Just some photos from a shoot in Bombay Beach, CA with Brittany.
Happy Juneteenth!
Why is Juneteenth significant and why is it being celebrated?
Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19th that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. Note that this was two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation – which had become official January 1, 1863. The Emancipation Proclamation had little impact on the Texans due to the minimal number of Union troops to enforce the new Executive Order. However, with the surrender of General Lee in April of 1865, and the arrival of General Granger’s regiment, the forces were finally strong enough to influence and overcome the resistance.
Later attempts to explain this two and a half year delay in the receipt of this important news have yielded several versions that have been handed down through the years. Often told is the story of a messenger who was murdered on his way to Texas with the news of freedom. Another is that the news was deliberately withheld by the enslavers to maintain the labor force on the plantations. And still another is that federal troops actually waited for the slave owners to reap the benefits of one last cotton harvest before going to Texas to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation. All of which, or none of these versions could be true. Certainly, for some, President Lincoln’s authority over the rebellious states was in question. Whatever the reasons, conditions in Texas remained status quo well beyond what was statutory. -Source: http://www.juneteenth.com/history.htm
This great article talks about celebrations on Juneteenth. https://www.wuwm.com/post/juneteenth-day-african-americans-truly-gained-freedom#stream/0
CREDIT SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS
Keith Lance/Getty Images https://www.history.com/news/what-is-juneteenth
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Bombay Beach at Salton Sea
I had a free day last Saturday and I took the opportunity to visit the Salton Sea, a place I had read about and seen in photos for several years now. I mapped out my route and it was going to take about a 2 hour drive to get there. I also realized that it was going to be HOT. I prepared for the heat and took to the road. My first stop was going to be the Salton Sea State Recreation area, but as soon as I got there, I found out it was closed due to Covid-19. Note to self, check to see if the place you are visiting is actually open! It got really hot, by the time I reached Salton Sea, it was around 1:30 p.m. and I decided to can my original plan and instead of setting up my tripod and get some great shots with my Canon 6D, I decided to just use my phone.
I was beginning to think that I made a mistake to come out here and perhaps I wasn’t going to see some of the cool sites that I had seen on photography blogs and other sites for Salton Sea. I started thinking about a plan B…where else can I go? I finally decided to keep going a bit further and at least go down to Bombay Beach. The decision to get to Bombay Beach really paid off.
Sunny Viola hosts a sunset service every Saturday. I had a nice conversation with him. He told be about Kim…see that truck back there…Kim pulls tows people out of the sand when their cars get stuck she usually only charges $200 but is known to charge a lot more according to Sunny. Sunny was a cool cat. He even gave me a small token to remember him by.
I hope to revisit Salton Sea when it opens back up for more photo ops and perhaps bring some props to get some interesting images. We’ll see.
Black Lives Matter Protest in Irvine
I had brunch with my mom today in Irvine at one of her favorite restaurants. As I was bringing her home, we noticed a group of protesters in front of the Irvine Civic Center. After I dropped her off, I decided to document the protest with my Canon 6D and LG phone. I was there for about an hour and witnessed a very peaceful yet energetic protest.
Tio’s Tacos is open!
Things are opening back up! I went for lunch today and was able to eat in the dining room. Many places are opening back up in So Cal and Tio’s Tacos is one of my go to places near my work. Next step for me is finding a barber shop that has a spot open.
Tour de Vegas
This Memorial Day weekend, I decided to drive to Vegas and go for a ride along the Strip. In my lifetime, I doubt that Vegas will be shut down again like it is right now, so I wanted to take the opportunity to go down there and document my ride.
My bike in front of The Mirage Hotel and Casino
Close-up of my prized possession. 
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Me and my Magnum P.I. Starter ‘Stache (as one of my dear friends put it)
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There were very few people on the strip, but as you know, it is usually packed with tourists walking around etc…
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At the end of my ride, I needed to eat and I found an establishment that was OPEN!
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I earned my wings!!!
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Even Fremont Street was dead.
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No one around and the entrance has been closed off.
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As a bonus, I visited Alegiant Stadium, the new home of the Las Vegas Raiders.
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I am so happy I was able to make this happen. The drive from our house took just under 3 hours! That is unheard of. Overall I loved the whole experience. It did get a bit too hot to ride toward the end of my ride, the temperature reached 93 degrees. I hope we do not have another pandemic in my lifetime but I am glad I was able to visit Las Vegas for this experience. It was well worth the trip.
Life...Camera...ACTION!!! 