Paradise East

Spent some time on the East side of the Sierra last week. Fished the Owens river, Hot Creek and the San Joaquin river near Devils Postpile and spent some time at Mono Lake and in Tuolumne Meadows.

If I could afford it, I would live over there and fish every day.

Listen To This

Two albums I can't get enough of lately are The Black Keys "Chulahoma" and Junior Kimbrough's "You Better Run".

"Chulahoma" is a six song EP of Kimbrough's music played by the Akron, Ohio duo and "You Better Run" is an anthology of the late bluesman's work.

There's no doubt that Kimbrough's versions of the songs are better but the Black Keys are like the early Rolling Stones in that they can cover the blues without ever sounding like they are mimicking. Their version of Kimbrough's "Meet Me in The City" is ever bit as dark and dirty as anything the Stones ever did with Slim Harpo or Muddy Waters.

In any case, I love both of these albums. Junior Kimbrough was one of the greatest of the Delta bluesman and you, yes all 8 of you, should get this album right now.

You should also have all the Black Keys albums as well. Their latest "Attack and Release" is the best album of the year.

Ouch Photos

This week's sports photos included a couple of painful looking images. By the way, the women wasn't injured by the bat. The soccer player required a head full of stitches.

The Smart Car Is Here

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And It Rocks....

Got Poop?

Human Cockfighting

I spent another night shooting what is called mixed martial arts or ultimate fighting. It's pretty much just two guys beating the shit out of each other while people in the audience yell things like "Break his leg".

I had difficulty shooting tonight because the area set aside for photographers was set back from the edge of the ring making it hard to get an angle without bending my body like a Russian circus freak. There were people sitting behind the photographers and at one point the promoter tapped me on the shoulder and told me that I was too tall and paying customers couldn't see the fight.

I managed to find a chair and shoot from an even more uncomfortable position. Luckily for me the local fighters all had quick bouts and I was able to get out earlier than I expected.

I guess next time the paper will have to send a midget to the fights. Meanwhile I'll be looking into the possibility of having myself declared a "State Sanctioned Mutant with A Vertical Disorder" so that I can force the promoters to build me a special platform to shoot from. The platform would have to included a lounge chair, fresh supply of ice water and a case of Slim Jims.

My people can not be stopped.

Futbol

High school soccer championships this week and it rained like crazy. It always makes for some nice pictures when they play on a wet field but as a photographer it means I'm spending two hours getting soaked while I wait for the celebrations at the end.

I Never Looked So Cool Again

My dad sent me this picture of me and my mom taken when we lived in France. I was probably three years old. I'm wearing a wooden camera my dad made me.

My mom and I look so groovy.

Smells Like Skunk

Eric and I took our first fishing trip of the year Sunday. Common sense should have told us that it was too early in the year to fish but Mother Nature's slutty daughter,Spring was whispering in our ears, promising plentiful trout and an ample supply of wood nymphs.

We headed to the Upper Kings river, above Pine Flat dam. This spot is known for its large, wild trout but it’s also known for it’s large rattlesnake population. Also, it’s not real easy to get too. After a hour and a half drive from Fresno around the lake it takes a long ten mile drive on a rough, narrow dirt road that takes you several hundred feet above the river. We passed what must have a been a hundred cyclists taking part in a race. It slowed us down until we got to the back side of the lake. At one point we came across a rock slide that just barely left enough room for a single vehicle to pass.

At the end of the road we parked and hiked for a couple more miles up a slowly climbing canyon and the back down again to gain access to the river.

The water looked great, not too high or low and fairly clear but it was still cold. 45 degrees was the reading Eric got. The air temperature was in the 60’s but the water was just not warm enough to bring the fish out of their dormant state.

We fished a number of spots along the river and never ever saw a fish. Usually we at least see some fish taunting us but if I diddn’t know better I’d swear that there were no fish.

We kept trying until it got dark but ended the day covered with the strong stench of skunk.

Running and Fighting

This time of year I spend 5 or 6 days a week shooting basketball. This past couple of weeks I've had a few breaks in the form of pro bull riding, indoor track and field and yesterday, hockey. I shot the third period of the game from the catwalk, several hundred feet above the ice. From this vantage point, you are directly over the players and it gives a somewhat scary, but very interesting angle. Early in the period a fight broke out directly under me and when the refs jumped on the pile to break it up it looked like some kind of eight-legged bug slithering on the ice.

Tonight I return to more basketball and my fourth night in a row at the Save Mart center which I'm beginning to become way too familier with.

Cowboy Night In Fresno

Shot pro bullriding last night. It's an annual event and draws a huge crowd. There were people arriving in limos, which would seem odd in other places but not in Fresno.

The event is part rodeo part rock concert. Instead of country music, they blast hard rock from groups like Metallica and Guns and Roses. Lot's of colored lights and fog machines too. But try as they do, it still smells like a huge barn with the smell of cow shit mixed with Coors light and nachos.