There are a few things I have photographed in my career. A bases loaded walk-off home run. A player hitting for a cycle. But there are also a few things I have never photographed like a pitcher throwing a perfect game or a bench clearing brawl. Until tonight. Sort of.

Giants pitcher Ramon Ramirez hit Phillies’ Shane Victorino with a fastball into his back. Once it happen I stood up and kept my eye on Victorino. Then Victorino did what I would do, rush the pitcher mound, slowly. (Actually I would never do that because I’m a whimp.) But then he stopped. Giants catcher Eli Whiteside ran out onto the field and began hopping up and down like an excited puppy. I figured he was going to tackle Victorino but he didn’t. Victorino stopped halfway when the home plate umpire got between him and Ramirez. And all of sudden it happen! The Phillies’ Placido Polanco ran out of the dugout and ran straight for Whiteside. Whiteside dropped to his knees and tackled Polanco. And from there everything began to get fuzzy. My instincts tell me to start photographing anything that moves. The trouble was that it happened so fast I wasn’t sure I got anything in focus. The Phillies ran out of their dugout and the only thing I could see was the back of players. At this time I lowered the camera from my face and continued to scan for the field for any signs of arms flaring but as quickly as it started it was over. A few players were ejected. I looked around to my fellow photographers that were sitting next to me and asked if anyone saw a player throw a punch? We all concluded that it was more like a large scrum, sort of like rugby. But in rugby someone would of gotten hurt.

You know you’ve been at a newspaper for a while when this happens. By the way, Barbara Evans is an amazing lady. She once pulled 7 G’s on a military aircraft! You totally rock Barbara, see you in a year or so.

Barbara Evans, age 88, from Concord, is photographed at her home on Friday, February 23, 2007 in Concord, Calif. Evans got her pilot's license in 1947 and has flown across the United States multiple times. Barbara is holding a photo of herself taken in 1955 in front of a Cessna that she flew across the U.S.

Barbara Evans, age 90, from Concord, holds a photograph of herself floating at zero gravity on Monday, January 5, 2009 in Concord, Calif. In September 2008, Evans took the adventurous excursion to celebrate her 90th birthday.

Heritage's Jordan Knox, #24, fouls Deer Valley's Harris Emran, #2, while going up for the lay up in the fist half of their game on Friday, January 2, 2009 in Brentwood, Calif.

I was really excited to get this assignment. I haven’t shot high school basketball in a long time. A year to be exact, and I had lots of fun. Now this is just my opinion but kids that play in high school play more with heart. No corporate sponsorships, no highlight reel on ESPN, no post interview press conference with lots of questions from the media. These kids play with emotion and it shows in the photographs.

Ethan Marsh, age 15, from Pleasant Hill, exercises at the Irvin Deutscher YMCA on Friday, January 2, 2009 in Pleasant Hill, Calif.

Well, it’s that time of year again. The new year is upon us and we all feel the urge to make resolutions we can’t keep. The last thing I want see when I go to the gym is a photographer walking around trying to take my picture. This was a tough assignment. As I walked around looking for a subject to photograph I could hear the voices in their heads “Don’t you dare take a picture of me!”

So instead of photographing the little old lady on the leg machine, I went for the young kid trying to bulk up for summer beach season. What really helps is always smiling and approaching people with a hello. But sometimes that doesn’t work and you resort to Plan B. Take a picture from behind and run like crazy!

Spent the past three days documenting the 2008 Warrior Girls audition. This was the second time I’ve done this. The first time I did this I was really happy with the show I produced but… after a whole year of gathering experience, I look back and wonder what the hell was I thinking. I really like it. I hope I still feel the same next year?

Here’s a link to the audio slideshow. 

Slideshow

Today was only the third time in one year since switching over to Multimedia that I shot something and I didn’t have to produce an audio slideshow or a video. God! I loved it! I know the flavor of the month is multimedia. Everywhere you look it’s multimedia this or that. Must have multimedia experience. That’s all great but whatever happen to concentrating on making really nice images. For me today was that. Go out and don’t stress about getting audio or how it will all fit with a slide show. Today was about making nice images that readers will enjoy seeing at two-columns… and badly cropped. Nothing is perfect.

Today I traveled to Brentwood. My old stomping grounds. It’s been over 20 years since I returned to my old church. Well, actually my old church is now a realtors office and the new church building was built two miles down the road. The new Immaculate Heart of Mary church has lots of leg room and a big parking lot.

The reason I’m here is because Immaculate Heart of Mary is only one of two churches in the Bay Area that conducts Latin Mass. So after about 45 minutes of walking around the building I found this photo.

I asked his dad if it was okay for me to use it. I thought he’d be upset but when he saw it he let out a big smile. “That’s my boy!” he said.

Today was a good day.

To view a video I made explaining Latin Mass click HERE.

My editors were a little late assigning me to this but no matter. I followed kids from the Briones 4-H as they raised pigs for competition. Of course we all know what happens in the end. I was surprised to see how well the kids handled it. One of the kids always made sure he told us how much he loved bacon. I knew he wasn’t going to have any problems saying goodbye!

There was this one boy, Anthony Cannon. It was his first time showing a pig. Wouldn’t you know it. He won the big one. Grand Champion Pig. In the end it was a little difficult saying goodbye. The money he made from the sale will go towards his college fund. He loved that pig even though he did say it was a stubborn pig.

Here’s a link to the audio slideshow.

Slideshow

This weekend was the 2008 USA Rugby National Championship at Stanford University. This was a fun event to cover. Mostly because I had no idea what was happening. It felt like the first time I photographed football. I told myself… just follow the ball. Whatever happens just follow the ball.

What a crazy wonderful sport! Players are lifted up high into the air and then you crash into them without pads. Someone told me that there are less injuries in rugby than there is in football. I find that hard to believe because when you get hurt in rugby, they don’t stop the play!

Here’s a link to the audio slideshow.

Slideshow