It seldom snows in San Diego County low enough on the mountains so it can clearly be seen from the downtown skyline. When it does, it's a big deal. Like everything else weather related in this semi-arid desert, we make a big deal out of it while the rest of the country looks at us and says, so.....what's the big deal. Because it happens so seldom, we like to make a big deal out of it, savor the moment, and take pretty pictures of it.
The fast moving F-22 Raptor, one of the latest and greatest next generation jet fighters made for an interesting photo as the water vapor in the air was squeezed out during higher speed, and high-G turns, causing the plane to become enveloped in the moisture during the annual Miramar Air Show in San Diego. I’ve seen the plane at the Reno Air Races when it was 100-degrees, and no humidity, and no matter how fast it went, this kind of photo wasn’t possible. I dropped the color because the sky really wasn’t very good. In fact, it was really, really bad, and the black-and-white added drama, which is what it’s all about.
A car struck a natural gas line in Mira Mesa late Sunday afternoon, triggering a house fire, San Diego fire officials reported. The incident occurred about 5 p.m. at 8136 Calico St. A fire department spokesman said a motorist hit the gas line, igniting a fire that destroyed the home’s garage. The driver was transported to a hospital and treated for minor injuries.
The first day of summer in San Diego started out as an overcast cool day. The kind of day I like. Not too cold, not too hot, and overcast for the soft lighting. I was searching for a picture that illustrated the cooler than normal temperature and was different. I spotted the group of riders, and waited for them to pass in front of me. With a slow 1/50th of a second shutter speed and panning the camera as they passed, I was able to get the shot.
It was just another day in San Diego as I hit the streets at 6 a.m., with the goal of finding, shooting, and transmitting breaking news photos, so they can be used on The San Diego Union-Tribune website ASAP. In many ways it’s a cat and mouse game of listening to the police scanners to find out where the action is, which has become more difficult because the cops are doing a lot of their dispatching via computer, and not the audible Adam-12 thing on a lot of good stuff. So listening for any type of tip, or out of the ordinary communication on what’s happening early-on, is more important because there's less of it than in the past. An officer reported to his sergeant that he couldn’t move his patrol car because “It“ was still under the car wouldn’t move, which got me wondering what could keep a cop from moving his car. After figuring out where it was happening, I headed to the Ocean Beach neighborhood of San Diego to find a sea lion hiding under a police car. It had come out of the ocean and decided to setup shop under the patrol car in the middle of the street at 4 a.m. The officer was checking-out a report of a sea lion under a parked car, and when he arrived, the pup came out from under the parked car and headed to his patrol car where he stayed four several hours until the mammal rescue folks from SeaWorld arrived, and in a matter of a couple of minutes, convinced the little guy to come out. They took him back to SeaWorld where he will stay for several weeks until he’s ready to go back into the ocean. This brings the motto of "To Protect and Serve," to a new level. More Photos.
It was an easy assignment to photograph. A lady that was a shut-in, and one of the thousands in San Diego County that receive their hot meals via Meals on Wheels. As she started to enjoy her lunch, her dog jumped up on the couch, and just sat there with that, aren’t you going to feed me look in the eye, waiting for her to give-in and offer just a little taste. Her four-legged friend didn’t have to wait long.
Memorial services are humbling no matter who they are for. And in some way, even more-so when they are for members of the law enforcement community and the military. This year, as in past years, memorials are held in every community in America to honor and remember those who have protected us, served and paid the ultimate price while doing so. In San Diego, San Diego County Deputy Sheriff Ken Collier, was one of two members of the law enforcement community to die in the line of duty during the past year. The other, Border Patrol Agent Robert Rosas. Their names are the 81st and 82nd to be added to a law enforcement memorial wall outside the San Diego County Administration Center, so they will never be forgotten by the communities they served, and the friends and family they left behind.
Every once in a while, it’s nice to get away from the everyday grind of life. And that’s what I did when I had the opportunity to go for a late afternoon flight in a 1927 Travel Air biplane over Carlsbad, California, just north of San Diego. There were two planes, the one I photographed and the one I was in. It couldn’t have been better. Late afternoon light, and flying fairly low near some hills. It’s times like these I can see the real beauty of the World, that sometimes I forget actually exists on the ground. Hmmmmmmm. Maybe I should go flying more often. Yeah, that’s the ticket……
Earth Day fairs bring out some interesting outfits worn by those trying to make a point about the environment, and in San Diego it’s not too much different than everywhere else. The challenge is to make a photo that reflects the purpose of the event in an interesting way. This can be frustrating, because it can be pretty difficult to do. I was heading out, feeling ok, about the photos I shot, when I saw the Plastic Bag Monster, all decked out in her outfit of plastic bags. When people would ask her to let them take her picture, she would say, “as long as you promise to stop using plastic bags you can.” More photos.
It’s that time of year again, when the lights of baseball stadiums all around the country burn brightly into the night. As the San Diego Padres begin their seventh year at Petco Park in the downtown area of San Diego, I thought it would be a nice time to show a couple of photos from the first opening night in 2004. The photos were shot from a helicopter using a Nikon D1x, at the time one of the latest and greatest. Attached to the camera was a gyro stabilizer, which allowed me to use a slow shutter speed, between 30th and 50th of a second, and keep the images sharp. It was my private skybox, complete with most everything needed to watch the game, except for the food and drink……
Howard LIpin
Photos used by permission of The San Diego Union-Tribune
