Hurley US Open of Surfing, July 2009

Yesterday I went to Huntington Beach to take some pictures at the US open surfing competition which has been going on for several days already. When I got there, I found out that my subcompact camera is inadequate for the task because the surfers were too far out of its range. How the heck did I come up with the idea that I can take decent photos of surfers riding the waves with my tiny gadget? LOL. I dropped my plan and decided to head home but thought I might as well snap a few photos, here and there, before I hit the road.


These are serious photo enthusiasts. They were there very early to claim their spot and they were armed with cameras fitted with powerful zoom lenses.

Look at that zoom monster!

This is the south side of the pier were the competition was being held.

Same side, behind the grandstand, where the sponsors have their booths to showcase their products or services.

North side of the pier, where the beachgoers were just relaxing and taking in the sun, not caring a bit about the surfing competition.

I don't know what he was cooking on the griddle, it did not look appetizing but a long line of people waiting to get a bite of it do no agree with me.

This guy was not selling anything, he was just giving them away!

Another freebie

More free samples

Orange County Fair 2009

It's that time of the year when the county fair is here again. I can't help checking the place out at least once during its month long run. This morning was a bad day to come because the temperature was in the high eighties (deg. F.) My wife and I only stayed there less than a couple of hours then left with the plan to return in the evening. However, I found a more interesting thing to do the rest of the day - watch TV and go to sleep LOL. The fair visit will have to wait another day.

I pity the guy whose job is to tend the barbecue pit - the poor guy works under the sun and every so often endures the blast of heat from the pit to check the meat .

My favorite watering hole

I am in awe at what some photographers can do to make an ordinary subject looked extraordinary.

Snake!

I was looking at an assortment of old pictures stored in a cardboard box when I saw one of me taken by a buddy years ago when we were fishing at a lake in San Bernardino National Forest. He took the time to take this photo with a film-based Canon slr before he told me of the snake emerging slowly from a cave-like structure a few feet away!

We have been camping, hiking and fishing together for years and both of us do not have an unhealthy fear of snakes and other animals we encounter in the field, but I still did not appreciate the fact that he took his time to get the camera and took my picture before alerting me to the snake LOL. He instantly knew at first sight that it was a non-poisonous snake and I did, too, after I saw the snake but still........grrrrrr. If it were a rattlesnake, I would have taken off with my van and let him walk all the way to civilization, notwithstanding the fact that we both know that snakes do not act aggressively unless they felt threaten or their protected space is intruded upon.

Happy Fourth of July Everyone!