Last week I was asked to join the staff of The Sacramento Bee’s group of 7 community weekly newspapers, Neighbors.

A staff member went on vacation to Spain and I gladly accepted the spot to take his place for three weeks.

After completing the first week, I have a hankering for some more! It has really been a lot of fun to feel part of the team. As opposed to being a freelancer for them when I would rarely spend more than two hours in the office, I as there for several hours which enabled me to get more of a feel for the reporters, other photographers, and the newspaper in general. In addition, I was given access to their equipment and portable lighting kits.

There were several firsts, and hopefully some lasts as well: First assignment on staff: A “people” feature on a couple who cleaned up a park for horse riding. I feel it as my weakest work of the week. I let them direct how the photo was going to be taken, instead of taking the lead and telling them how it was going to be. The result was a weak image. First studio assignment: genealogy software programmer.

Jerry Potter, a member of the Loomis Basin Horsemen's Association, and his wife Linda helped organize and participate in work parties at the Traylor Ranch Nature Reserve.

First whining to the Editor: The story was on a mother-daughter team who go out to fire scenes to provide beverages and snacks for the firefighters. The to live next door to each other. They just received a new van, and the assignment sheet said to get a picture of them with their new van. In my mind, that is BBBOOOORRRRIIIINNNGGGG. Sorry. So I told the editor I thought it had MUCH more potential than just an environmental portrait. After talking to the photo editor, we decided that I would take the portrait, and give them my pager number so they can call me if they go out on any calls. That way I can makes images of them in action, doing what makes them unique and “news.” So far, no page...

First film mix-up: Well I finally did it. While shooting stand-alone photos at a youth fishing event sponsored by the Department of Fish and Game, I took the fresh film out of my left pocket, and put the exposed film in my left pocket of my jacket. I thought I shot 3 rolls at the assignment, but I turned out with just one after I processed everything. Somehow I got the rolls mixed up, and ended up shooting my third roll over my first. OUCH. The worst part about it was that the picture I wanted, a little girl watching her father de-hook a fish she just caught with a great expression on her face, was gone. And even more aggravating, the pictures I shot over the first roll were total crap.

P.J. Davis, 3, of Parkway, checks to make sure he still has his lure affixed properly before casting out at the Florin Creek Park Pond on Saturday, January 16, 1999. The fishing clinic was co-sponsored by the Department of Fish and Game and the Parkway Estates Neighborhood Association.

First-last assignment of the week: little league baseball try-outs. The hook was that the catcher for the California Angles, Matt Walbeck, who played in that very little league, would be running the try-outs. When I arrived I was greeted by the president of the league. He informed me that Walbeck called him at nine the previous night, and had to attend to his mother who has cancer. Darn. Oh well, I will still shoot the try-out, since I am a baseball feign and kids playing baseball can make great photos. I am glad I stayed. I particularly liked the image of coach Ken Munguia giving basic instruction and the players lined up along the fence, some paying close attention, and others are off in la-la land.

Coincidence alert: The field the try-out was held on was the field I had my very first baseball tryout on when I was 6, beginning my storied baseball career. And the previously mentioned coach was a coach of my team when I was 12, and I played with his son for three seasons in little league. I would love to get come feedback on the images in the accompanying gallery. Please don’t hesitate to drop me an e-mail at jazzman@jps.net and let me know what you think, good or bad. Can’t wait for next week!!!!

Dave Foust paints one of several doors that will soon be installed in the renovated North Highlands Town Center. This particular part of the center will be home to The Rio Linda School District.

Click to see interactive gallery of this week's work

Behind the Viewfinder - A Year in the Life of Photojournalism
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