The Day After

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

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?

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

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

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

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

And to lighten the mood... some music.

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