Long overdue update

I know, I know...I haven't posted anything since last fall.  I guess we have some catching up to do...

Actually we don't need to talk about winter, there wasn't much snow, so the skiing sucked.  Moving on...

In February I was fortunate enough to pick up three more photo awards in the annual Colorado Press Association contest.  That makes 12 in the past four years, but who's counting?  This photo won first place in sports:

I also picked up third place awards in news and photo essay:




















In March my son, Erik, returned from his year-long deployment to Afghanistan.  I had my best night's sleep in a year the night after he got back.

In April my father passed away.  We were somewhat prepared for this, but it was still hard to say goodbye.  Thanks to all of the family and friends who helped make saying goodbye to my easier by providing lodging and food, fond memories, kind words...the list goes on and on.  Thanks to everyone for the thoughts and prayers.

This is the poem read at his service:

He loved to till  the verdant soil and watch his garden grow,

And now he tills another spot--a beautiful spot I know.

He plows where fields are always green

With furrows straight and true,

And where the day is always bright

And life begins anew;

But we shall miss him here on Earth

Until our day is done

When we shall be with him again,

When our rewards are won.

This spring I had the pleasure of coaching an amazing group of girls on the Middle Park HS junior varsity soccer team.

We finished the season 8-2-1, all eight wins were shutouts--a record for our JV program.  We scored 29 goals while only allowing five, and what I am probably most proud of, sixteen of the players scored a goal.  I always look forward to the girls' season, so in case anyone is interested, just 225 days until next season!

Let's get back to talking about photography...sort of.  While I was back in Iowa for my dad's funeral, one of my uncles mentioned to me how much my dad enjoyed seeing my photographs in the paper (my parents had subscribed to our weekly paper ever since they sold their condo in Fraser 10+ years ago).  Apparently he was quite proud of my work, although I don't remember him ever coming out and saying it directly to me.  Hearing that has really had an impact on me in the subsequent months.  I find myself working the situations/events I am at to shoot images that he would be proud of.  These past several months I have had numerous occasions where I have really felt like I was "in the zone" photographically and produced some quality work.  Here are some of my favorites:

 

After the dry winter, a dry and warm spring has increased the fire danger in my area to the point where Rocky Mountain National Park decided to staff it's only fire lookout tower for the first time in more than 30 years.  At the end of June I made the trek up Shadow Mountain to get some photos for a story for the paper.

If you are interested, you can follow me on Twitter or on Instagram (zbpix).  You will also note I have added a feed of my recent Instagram photos to the right side of this blog.

To close out this rather lengthy update I leave you with a photo I took of my dad for a photo story I did for a photojournalism class at the University of Iowa in either 1983 or 84.

Miss  you dad.

goo, goo g'joob