So....what are you going to shoot this Veteran's Day?

[John Kasaian]

Plans for taking a long week-end got scuttled---I've got to cook lobsters for the local Lions Club fund raiser on Saturday and I've got jury duty Monday, but I've still got Tuesday to play with my camera(of course I'll have the kids along, Momma's got a luncheon to go to) so I'm trying to think of where to go and what to shoot. I've only got a few 5x7 holders for the new/old Speed Graphic, but the Castle Air Museum in Atwater CA sounds appropriate for handheld LF on the holiday, or maybe I'll take the 'dorff up to the General Grant in Kings Canyon N.P.---it just might have a dusting of snow(?) Perhaps a small town parade might be fertile ground for the 4x5 Crown. So many possibilities....What do You intend to take pictures of this Veteran's Day?

[Peter Galea]

Lobsters in California!!!!! Man...I want to be there!

[John Kasaian]

Pete, Tickets will be $25 at the door of the VFW Hall on First St. North of Shields Ave. right by the Blood Bank and across the street from both the Serbian Orthodox church and the dog kennel in Fresno. The entry is a bit pricey but Lions usually find the cheapest places in town to get a drink!;-) The lobsters are flying in from Maine, so they have big claws unlike the west coast lobsters. Its actually a popular event for transplanted New Englanders in this Oasis of the San Joaquin Valley!

[Jay DeFehr]

Hey! I was born in Fresno, back when Clovis was a suburb. My Dad was born in Orosi in 1934, and I still have a lot of family there. I did a lot of water skiing on the Kings River when I was attending KRCC back in '85. We had a little 20 acre Kiwi operation right on the river, next to Lindy's Landing. Good times. Has the fog set in yet? Have you ever tried to photograph that fog? People complain about the fog up here (Idaho) but they've never really seen fog like San Joaqin fog. I can remember my Dad driving the 99 in fog so thick I couldn't see the hood ornament. You know, the open-the-door-and-follow-the-dotted-line method of navigation. That's what I'd want to photograph; that blanket of fog on the Kings River. Now I'm homesick! I'll get back that way some day, and I'll keep a look out for a guy with a 5x7 speed graphic.

[Ralph Barker]

I hate to tell you this, John, but I saw a flock of lobster (with what appeared to be wax wings) flying over San Jose earlier this evening. So, it looks like they might have become disoriented in the rain. Hopefully, they'll be able to find Fresno in time.

[John Kasaian]

Jay, The infamous tule fog hasn't set in yet, but it'll be here soon enough(along with the "foggy day school bus schedules" broadcasts on morning TV) Are you familiar with Roman Laranc's photos of the San Joaquin Valley? He's got some neat foggy day photos www.romanlaranc.com

Ralph, One year the Lobsters ended up in Salt Lake City instead of Fresno---what was really funny was the day after the cancelled Lobster Feed 350 Lobsters arrived and the club had to find a place for the little critters to live until we could figure out just what to do with them(!)

Hmmmm.....I wonder about the possibilities of a pinhole lobster camera....could it be?? I think that would likely have to be medium format unless I could find a really big honking lobster!

[Andrew O'Neill]

What will I do? "Remember" of course! On November 11, Remembrance Day up here in Canada, I will go to the cenotaph to pay my respects to all those that made the sacrifice. I lost Canadian and British relatives in both WW. My grandfather, whom I never met died shortly after WW2 from injuries. I will also think about all the Canadian lads and lasses over in Afganistan who are trying to make order out of kaos. How can I play with my camera on this day??

[John Kasaian]

Andrew, I was thinking along the lines of trying to make a photograph that somehow captures the sentiment of the holiday, perhaps of a memorial having a deep personal connection. The last time I was in Toronto(a long long time ago) I remember going to a department store---I don't remember which one---but there was a touching memorial at the entrance of a very long list of the names of employees who lost thier lives in both world wars. This was many years ago, and I'm sure those brave souls were known to many of the (then) current staff. There are memorials like this all over North America, many obscured, seemingly forgotten over the course of time and generations---the one in the department store was certainly niether obscure or forgotten and it was heartening to recall that the corporation would take pride in its maintenance. I can't imagine a Wal-Mart spending money on anything, including good will, that won't return some profit. Most will get "spruced up" for the Holiday but some won't---there seems to be little interest in those who sacrificed in wars not in the popular memory(at least in my neck of the woods) Maybe thats to be expected as the U.S. and Canada have been fortunate not to have had to suffer combat on continental "home turf" for a long long time. Our service men and women are killed far from home in strange countries. Those that return crippled and maimed tend to be conveniently forgotten in places like VA hospitals(in the US anyway)

Perhaps Veteran's Day is more important to Veterans after all, because they more than anyone else are aware of the tremendous sacrifices made. Old boys who were at Normandy and Bataan were interviewed on the History Channel awhile back and to the man denied any heroism on their part. The real heros, they all stated, were the guys that didn't make it back.

Perhaps the best I can expect would be a photo that would capture the feelings of my community on this November 11---I think its worth a try.--------Cheers!

[Mike Lopez]

I get to work on Tuesday. Good times.

[Abel Sykes]

John, I was at KRCC from 1985 to 1989 (Jay) and of course had my full dose of the infamous fog. Reedley will most likely have some type of celebration which might provide some interesting prospects. And of course there is always the Kings River. However I always found many opportunities in Kings Canyon NP. As you probably aware there is a "front" moving there now and it might offer some possibilities. Have a good time.

Abel Sykes

[Matthew Cordery]

If I have the day off (I need to check), I'm going to waterfall hunting here in Washington with my wife. Savor the peace and beauty and shed a tear for those not with us to share.

[neil poulsen]

Several of us in the photo department are renting a van and going down to Tygh Valley towards central Oregon. There's a difficult to find waterfall there that I hear is picturesque. We'll also photograph at other locations along the way.

[John Cook]

http://www.nps.gov/usar/PHcas.html

[Robert A. Zeichner]

You mean some folks get that day off?