I came across this eye catching article my friend had posted to FB and I knew it was going to be interesting since she usually posts things I wish I had found first. So when I opened it I was pleasantly surprised how David Sedaris -esk it was. Written with grit, humor, honesty and completely relatable. […]
New Year Resolutions
Make it a Great New Year!
Resolutions, some gruff at the idea while others embrace the challenge of making changes. January is the time when we think about how we are going to do things different and make positive changes in our lives. For example, lose a few extra pounds, read more, spend more quality time with our families. Whatever it is that you want to do different it is possible with a change of behavior. If you dream it, you can do it! For me, I decided to volunteer more this year. The Dolan Automotive Group gives so much back to the community, it has inspired me to volunteer and to get more involved in my community.
The big question is where do you start? Think of your passions and what really gets you excited? Remember to start small and create those attainable goals with your New Year resolutions. I chose to volunteer with the Sky Tavern Jr Ski Program. Instructing young children and instilling a love for winter sports I find to be very rewarding. My father was a volunteer with the National Ski Patrol Association when I was a kid. He volunteered every weekend with my brothers and me in tow to ski. I remember that he always had a smile on his face as I followed him all over the hill during his patrol duties. There was a great return on his investment of time that personified down to us. My brothers and I are lifelong skiers with a deep love of the sport and the outdoors in general. Now it’s my turn to give back and follow in my dad’s footsteps as I train to be an instructor this year and get certified to be volunteer ski patrol for the 2014 season.
Resolutions don’t have to be complicated! They may be as simple as being more courteous. For example inviting the person behind you in the checkout line to go ahead or perhaps holding a door open for someone. Whatever you choose to do, give it all you have and do it with passion! Have fun with your resolutions!
If you are interested in volunteering here are a few local non-profit organizations that are vital to our community
If you are interested in volunteering with Sky Tavern Jr Ski program Click Here.
If you are interested in volunteering with Reno Bike Project Click Here.
For general volunteering opportunities visit http://www.nevadavolunteers.org/programs.asp for more information.
Live DMB
..and being carefree
It may not look like much but there are 50 thousand people down there on the playa. This is Burning Man 2012. My cousin was in town from Germany and by complete spontaneity, since we didn’t have tickets, we made plans anyway to take the 200 mile drive [my fav] and go to Gerlach and the hills of the Black Rock Desert.
There are two roads around the Black Rock Desert and train track that runs through it. I had been on the northern route before in February which is the main way onto the playa. Traffic was at a minimum at 9am but wanted to take Rte 49 to Winnemucca anyway. It’s not well marked or maintained but fun to drive. Two or 3 miles later as Black Rock City grew larger on every ridge I drove until I saw my shot. 
On a clear day you can see Steamboat Mtn, Mormon Dan Peak and Burnt Rock Peak but today was clouded by the activity on the playa. The dust plume looked like it was reaching 200 feet up in the air and the scene was difficult to see.
It was an amazing sight to barely grasp the amount of people, art, trailers and bicycles that amounted to a city 11 times larger than the little town I grew up in. We got back in the Baja and drove up the road a couple more miles to get closer. Parked in the middle of the road and hiked up the ridge for a better perspective. Here we photographed and took in the mighty sight of Burning Man. We could see that there was a temporary landing strip for the plethora of planes and helicopters flying around. I could of stayed on that ridge all day but we photographed all we could and headed down.
The drive back to Reno was just as fun as we stopped frequently and intermingled with the burners that either were coming in to town for supplies or had had enough of the playa dust. You can spot a burner a mile away as they are covered in the fine white dust that clings like glue for weeks if you don’t know how to clean it off properly. Our first stop was just out of Gerlach in the town Empire a dot on the map that consisted of storage units, a convenience store/restaurant, gas station and a couple vendors set up with white canopies selling their Burning Man necessities. We stopped for cash in anticipation of stopping at one of the many mini oasiss’ on the Indian reservation selling Fry Bread Tacos. If you have never had fry bread this is something indulgent everyone must try at least once.
We stopped at Oasis 29 which was the busiest. Ordered our delectables’ and chatted with the burners while our tacos were being freshly prepared. Julian, being from Germany, had never had fry bread and was willing to try a Taco. We dropped the back of the Baja with the giant tacos as the seating area was full and proceeded to indulge. Personally it was the best lunch I had had in some time but not so healthy. We enjoyed them anyway and Julian liked it so much he was craving one the next day! so was I….Growing up around Blackfoot country in Montana I had plenty of opportunities to enjoy fry bread on the reservations there but it had been quite a long time.
Before we left Oasis 29 I had to photograph the vehicle of one of the burners. It was a deluxe RV with a cherry red VW bug hitched to the back. Not so much cherry red with all the playa dust enveloping it and the owners didn’t think it was looking too good as I complemented them on what a nice bug they had. I photographed it anyway in all it’s playa glory. The Texas licence plate read Goddes.
Goddes | Texas 2012
I told them if they really want to clean up their beauty asap they could stop in Nixon for a rinse down. They rolled out and were on their way as we finished our lunch and let the dog wonder and stretch her legs a bit. Continuing down the road we reached Nixon. A small quiet town on the edge of the Truckee river. The people of Nixon were cashing in on Burning Man with temporary tents advertising car washes, garbage collection and fry bread taco stands. Passing signs that read “We love Burners, stop for a wash” I spotted Goddes at one of the RV washing stations. Tickled to see that the bug had been partially cleaned up we rolled in to see her in what she was meant to look like. Cherry Red and shiny wheel covers. I had to get a before and after…….
Goddes After
It was a great day out and was happy to show Julian the beauty of the Black Rock, Pyramid Lake and the road to Gerlach. We zoomed back to Reno so Julian could catch the Wild West Rib Festival with our friend Bruce before it got too late.
Next year….next year I will take the plunge and endure the dust and experience Burning Man. Maybe…..if anything photograph it at night from the hills. We’ll see.
The first collective harvest of season one. Beets, baby spinach, kale and baby beet greens. It was a late planting but the squash is developing and the pumpkins should be coming around soon. They are in the barrel to the side of the raised bed which was originally intended for compost and fill dirt for the bed. Well I composed my Halloween pumpkins from last fall and to my surprise I now have a lovely pumpkin patch. Cucumbers are taking over the bed and are happy and cool so I am thinning things around them to make room. Next years garden plan is underway and will be giving everything a bit more room with two new raised beds, herb garden, green house and main flower bed for replanting around the yard. Apparently the Marigolds I planted in the raised bed LOVE the chicken manure that was mixed into my own compost soil
+ store bought garden soil. Good combo. The Marigold are giants and so big I need to transplant them elsewhere! I’m tired of my dirt back yard and more landscaping is in order. Hummmm dreaming of a lush green lawn….maybe next year.
Fall harvest season is upon us….my second favorites season.
was the subject of proposal. My first thought was inside my beautiful home…boring. Then maybe inside some monumental building, architectural interiors? …nope nothing like that in Reno. hummmmmm….I thought on this subject for the next 40 paces and down the stairs to my desk during my lunch hour. 4×5! How about…… if I can’t shoot one of my many favorite interiors then give a visual feast of something a lot of people never really have ever seen yet know the subject. Everyone has seen the infamous photographer under the cloth of an old time camera. Right? 
Ansel, Robert Capa, Dorothea Lange, Bernice Abbott, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Walker Evans. but what do they see and what are they doing under that cloth?! What they see is a secret but what they are doing is…framing, tilting, shifting, straightening, leveling, focusing and making sure nothing is distorted. What you see in the photo is the framing glass, film plane or back standard, many names for one part of the camera where all the action takes place.
Most, but not all, large-format cameras are view cameras, with fronts and backs called “standards” that allow the photographer to better control rendering of perspective and increase apparentdepth of field. Architectural and close-up photographers in particular benefit greatly from this ability. These allow the front and back of the camera to be shifted up/down and left/right (useful for architectural images where the scene is higher than the camera, and product images where the scene is lower than the camera), and tilted out of parallel with each other left/right, up/down, or both; based on the Scheimpflug principle. The shift and tilt movements make it possible to solve otherwise impossible depth-of-field problems, and to change perspective rendering, and create special effects that would be impossible with a conventional fixed-plane fixed-lens camera.
Ansel Adams‘ photographs, and those of the other Group f/64 photographers, demonstrate how the use of front (lens plane) and back (film plane) adjustments can secure great apparent depth of field when using the movements available on large-format view cameras. (source)
My interpretation of inside….
which leads me to the inspiration, the iconic and influence of my photography.
My niece Sasha Marie Stocking is an amazing 14 year old. She impresses, inspires and constantly surprises me every time we talk. She’s going on 15[which apparently is the new 30…lol], smart, beautiful and has two parents that have done an amazing job so far. So today I celebrate Sasha. Her birthday is in a couple days and wanted to boast a bit.
Sasha is first and foremost kind at heart. She takes care of her little brother with patience, love and understanding. I’ll talk about Skyler another time. He’s our little man who keeps everyone together and full of smiles and love. I admire Sasha for being such a good sister. She carries a good amount of responsibility at her young age.
Sasha is a an aspiring model, a surfer, a dancer, a christian, a math whiz and all around good student. What really impresses me though and keeps me young at heart is her athleticism. She’s a California surf girl, a Rosey Riveter type but with the nails of a young lady. She is tough and ambitious in her search for her identity and career choice. She doesn’t know yet but I love her ideas on what she might want to do. I see her in the journalism field either as a writer/photographer or an engineer like her dad. Whatever she decides you can be sure I will encourage and support her. For now she needs a new wetsuit and a birthday is on the horizon.
Here’s my girl in action on the Big Blue Pacific! So proud! And her number one fan!!
Sash Hangin’ Ten | Feature Photo | Seal Beach | M and M Surf School dot com
Sasha is featured in this collage from the M and M Surf School website. Look at that big smile!
All my love to my girl Sasha. Happy 15th Birthday! Keep up the good work and keep listening to your Mom!
p.s. wanted to share my favorite photo of us! Ski Hugs with Sasha and Auntie Sue
Mount Rose Ski Resort \ Reno Nevada | 2008
Somewhere near Truckee CA
A Place in the July sun.
Snap peas, beets, cucumbers, kale, chives, two kinds of spinach, pumpkin, watermelon, squashes, radishes, manigolds, sunflowers, tomatoes and peppers.
My first Veggie garden is growing beautifully and the Kale is the first to harvest…so yummy. Can’t wait for the beets and spinach for salads!
SuePH 