006-12-12T17:00:00.000-08:00

I cannot remember if I have ever seen the Nutcracker, but I have photographed parts of it for years. This time I had a little more fun with it because, one, I was playing with that 50 1.4 again and I was interested in the process of the play, back stage and actors instead of the actual play. My favorite image is that of the toy soldiers watching the dress rehearsal from the audience perspective. It reminds me of a color Henri Cartier-Bresson, 1930s image. It has softness in tone and monochromatic setting in red uniforms and red seat fabric. The center girl’s expression of concentration takes the viewer into the moment. It makes me loose myself in the moment each time I look at it. The other shots are with the 14 at 2.8 and all at 1600 ISO on the Nikon D1h. P.S. a 14 mm on a Nikon digital camera is equivalent to 21 mm on a film camera.

Beautiful But Deadly

2006-12-12T16:49:00.000-08:00

Stark Beauty: or Beautiful But Deadly. A trip to Surprise Canyon was just that, a surprise. I have traveled over much of the region specializing in the Mojave Desert and I only say deadly because places like these can bee if one is not prepared for the elements. This is one of the few places I have found that actually surprised me in its natural diversity and eco system in such a stark and generally inhospitable land. The other areas in the Mojave are: Afton Canyon, Round Valley and Providence Mt. State Park. Although, Round Valley in the Mojave National Preserve was burned during the Hackberry Complex Fire of ’05. I created a slide show of Surprise Canyon, which as I understand it, had a road through it at one time and Mother Nature took it back. The canyon is now the center of a national lawsuit by off roaders to be able to access the canyon again. I hiked in several miles with a little climbing up waterfalls with some water, trail mix and two camera bodies with a lens range of 14mm to 600mm and yes I used it all. The writer and I did not attempt to make the eight-hour hike to Panament Ghost Town at the top of the canyon.

Ballarat Ghost Town however is near the base of Surprise Canyon. With Rock the caretaker and his dog Potlicker, the grave of Seldom Seen Slim the prospector and Charles Manson’s ‘50s pickup truck. I started to use a 50 1.4 lens, see if you can pick out which images are from that one.

Suprise Canyon
Ballarat Ghost Town

In Memoriam

2006-10-31T21:00:00.000-08:00

After covering wildfire for 20 years, the death of five professional firefighters reminds their colleagues and journalists alike the danger involved in an unpredictable disaster such as this. Anyone could have been with them that day. I tend to get close. Experience, professional training and FULL fire gear including a emergency fire shelter help me tell the story through images. There are many ways to photograph fire; very long lenses of flames and aircraft is one way. I tend to use a 20mm lense. I feel I always stay out of the way of firefighting crews, but I also try to show them as the heroes they are. I can do this best by showing them in the real situations they work in. I often think the general public does not understand. We all love to do our jobs out there. They died doing what they loved to do.

Report:
Even as investigators continue to probe the cause of the Esperanza fire, the blaze claimed its fifth life Tuesday night. Firefighter Pablo Cerda, 23, died about 5 p.m. in Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, where he had clung to life since sustaining critical burns over most of his body on Thursday, the day the fire started near Cabazon.
The fire itself was was fully contained Monday evening after a five-day fight covering an estimated 40,200 acres.
Also killed as a result of burns sustained that first day were Jess McLean, 27, of Beaumont; Daniel Hoover-Najera, 20, of San Jacinto; Jason McKay, 27, of Phelan; and Mark Loutzenhiser, 44, of Idyllwild.
Investigators worked both at the fire's origin on Esperanza Avenue and where the crew of U.S. Forest Service firefighters was overrun by flames Thursday on Gorgonio View Road in lower Twin Pines.
Authorities stood by their damage estimates Monday - 34 homes and 20 other structures destroyed. The cost of fighting the fire was put at nearly $10 million.
The San Bernardino Sun: 10-31-06

--The slide show-- Large format, let it load... Then play.
Esperanza Fire Images
Full Story

Pointing To The Sky

2006-10-31T19:37:00.000-08:00

Spending a day at the Edwards Air Force Base Open House and Airshow. I decided, in true Garry Winogrand fashion, to use a wide angle and photograph people watching the sky. Many people like 'people watching' and one co-worker said they look like they are waiting for God.

--The slide show-- Large format, so let it load... Then play.
Waiting4god

The Mother Road

2006-09-26T08:49:00.000-07:00

Using photography to explore the world around me, or my backyard for that matter, is a wonderfull feeling. Using a camera and forcing myself to slow... down... and really see what is around me, unlike at 70mph on a freeway. Slowing down creates a more rewarding experience and memories. I have photographed Route 66 in the California Mojave Desert for years so "Seeing" it in a fresh way can be a challenge. I have found that things do change, slowly, even in the desert. There is a before and after effect. Its is a bit of an illusion because there is an infinite amount of time before and after my images.
Some of the before is at:
The Mother Road
Four slide shows:
The Mother Road Show 1
The Mother Road Show 2
The Mother Road Show 3
The Mother Road Show 4
Thanks to Lee Ann Fox, Bryan Smith and K for the tunes.

New Toy For A Different View

2006-08-26T22:16:00.000-07:00

I have been photographing high school football for 18 years. Although it can get redundant, applying a new way of "seeing" can make for a fresh and fun experience. The Lensebaby 2.0 was the new toy du jour.

When you have been covering the same assignments for this long, it is easy to fall into a rut bad attitude of the same old thing. As we gear up for a full swing at high school football this year and the number of games I will cover, I think I need to try some new techniques, at minimum, try and have an attitude of "seeing" for the first time. You never know what will happen even if you think it will be the same.

As I was walking back to the car, after one of several pre-season stories on one of 90 teams in our coverage area, I looked down at the distinct Vans footprints I had left in the dirt on the way to the football field. I thought about what was going through my mind when I left those prints in the opposite direction that I was traveling now. I thought about the time that had passed since I had left those prints. My mood had changed from approaching the shoot to having accomplished it. I felt lighter.

Flyin' High

2006-08-23T14:29:00.000-07:00

San Bernardino County Sheriff's aviation division will soon be receiving its sixth Eurocopter AS350B3 at about $2.6 million each. These helicopters are equipped to fight fires from the air with 180 gallon "Bambi Buckets."

I have flown in many different types of aircraft over the years, but this ride had me thinking how nice it would be to have a vehicle that you could pick up and put down anywhere anytime.

Yeah, But Its A Dry Heat

2006-07-29T15:26:00.000-07:00

I have taken many trips to Death Valley National Park, but the Summer weather assignment takes heat to yet another level. At 125 degrees and a hot wind that makes it worse, eight hours of driving to get there and back and an hour out at Bad Water (282 feet below sea level)to photo tourists that are from anywhere but the U.S., beats a day in the office.

So You Think Its Hot?

2006-07-23T08:41:00.000-07:00

Here in the Inland Empire, along with everywhere else, it has been "Africa Hot." I have actually been entertained by reading the weather page of how miserable everyone else is as well... So Cal temps included the record breaking 119 in Woodland Hills, 114 in San Bernardino and 121 in Palm Spring. Palm Springs is near where these three fires (Sawtooth Complex, Covington at Joshua Tree National Park, and Crafton Hills) were taken from. Take that 108 degrees in the shade add long sleeves and long pants, add full Nomex fire protection gear, helmet. Carry lots of cameras, water and a fire shelter then hike a couple of miles in rugged terrain in the sand at 4000 feet elevation of Joshua Tree NP. Then when you reach the fire, get real close to the burning stuff at 1800 degrees. If you have any extra ambition try running along with the firefighters as they drag hose lines, because I like to photograph fire with a 14 mm lens. Needless to say I soaked the clothes as if I jumped into one of those back yard pools the fire was threatening and I have it easy because I can stop or leave if I've had enough. That IS what I call a good time. It tends to make up for the other stuff that is not so cool.

The slide show: Fire Weather
PS. I have been photographing wildland fires for 20 years (my first published image was of an Orange County canyon fire in 1986... dont try this at home kids;)

An extra special message, massage

2006-07-22T23:19:00.000-07:00

Rialto Police and narcotics officers raided two massage and tanning parlors for prostitution after months of undercover investigation.

I think this image above is my favorite because a raid can be action packed like the one below but this image makes a quiet visual statement to an emotional state, a mood, a social statement on the condition these people may be in. The girl shrunken at the bottom of a well of looming parental like officers, dark clothing and shapes. A trapped social condition.
Again, the use of the wide angle lens and natural light helps me capture what is there, unlike the use of flash and drag of the shutter to create a completely different feel of the event (the arrest blur photo). I believe how one chooses to photograph a scene conveys a layer of information not literal and always easy to explain.

Fire Suppression

2006-05-31T18:27:00.000-07:00

This "Soundslide" show was a bit of a pain to put together but fun in its results. A non-traditional look at still photography. The use of the Nikon's 'motor drive' (digital cameras don't have motor drives, only a eletronic shutter) at 7 frames per second of the water drop and a pan of the 747 on the ground. The Evergreen Supertanker is a Boeing 747 that can deliver 20,000 gallons of fire retardant along 5 miles of fireline, not graceful but packs a punch.
***NOTE*** this high bandwidth show needs time to load, pause it and let it load for a few seconds first.
The slide show: 747 Air Tanker Water Drop

Fair Photography

2006-05-15T11:09:00.000-07:00

I have lost count of the number of "fairs" (as in county fair) that I have photographed. Some years are better than others but one thing is for sure, fairs (like weddings) are very similar in the sense of being repetitive in nature, visually. I like sticking close to the people and their animals because I find that the human element is more compelling for my creativity. There is passion in their connection to the animals. Unlike the rides, which are expensive and over quickly.

The slide show: The County Fair
And a Mahalo to \< (K) of Raw : Audio for the great music

Highs and Lows

2006-05-02T14:49:00.000-07:00

Being a newspaper photographer has its ups and downs. I enjoy being a phojournalist because I often do not know what I will be doing from day to day and sometimes minute to minute. Assignments change, the emergency radio scanner breaks with news that needs to be covered now. The past week has been an example of the best and worst assignments.
I hate paparazzi. On the rare occasion staff photographers are forced to sink to that level and get the shot no matter what. So staking out the Riverside Courthouse to make sure a photo of a suspected child porn peddler ran with a story in the paper was on the menu. The daily mug of the local gas prices often feels like a waste of time and will never fit in a portfolio. The high of last week was to be in the back seat of an F-16 in a ride along with the USAF Thunderbirds... They canceled on me, AGAIN. A trip out to Las Vegas to explore the future of air traffic at the current and future international airports was nice. Its good to get out of the office.

RANT RANT RANT

Photographing Diversity

2006-04-24T10:27:00.000-07:00

In a non technical sense, photographing peoples lives can be difficult. How does one tell a story in a single image which conveys a sense of community. Trust is often the key. I try and not bring attitude onto a scene where people need to be able and trust a photographer. Showing a person with a sense of dignity is key, no mater who they are.

San Bernardino County Sheriff's Deputy James Valencia interviews the victim of a stabbing in Highland, April 8, 2006

Highland is a community in San Bernardino County in which the most extreme conditions of economic divide exist. I have not seen this range of rich to poor anywhere I have worked as a photographer in one city except San Francisco. San Francisco has the opulence of Nob Hill to the project of Potrero Hill. Highland has the upscale homes on the hill to the well traveled gang turf of it's west side. San Francisco has 750,000 people over 47 square miles, Highland has about 50,000 residents.

Photographing a community where such extremes exist can be challenging both mentally and physically, but conveying it honestly is still the ultimate challenge.

Graduate Level Training

2006-04-17T12:21:00.000-07:00

People might get the idea I spend a lot of time at the Army's National Training Center at Fort Irwin, usually a couple trips a year, they just happened to be now. I suppose it helps that the NTC is in San Bernardino County like The Sun Newspaper. This event was special because often I hear on assignments, "You should have been here for this or that" or "Next week we will do this." It gets a little frustrating knowing you missed the best photo opportunity. This time it worked out. Unlike the first day, (the week before), where I shot about 700 images (and used 8 in 2 papers) this time I shot 1,300 pics and we used 4. That is the nature of the paper biz. Luckily the Internet has my back. This assignment was a challenge because when there are so many subjects to photograph one may have the feeling that they are missing something else. My philosophy is, I am exactly where I am supposed to be and I will make the best picture I can, here and now.

With the mind-numbing and ear-piercing rattle of machine gun fire bouncing off the steel-walled shipping container "buildings." It made it a bit harder to concentrate on pictures, but also added to the excitement. I kept thinking how glad I was that no one was using real bullets.

Thanks to AnnJohansson.com for the pic of me (standing around doing nothing) during a "car bomb" attack on the village ;)

Insurgency/Counter-Insurgency

2006-04-11T09:15:00.000-07:00

"They die here so they don't have to die in Iraq" Maj. John Clearwater of Ft. Irwin's PAO
The Army's National Training Center at Fort Irwin, in California's Mojave Desert is a military training sand box often referred to as "the box" the size of Rhode Island. 50,000 troops are trained here each year. Force on force used to be the mantra but now its RPGs and IEDs. Learning to deal with the real world situations of today's Iraq. About 1,600 troops and civilians including 250 Iraqi Americans are the OpFor or opposing force to the visiting units.
"If you took off the blind-fold and told me this was Afghanistan, I would say OK." Said New York Times reporter Dexter Filkins who has lived and covered the war in Afghanistan and Iraq for the past three -and-a-half years.
The slide show: Insurgency

Control

2006-04-03T14:38:00.000-07:00

Letting things just happen, sometimes, can be a rewarding experience both photographically and in life. Sometimes as a working photojournalist I find myself just exploring the community to relate what is out there to the readers. Being a photographer also gives me a wonderful excuse to talk to people without seeming too strange. When I found these retired guys flying model airplanes I thought that I could have a little fun with creating pictures and learning from them. Turns out a few of them actually flew aircraft in the military and one flew in combat... And yes, he said it does help him fly the models.

The slide show: Radio Control Planes

Not Just a Leap

2006-04-01T19:21:00.000-08:00

I often say "If you do anything for eight hours a day, you can be a supermodel." I mean, anyone who can put in the time and effort can accomplish anything! Spend 40 to 50 hours a week in a gym and see what happens... Photography dose not come easy to everyone (or me for that matter) but think of the time I put in on top of my love for the craft. I want you to think of what it is you truly love, what inspires you, and create a mental path of how you can make it happen! Create your reality, take and make no excuses and everything will work out perfectly!

I was inspired to think about this because of conversations I have had with friends lately and my trip to Anderson School for their Special Olympics. Think about what these people have as obstacles in their lives and continue to leap.

Photo-Anderson School student Richard Rodriguez reaches for the sky while attempting the standing long jump during the 4th Annual Special Olympics, Thursday, March 29, 2006 in San Bernardino. He made it 5 feet and 6 inches.
EWOP

Nature's Lawnmowers

2006-03-26T18:00:00.000-08:00

A little kidding around. Sometimes it is nice in this fast-paced business to breath and watch goats, then have a little fun photographing them. Enjoy the slide show.

The Slide Show: Natures Lawnmowers

On a technical note: The main photo was taken with a Nikon D2HS at 200 ISO, f16, 1/500 and an off camera SB800 at TTL 0.

Cristo Ray

2006-03-19T22:20:00.000-08:00

Today, I spent about three hours at a 60-year-old Catholic church in San Bernardino called, Christ The King, AKA for the two out-the-door, Spanish-speaking masses, Cristo Ray. The story is about how three churches in the area are closing down and consolidating into one. The people have mixed feelings about the idea, some see more room and others see the loss of history. Either way, the people were extremely friendly and let me photograph them. My favorite moment of the day was to hang out with the alter boys because of the color and shape of the cross in one's hand.
To see a temp slide show and full story go to The Sun link to the right or if that's gone I have it here for now...

The Slide Show: Cristo Rey

A New Frontier

2006-03-18T18:08:00.000-08:00

This is a new venture in photography for your host. As a Staff Photographer for The Sun Newspaper in San Bernardino, California, I intend to use this space to discuss, photojournalism. The aspects of photojournalism such as technical talk, ethics, approach, point of view and aesthetics will be covered. Here serious and some times not so serious aspects of photojournalism will be addressed on a regular basis. As I find something to discuss related to press photography during my encounters, I would like to share them with you.

A brief introduction: Currently I am a full-time, staff photographer for a metro newspaper of about 80,000 copies circulated daily. With the advent of technology, the online version of The Sun is under constant improvements. The internet is a wonderfull tool to communicate with readers. So visit www.sbsun.com on a regular basis to view stories and photographs from our Inland Empire communities. One more thing about moi, I have been a photographic story teller for about 17 years and currently am finishing a masters degree in photography.

Please post comments of a professional and or curious nature if you are so inclined and we will see where this goes.

Above Photo:
March 18, 2006 - Returning Troops - Over the weekend, I covered two events in the High Desert region of Barstow and Ft. Irwin. The return of the 11th ACR to Ft. Irwin was an opportunity to record the events of our soldiers returning from a year tour in Iraq.

The slide show: Blackhorse

I look forward to your comments. Post for all to view or contact me at eric.reed@sbsun.com and I will try to get back to you in a decent amount of time.

Thank You for your time.