Art of Preparedness

Anyone who knows me already knows my wish-list presidential candidate, Dennis Kucinich, didn’t make the cut this time around. However, I have no complaints. We have elected, through a landslide decision, a president that holds great potential. If indeed his actions as Commander in Chief hold half of what his campaign trail words promised, then we are headed in the right direction.

This is the kind of support I’m talking about!

Our union is in peril, and what we hear on the news is only a clever smokescreen for the true harm we face. Yet instead of concentrating on the negatives we face, I want to deliver this…Hope is with us. Not for a very long time has America, the US of A, demonstrated to the world, in one action, our potential for greatness. With the election of a ‘black’ president (he’s not black, he’s mixed, like we ALL ARE!), a man who has truly seen the world and comes from a place of intellect, understanding, and grounded action, we have now collectivley achieved a shining example of all our founding fathers dreamt of. Thank goodness for that.

The night of the election we went to a local bar, where a good portion of the Ojai Valley was at, and witnessed, together, the announcement that Barack Obama would lead our nation away from the turmoil of the last eight years. People cheered. People screamed. And people wept. Tears of joy, of relief, and of disbelief streamed down men and women’s faces. For the first time since the infamous attack on NY I felt that we might be stepping with our best foot forward. Thank you to all who voted.

What a world we would live in, if every now and again we forgot ourselves, and remembered enjoyment.

Kiya with a new friend

Ryan Harris and Kelly

Fascination

His claim was too much “allergy medicine”

Heather

In Stereo

Just a couple of snaps from the ongoing Artist’s Way group.

Jack, Niki and Kiya

Steph in Paint

In recent weeks I have won two photo contests!!! The first is the CNPA (California Newspaper Association) 2008 Breaking News Photo, Weekly (4,300 and under) First Place (shown below). While on assignment for the Ojai Valley Visitor’s Guide, a publication of the Ojai Valley News, I was stopped at a fire camp deep in the Sespe Mountain range as crews were fighting the Zaca Fire of 2007. Stuck until cleared by commanders down the line I figured I would hunt around for some photo opportunities. About the time Smokey the Bear caught my eye a small breeze turned into a stout wind and rekindled some hot spots crews had fought the night before.

Before my eyes a burnt field reignited and the melee insued. Fire fighters swarmed like ants. The whole camp came apart with the fervor of those whose home is under attack. Already positioned by the Smokey the Bear sign, I figured I would try for a cool feature photo. First Smokey appeared with smoke, then with flame, then with a helicopter dropping retardant. I was happy with all of these and would have been stoked with any of these shots. Then the wind really kicked in and I heard shouts from behind me to clear the area, a drop was coming! Too late. The sound of turbo props chopped against the angry roar of 40 foot flames. I spun around, and through the smoke P-3 Orion Airtanker blasted through with its payload! Nice.

After the blaze had been put to bed and those present had seen the photos I shot, clearance was quickly given to me and I continued on my way through a barren wasteland towards the real goal of the day; to photograph an award wining wine maker in the Cuyama valley.

Second fun score was to be announced through the OVN’s “Best of” contest as the best Photographer in Ojai. In actuallity, I tied for 1st with my good friend, ally and competitor Attasalina Dews, but was told the tie came from the cancelation of my vote. Who knows. Either way, there you have it. Now it’s time for this fish to move to bigger ponds!