Dental Team Relieves Animal Toothaches
A week ago I was asked by the Fresno Chaffee Zoo to come document the work of doctors from the Peter Emily International Veterinary Dental Foundation. The team of four travels the world on their weekends away from their regular jobs to volunteer their skills to help captive exotic animals.
Dr. Barron Hall, Dr. Charles Dyer and their team came to the Fresno zoo to help with dental work on one of the sloth bears and Kiki, one of the zoo's female lions (and mother to Kijani, the young lion cub). The sloth bear needed a root canal done and Kiki needed two!
Below are photos from both procedures done last weekend. It was fascinating to watch the team work so well together. Zoo veterinary team members, curators and mammal keepers all assisted in the procedures as well as performing some other preventative care.
Additionally, the doctors did dental work on one of Project Survival's Cat Haven jaguars. After that, they were back to their regular jobs. Pretty amazing weekend for these guys.
The photographs I shot for the zoo may be used in their newsletter as well as on their Facebook page. I also shot some video, which I think they may publish too.
Scenes from Boston
I've been wanting to visit Boston since I did my sixth grade state project on Massachusetts. Yes, that was a while ago.
I love travel and I love history - and, of course, photography too. All of those things came together in a great way for our week-long visit to Boston. Historically, it's at the top for most important places in the birth of our country. The Freedom Trail makes it easy to find the very spots where critical moments in the forming of the U.S. took place.
We saw Paul Revere's House, the graves of many founding fathers, the site of the Boston Massacre, and the tavern where ideas for the American Revolution were hatched. We also visited Harvard, MIT, Salem, and the JFK Presidential Museum. And for good measure, we took in a Sox game. Boston is a very impressive place and made for a fun week. Enjoy the photos.
Everything was shot with my Sony RX100.
Marshall's Beach, San Francisco
[dropcap]W[/dropcap]ith my mom living in Daly City, I usually make several trips a year to the Bay Area. When I do, I always intend to bring my camera and try to make at least one cool picture I can be proud of. When Donna comes along, my mom and her are usually pretty good sports as they sit in the car and read while I work on my art. I've wanted to make a picture of the Golden Gate Bridge at Marshall's Beach for a while and figured this last trip would be my chance.Of the four days we were there, there was only one day where the fog didn't roll in during the evening. Luckily, we timed it right. What I didn't know, was how long a hike it is from the parking lot to the beach. It's probably just a mile or two, but it's pretty steep and rugged. Coming back in the dark was a little tricky.But in the end, I got the shot I was hoping for. Good enough to not have to try it again anyway.
Fresno Zoo Lights
[dropcap]I[/dropcap] think what might be a bit of a best-kept secret around Fresno is a really cool event that has been going on over at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo for quite a few years. It's Fresno Zoo Lights, which takes place over several nights through the holiday period. It's a special admission event where you can stroll through the grounds of the zoo at night and take in all the brilliant lighting displays the staff has set up there. Although most of the animals have gone night-night by evening time, the colorful lights, themed music and other entertainment transforms the zoo into a winter wonderland worth a look.
Although it's cold outside as it often is this time of year,the folks at the zoo are right there to offer hot cocoa, cookies, churros and pizza specials to keep you warmed up while you take in the spectacle. I believe you can get a cup of cocoa and a cookie for free! If you're like me, you might want to sip it while enjoying the fire at the Kopje Lodge.
Of course, Santa Claus is there to take pictures with the kids and listen to their Christmas wishes. And, as usual, Taman the Zoo's tiger mascot is around. This year there's a new but familiar face joining in on the fun: A full-costumed Pikachu is there to point out special Pokémon Go PokeStops to help you catch 'em all. I started playing that game on my phone last summer and I think the zoo has got to be the perfect place to get your pocket monster fix.
Also on the grounds is a cool snow machine to help you feel even colder than it really is. For an extra $2 you can view the lights with something called HoloSpex holographic glasses.
This is a really cool event and something fun to do with the family during the holidays. I'd put it right up there with Christmas Tree Lane as an event you've got to do every year. Zoo Lights goes on over a bunch of dates beginning in November until December 30. Check the zoo's website for further information and to purchase tickets on the dates that work for you.
Attorneys' Office Photos
[dropcap]H[/dropcap]ere's a story of how small Fresno really is - or even the world for that matter. I got a call recently from a woman named Chelsea who asked if I could do her attorneys' office photos. I said "of course", and then when I asked about further information about her company I realized that I knew one of the partners. Toni Lerandeau of Lerandeau & Lernandeau in Fresno and I had been friends for a few years but she didn't know that I was running a side photography business.
While working for the Bee she contacted me about photographing kids at her son's school who would be putting flags out on veterans' graves for Memorial Day. I didn't have much going on that day so I went out and made some nice photos of the class putting the flags out including Toni's son. After chatting I realized I used to work with Toni's sister at the last paper I worked at. Tonya was also a photographer and was doing an internship at the Appeal-Democrat in Marysville. Well that was amazing to both of us and we remained friends and stayed loosely in touch for the past few years.
That's when Chelsea called. So I gave her my proposal and was happy to find out Toni and her husband Paul Lerandeau had said that they chose me to their attorney's office photos including head shots and group shots. We had some fun doing those photos in the lobby of their Fresno office. I set up lights to work with the cool backdrop art they had there right in the lobby. We even did a nice image of Paul in a chair looking like the Godfather.
For more information about my commercial photography service, please contact me.
Zoo Boo 2016
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]his is the second year I photographed the annual Zoo Boo at The Fresno Chaffee Zoo. I picked Saturday, Oct. 23 to shoot, which was sold out. Everyone looked to be having an awesome time and especially the kids who could trick-or-treat vendors all over the park. Kids were given a chance to burn off some of that sugar at the dance party toward the end of the night. And as usual, a costume parade topped everything off.
Zoobilation
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he latest event I covered for the Fresno Chaffee Zoo was Zoobilaton. This is a special event for members of the zoo and adopt-an-animal sponsors. It's really cool because the park is closed off to everyone but those special people and they get to see what goes on behind-the-scenes at several exhibits including Sea Lion Cove, the animal hospital and the African elephant house. Additionally, there are lots of fun games and activities for kids as well as entertainment from my buddy Oklin, face painting, hula dancing and playing with bubbles. And although it was a super warm day, there were ice cream cups available to cool things down.
Breakfast with the Animals
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Fresno Chaffee Zoo's Breakfast with the Animals event was a little on the wet side but that didn't keep thousands from coming out to participate. I think I heard it sold out. The rain didn't seem to keep the kids from having fun. They seemed to love twirling their umbrellas or stomping through puddles while also getting a tasty breakfast and seeing the active animals. It was also my birthday which turned out to be a fun way to spend it. There were plenty of great photos to be made. It was all good since I went up to Yosemite to spend the weekend with my wife as soon as I was done at the zoo.
Caleb Kelly, Sooner Bound
[dropcap]C[/dropcap]aleb Kelly is a senior linebacker for Clovis West and a top recruit, nationally. He held an event in Fresno last Wednesday to make his choice of schools between the University of Oklahoma and Notre Dame. After joking he chose the Dallas Cowboys, he instead put on an Oklahoma cap and pledged to go with the Sooners. I covered that event for the Fresno Bee. After having photographed Hatari Byrd for the Sooner Spectator magazine, I expected I might get another call to do a shoot with Caleb. Sure enough I did and here are the results. Caleb is a great kid and I'm sure he will make a big impact in the NCAA.
Drought Impacts
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]hese photos were for a story for The Progressive Farmer magazine that detailed the plight of farmers in the Central Valley due to the drought. I photographed Dan Errotabere, a member of the Fresno County Farm Bureau, who was a subject in the article. I met him out at his ranch near Five Points where he showed me several fallow fields.
African Adventure Opens
[dropcap]I[/dropcap] did a number of events throughout 2015 for the Fresno Chaffee Zoo but one of the big ones was the highly anticipated opening of African Adventure, which nearly doubled the size of the zoo. I was there for all the dignitary speeches, the ribbon cutting and the first day of the public opening. It's a very cool addition to the zoo that I think will make Fresno a travel destination.
Fresno Attorney Gregory W. Fox
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]his was a business style portrait shoot with photos to be used on a website and Facebook page for a local attorney near his office in Fresno.
