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By Anonymous — Wednesday, July 26th, 2017
Sunday afternoon, around 2:50 p.m., a brush fire broke out near Camino Del Rio and Highway 126 east of Piru. The fire was located neat the bottom of the Santa Clara River and reported to burn about an acre. Crews were able to put it out by 3:25p.m. No structures were damaged and the cause of the fire is unknown. |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, July 26th, 2017
 Wednesday, July 20th at approximately 10:22pm a drunk driver in a red Dodge Dakota pick up truck crashed into the Center for Family Health sign on the corner of Ventura and B Street. Enlarge Photo |
 Photo of the Week: "Ventura County Fair 2016 Midway" by Bob Crum. Photo data: ISO 200, 16mm, f/4.0 at 1/20th second. Enlarge Photo By Bob Crum — Wednesday, July 26th, 2017
Cameras up!
Charge the batteries! Format and load the flash memory card! The Ventura County Fair opens August 2, 2017. Oh what fun! This year's theme: “Rooted in Tradition”. In between my obligatory editorial photos, get out of my way! Day and night, so many photo ops all over the Fair!!! A photographic fun house! But sad to say... no mermaids. Enter the Fairgrounds and you're on Main Street. Look at all the food vendors, from turkey legs to funnel cakes. I fast a month before just so I can feast at the Fair. BTW, capturing candid shots of folks getting their oh-so-scrumptious treats is often interesting. Food vendor's booths alone offer multiple photo ops. Wait! How are you going to shoot those candid photos? Remember: “P” mode is not allowed! Do I want shallow or deep depth-of-field? I'll switch to aperture mode to control the depth-of-field by opening or closing the aperture. Got it? As you prowl Main Street, you'll encounter strolling entertainers. Now I'll switch to Tv mode, shutter priority, and shoot at least 1/250th of a second because there's likely to be a lot of movement and I don't want blur for these shots. Also, a higher faster shutter speed will help compensate for my hand-held camera shaking. Further down Main Street is Uncle Leo's barn with various farm animals. This venue never fails to delight. However, low light can be problematic so switch to manual mode The Judge William P. Clark Livestock Center is just a little further down Main Street. Later on the livestock barn will swell with animals raised by the youth of 4-H, Grange and Future Farmers of America (FFA). More interesting photo ops. Are you getting the picture... so to speak? The midway offers many opportunities for creative photos. The roller coaster for one example, shoot in Tv (shutter priority) mode. Increase the shutter speed to 1/250th of a second or faster for stop-action photos. Decrease the shutter speed to 1/20th of a second to create blur to represent a speedy ride. Pan - follow the ride - and shoot at the desired time. Note that we are choosing how we wish to “create” a photograph. We're not just taking snapshots!!! Right? In every instance it's important to F.A.R.T first! (refer to last week’s column for details) Survey the ride... decide how to shoot it as you see it in your mind... and program the camera accordingly. Think composition, and frame your shot accordingly! The creative aspect is what makes photography such a captivating endeavor that snap-shot phonetographers are not likely to experience. Just sayin'. Night time photography can be frustrating. The bright lights play havoc with the camera's exposure meter. Get intimate with exposure compensation. Take a test shot... chimp... and adjust for proper exposure. Hint, a tripod makes night shooting less frustrating. But don't be afraid to shoot many photos adjusting your camera settings as you shoot. Back at home, it costs nothing to delete all the crap. Getting crap simply means that I took a test shot and made needed adjustments to get the... ahem... perfectly exposed photo. (Another secret revealed... at no extra charge!) Main Street, exhibitions, the midway rides and games, entertainment, farm animals, food... there's something for everybody! Oh, and the last weekend... the Rodeo! Always “exciting” photo ops!!! See fillmoregazette.com for inspiration and ideas for photographing the Fair. Go! Be creative! Most of all, ENJOY! See you there! Happy photoing! Send comments, questions or suggestions to bob@fillmoregazette.com |
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By Anonymous — Monday, July 24th, 2017
 Cal Fire More than 6100 firefighters are battling 11 significant wildfires in California. As firefighters continue to work to contain the current fires more fires continue to start throughout California. Northern California will be 3-5 degrees above normal today, but relative humidity will be higher than yesterday. Isolated to scattered thunderstorms with limited rainfall, with chance of dry lightning, is expected from the Cascade-Sierra Crest east starting this afternoon, including Eastern Siskiyou County prompting red flag warnings. Moisture will continue to increase late Monday, leading to scattered storms that produce a mixture of wet and dry strikes across our northern and eastern areas starting midday Monday and continuing into the overnight hours. As the moisture increases over the area Monday night through early Wednesday the storms will produce more rainfall, reducing the threat of dry strikes and new fire ignitions. Strong gusty outflow winds are possible with any thunderstorm. Dry southwest flow will return by late Wednesday and continue through the end of the week causing temperatures to rise and relative humidity’s to drop. Southern California will have scattered showers and thunderstorms over the mountains and deserts this afternoon through Tuesday afternoon. Some shower and thunderstorm activity may also affect the coastal and valley locations of Southern California through Monday night. There will be cooler temperatures into the upper 70s and 80s across the mountains and upper 80s and 90s in the valleys Monday and Tuesday. Minimum humidity will be mainly between 12% and 25% across Central California and above 30% across Southern California today. High pressure will strengthen and expand westward bringing a gradual warming and drying trend to the area Wednesday through the end of this week. Give your family the best chance of surviving a wildfire by being ready to go and evacuating early. This includes going through pre-evacuation preparation steps (only if time allows) to increase your home’s defenses, as well as creating a Wildfire Action Plan for your family. Being ready to go also means knowing when to evacuate and what to do if you become trapped. For more information visit readyforwildfire.org. |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, July 19th, 2017
 The levee at the southern end of Sespe Creek is being raised and strengthened. The project will cost $1,457, 735 and completion is expected by November 14, 2017. This is the area which suffered disastrous flooding in the 1960s when storm waters spilled over the existing levee constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Enlarge Photo |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, July 19th, 2017
 Staff Sgt. Robert Cox Staff Sgt. Robert Cox from Ventura County was one of 16 people killed last week when a Marine Corps military refueling plane crashed in a soybean field near Itta Bena, Mississippi. The plane was out of Marine Air Refueler Transport Squadron 452 based at Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh, New York. They were headed to a Navy facility in El Centro, California. Cox, 28, was stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina with the 2nd Marine Rider Battalion. He joined the Marines in 2007 as a reservist at age 18 and deployed overseas four times. He was about to celebrate his tenth anniversary with the Marine Corps this month. Cox was born in Santa Paula on May 1, 1989, and attended schools in Fillmore, Ventura, and Thousand Oaks. He also attended combat training and communication electronics school and later worked as a radio operator with his unit in December 2008 as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He attended Moorpark College, studying Anthropology, and Ventura College in December 2011. He also studied Arabic. His awards include two Navy and Marine Corps achievement medals, a combat action ribbon, a Marine Corps good conduct medal, an inherent resolve campaign medal; three sea service deployment ribbons, two Afghanistan campaign medals, two Armed Forces reserve medals, an Iraq campaign medal; a global war on terrorism service medal, national defense service medal, Navy meritorious unit commendation, a Navy unit commendation medal, a NATO medal-ISAF Afghanistan and letter of appreciation. On board at the time of the crash were nine Marines stationed in Newburgh, as well as six Marines and one Navy corpsman stationed in Camp Lejeune. Those based at Newburgh were: Cpl. Daniel Baldassare, 20; Capt. Sean E. Elliott, 30; Maj. Caine Michael Goyette; Gunnery Sgt. Mark A. Hopkins, 34; Gunnery Sgt. Brendan C. Johnson, 45; Sgt. Julian M. Kevianne, 31; Sgt. Owen Lennon, 26; Cpl. Collin J. Schaaff, 22; and Sgt. Joshua M. Snowden, 31. Cox, a critical skills operator, Sgt. Chad Jenson, 25; Staff Sgt. William Kundrat, 33; Sgt. Talon Leach, 27; Hospital Corpsman Ryan Lohrey, 30; Sgt. Joseph Murray, 26; and Sgt. Dietrich Schmieman, 26, were based at Camp Lejeune. |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, July 19th, 2017
 Fillmore Youth Football and Cheer also known as The Fillmore Raiders have maintained a time-honored tradition of serving the youth of Fillmore and its surrounding areas for over 48 seasons. We would like to Thank the Bank of The Sierra for their generous donation. Like many small-town community organizations, we are only as strong as our respected and appreciated donors and supporters. On behalf of the Raiders Board Of Directors, and over 150 families from the 2017 season, THANK YOU BANK OF THE SIERRA! Enlarge Photo |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, July 19th, 2017
 Sunday, July 16th, Fillmore Fire responded to a three car collision on Ventura Street and Central Avenue, where at least one person was sent to the hospital. Cause of the accident is still under investigation. Photos courtesy Fillmore Fire Department. Enlarge Photo |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, July 19th, 2017
 The signs are gone and nobody is home. Fillmore’s Burger King has closed its doors. The sign on the front door reads “Our lease is up, we are closed.” Enlarge Photo |
 Photo of the Week: "Mr. Fishbreath snoring under the Harford pier, San Luis Bay, Avila Beach" by Bob Crum. Photo data: ISO 6200, Canon EF-S 15-85mm lens @76mm, f/11 @1/90th second shutter speed. Enlarge Photo By Bob Crum — Wednesday, July 19th, 2017
Now What?
The weekly topic is frequently derived from a reader's question. Such as this weeks topic, “I bought a new camera: Now what?” Now what indeed! Well sir, my normal camera instructional fee is $427.67/hour. But, having just enjoyed a strawberry margarita, I'll discount the 67¢. Politely said, this column is about photography, not camera instruction. There are too many brands and models. It's OK to dread reading the camera's instruction manual. Instead, YouTube is a great resource. In the search box enter your camera brand and model and voila... a tutorial! CreativeLive.com and Lynda.com are also great resources. They cost some jingle, but a small price to pay for knowing how to operate your camera. I cannot overemphasize the importance of knowing how to operate your camera! Get intimate with it! Then utilize Psalm ISO 200. Three Wise Elements of the Mighty Trinity of Exposure; Aperture, Shutter Speed and the Holy ISO. Memorize it! It's the escape from the entrapment of “Auto” mode where your photographic creativity is held captive. No more “P” mode shooting. Also, the three camera modes that will greatly enhance your “creative” photography are Tv (shutter priority), Av, (aperture priority) and the dreaded “manual” mode. Practice! Practice some more! With summer well underway, another frequent question: “How to take interesting travel photos?” After all, you're going on perhaps a once-in-a-life-time trip to the Antarctic, Machu Picchu or Spistbergan, so certainly you want some magnificent photos. I get that! First, regardless of where you go... even Albuquerque... PLEASE do not put yourself in every shot! Put a Post-It note on your camera: ONLY two SELFIES per day! Your travel photos will improve exponentially. Believe me! Besides shooting tons of photos of the abundant scenery and special points of interest, of course it's appropriate to take a few shots of family or friends traveling with you. Note, however, that candid photos of you and/or your traveling companions admiring the landscape, or the mermaids chilling on the icebergs in the background, is usually better than posed photos. Motto: cheesy is sleazy. If your vacation is taking you to a place with interesting culture, like Mali, Fiji, or the Bahamas, consider shooting photos of the people involved in local events or occupations. This is story telling with photos... photojournalism. However, to avoid spending your vacation in jail, first learn about photo taboos of the locale. Don't ask how I know this! A gazillion photos have been shot in our nation's national parks. So what? You're there so why not collect your own photos? Secret: Get away from the crowd... hike a little... even brave bushwhacking... find your unique angle of the iconic topography. Remember: Light is paramount! Set the alarm clock for 5 a.m. for scrumptious blue light photos... the light right before sunrise and after sunset. Also, golden hour photography... the time right after sunrise or before sunset should always be considered. BTW, experience dictates that mermaids look stunning during the golden hours. Just sayin'. Shoot a lot and don't don't delete photos in the camera while shooting. It discombobulates the memory card. Delete at home. Take plenty of extra memory cards and fully-charged batteries. I do not want to hear that just as you were about to shoot the rarely seen freckled mermaid at the Galapagos archipelago... your camera battery died. The mere thought is horrendous! Happy photoing. Send comments, suggestions and/or questions to bob@fillmoregazette.com |
