Trout & Berry Days

Trout and Berry Days
For years I’ve wanted to attend Paradise sponsored, Trout & Berry Days but missed it because the date wasn’t cemented in my mind. Why? because I like trout. Most small town celebrations serve common, typical food so the unique combination of trout and berries made a special appeal to my palate.

This picture was the goal, to eat fresh trout meal. I started eating and realized I should document the meal.

Sharla very carefully prepped her potato and food to make the plate presentable for a pic. ( true artist) vs a hungry artist.

We took our cameras ready for anything that interested us enroute to Paradise, Utah. We didn’t know the exact location but I assured Sharla, that in a small town just look for a crowd and parked cars. We old buildings a wagon wheel fence along the way but were in a hurry to get to the activities. “Well shoot those afterwards” we commented to each other.

Mud volleyball preceded the meal and captured our interest. Notice how clean the clothes are at the beginning of the game.

The longer the game went the better the shots as mud caked individuals faceplanted and dove for the ball. One team of mostly girls couldn’t hit the ball or get dirtly. To Sharla, “lets take a break and wait for another team with more guys. These girls can’t hit the ball let alone get dirty.”

So off we checked out the children’s colorful activities. ( Inflatable Fun)
Something for everyone.




Back to the volley ball, yes, the teams were getting muddy. Back and forth all afternoon cloud cover vs sunshine. Of course we photographers like the sun shine shots better.




This was such a beautiful setting. No wonder it was named Paradise.















face plant







Hey who put their hand on my back?























To our side several boys grabbed some
attention by jumping their bikes over a
dirt pile and taking some nasty falls.









We learned that the best mud pics come after the volleyball game when a free for all ensues and everyone is game for the water soaked mudpool. ( Photographers were off limits.)



“Take this girl down, she’s too clean.”


















A very bad hair day

bathing in mud


Swimming in mud




The mud soaked kids looked like bronzed statues.
"May I Help You Up?" ( probably after he pushed her down.)


Trying to wash off.
























The end of a perfect Day











Locals warned us to get in line early for the Trout dinner.

We lined up at 5:45 and probably ate around 6:20.


"Doesn't this line ever end?"


We made a friend in line. Local Lyons sponsored the benefit meal and had everything very organized.

Fry cooks and dough boys each knew their job.


Typical of a small town old and young,
those in wheelchairs, disabled and babies
all came for the feast. Everyone seemed
to know each other so I surmised most
were local with a smattering of visitors.
Plenty of table and chairs, entertainment.







Was this country or western music.? They sang a George Strait song.

One grandmother was voted Grand Marshall and honored by her grandson who read a tribute. He said she was a 4-wheeling grandma, that she rode her 4wheeler to visit her neighbors.

The Weeks Family furnished dessert, with a choice between raspberry and blackberry tart.








We finished eating around 7:00 and noticed the line had subsided.

We took off for Avon and shot pics along the way. We found several barns.

But the weather wasn’t cooperating. We had one hour of sun before sunset but the entire time was cloud covered.

Curiosity took us up a dirt road to Porcupine Reservoir.



In retrospect, we should have spent less time at volley ball, and waited until the end to shoot mud pics. The half hour wait in the food line, we could have used to shoot the old buildings and eaten at 7:00 without the wait. We never did get to the cemetery to visit Grandma Nielson’s grave. We ran out of day but had a great one.

A visit to Aunt Loma and Wal-Mart were our last stops on the way home. I told Noel don't expect us until after dark.( When we can't shoot any more pics.)

I dropped Sharla off, who lives two blocks from the rodeo grounds, around 10:00 pm. I found myself caught in Preston traffic jam as continual line of cars flowed from the Demolition Derby at rodeo arena. I made a ten point turn so I didn’t have to back out of the driveway. This way I could make a mad dash if there was a break in the line of cars. I had five blocks to drive to my house and was stuck in her driveway. To my good fortune, a driver noticed my blinker light and stopped to let me out. thank you very much.

It Ain't Natural

Here's a sample of OFF THE TOP Column published in the Citizen this week. I know it's hard to read so the hard copy is listed below.

OFF The TOP

It Ain’t Natural

By Angela I Nielson

Several years ago I had a photo assignment at the county fair which took me back to the 4-H animals. Stunned at the amount of work and fuss exhibitors make over their animals, I saw ribbons and bows on animals pent up in stalls, I thought to myself. It ain’t natural.

I agree it’s important that 4-H students take responsibility to wash and clean their animals to impress the judge. No one likes to look at a caked rump. But when I saw a French braid on a horse’s tail neatly tied with a pink bow, that is going too far. It ain’t natural.

I walked to the steers and noticed a young man fussing over his animal. “Why are you vacuuming your steer?” I inquired.

“You mean to tell me you blow dry the steer’s fur?” He nodded and continued to fluff the hair by blowing it against the grain to make it curl like a ribbon. I noticed the solid black hooves which the young man admitted he had sprayed with shoe polish. It ain’t natural for steers to run around with curly hair and painted hooves.

Out of curiosity I meandered to the pig stalls and wondered, would they be manicured and gussied up? They appeared bathed and scrubbed clean as a button. They looked natural , but to my surprise a( young man sported a white shirt and black tie. Why would anyone dress up to show off a porker? One mother commented. “My son is dressed better now than when he goes to church.” Swatting the flies away, I watched as the young owners directed their pigs to the arena. It ain’t natural for a 12 year old to wear a shirt and tie to parade a 250 pound squealer around the arena. It’s show time!

Behavior modification ain’t natural for a pig. Just try and stop a porker from rolling over in the moist black dirt while the judge is looking. Just try and strut a strong willed hog in a circle without any detours. But I have to admit the 4-H kids came prepared with a brush in one hand and cane in the other. They whisked away any traces of dirt and poked the pig to keep in line.

Then I walked to the sheep pens. If primping were natural, the ewes would wait patiently in line for their turn at the beauty stall. Instead, haltered sheep, blanketed around the middle bleated while owners trimmed and fussed over stray strands of wool.

Finally I decided to check out the poultry and birds, who were enclosed in a small building. No special decorations adorned their feathers, but some chickens spiked coiffure looked like a natural bad hair day. The pungent ammonia odor hit my nostrils and I tried to hold my breath until I reached the exit. Raised on a chicken farm, I knew that smell. Now that’s what I call natural.

I receive a phone call from a first time reader. He didn't think it was funny. He's a dairyman and I suppose his kids do 4-H.

Aggie Blue Bikes

Last year I explored USU campus. But there were many little buildings which I missed. Curious about Aggie Blue Bikes I decided to check them out. I’ve never wanted to ride my bike up the hill but always thought it would be fun to ride on top of campus. I heard you count rent a bike but dismissed it thinking, I don’t have a A- number.

Cool bike sculpture

This summer I learned I could check out a bike for a day with my credit card number and by filling in a computerized registration form. (I should have tried this last summer) Here’s what available for non A- number person. A Fat tired cruiser, with wide handle bars. If I make a sharp turn the handle bars pokes me in my side.

With each free rental, they adjust the seat on a boys bike and enter a combination lock number, which I never use. The Franklin Connection bus arrives at the transit center around 8:50. By the time I get to campus and fill out the forms I have 15- 20 minutes to ride on top of campus. It’ really fun and a beautiful time of day.

I discovered some buildings which I’ve never seen and some sculpture behind the education building. Sometimes I cruise through the cemetery dodging the sprinklers. I’ve rented an Aggie Blue bike about once a week. Sometime I have to wait in line, and each time I’m required to fill in the form on the computer.

So the minutes tick away, my limited amount if riding time. “Cant you just pull up my last rental form?” I inquired.

“Nope.”

"OK". I’m so grateful that I don’t buck the rules. Other types of bikes are available for 3 month rental .

More Aggie Art

I just love these expressive sculptures of children.

Photo Tips: How to Shoot a Parade

Blog: Photo Tips
How to photograph a parade I recently shot the Famous Preston Rodeo parade . I would like to expound on tips so basically so I can share photo examples. Like the drama department, most photographers love to show off their wares

If Tiffany Alisha can give decorating tips, Kristen, cooking recipes, and Amber domestic tips, I've decided that I'm going to wax eloquent and spout forth knowledge from my photography experience

It's been a long time since I taught my 4-H prepared , photography class at BYU-Idaho Homemaking Days. Lora Dawn, my best student ( & Hertha's best student) still quotes me when she says,"Fill the frame" That is, fill the frame with the subject of your interest. This Big J's entry is too far away and I pick up a pole in the back ground.

This is a little better, a little closer. This is one of my favorite commercial floats with the colorful balloons. It's hard to get a serpentine shot.

I liked the composition but still feel like it's far away, so I cropped it on photo shop

Here's a shot from another year which is clearer. More sun, sharper colors

If you don't get it the first time shoot the back side.

Rule number one after fill the frame is:

1. get rid of all spectators and crowd then you can find perfect shooting spots and move around without blocking anyone's view. ( Just kidding)

2. Shoot with your back to the sun

3. Pick a good background to shoot parade entries against.

Too many poles in this pic

Just wait for the band to come to you. The trees make a nice background

From 06 notice how the sun makes a better shot. Also the band is bigger.

lots of light, lousy background

I have tried different locations. Intersections have too many poles and wires

much better

Most the time I've shot in residential where's there's trees for a back ground. Down town is more crowded and hard to jocky a position.

In the past I've shot the trees in front of the two homes between the hospital and the mortuary.

See what happens when I shoot in front of the hospital,.

ex. the building is sort of ugly. Notice how I took out the pole and boy in the next shot

I shot this in front of the library, a more cluttered background than trees.

4. Try shooting from different levels.

Stand in the back of a pickup, Kneel on the ground. One year I got permission to shoot from second story of town building.( 1992 shot with film)

5. Scramble for the parade candy when things get boring. Don't let the kids take all of the candy.

6. leave space in front of entry . Ex. a person riding a bike or horse, leave space in front instead of cropping too close. This is cropped very close

Lousy pictures on several accounts. all the space is behind her, I hate poles, although it could be PS out.

Still not enough space in front of pickup.

This is better, more space in front of tractor

There's space for these guys to walk into. Over cast pic from this year, not quite in focus

7. Don't complain about the heat and bright sun. I welcomed cloud cover this year and discovered my pictures weren't as sharp as sun illuminated objects from previous years. Most the parade entries are moving so more sun light helps to stop the action for a clear shot.

8. Add a variety of closeups to keep pics interesting

even closer

another interesting shot

Yes we mustn't forget Natures Call

9. Shoot people,(assuming you didn't get rid of them) on the side lines

The smith family enjoying the parade from their yard.

10. Shoot from an angle not straight across subject.

Isn't this a little more pleasing at an angle, except I didnt' get all the horse in. But that' ok.

My friend Chris, who is on the rodeo committee catches me unaware every year and I shot her straight across again this year. If I knew in advance she was coming, I would shoot sooner.

Let's get this horse in the pictures or take him out but don't cut his head off.

Better if you want a pictures of all the horses. If you want the wagon and people, cut the horses out.

10. If you have kids forget the above instructions because you l can't keep an eye on them while shooting pics.

11. Here's some Parade memories.

What did I shoot at parades 20 years

ago ( with film) ? My kids.

I didn't want to waste film on the

parade so I shot sparingly, the kids

.

Well, as the Looney Toones said, "That's all folks."