31 August 2021

Joshua Seligsohn September 4, 2021

A tree burns in the Caldor Fire on August 31, 2021 near Kyburz, CA.

Deputy Brown radios in a spot fire discovered during patrol of the evacuated area during the Caldor Fire on August 31, 2021 near Strawberry, CA.

Firefighters from the San Bernadino National Forest prepare to put out a small spot fire threatening a structure near Strawberry, CA on August 31, 2021.

A firefighter from San Bernadino National Forest watches on as a spot fire that was threatening a structure is put out near Strawberry, CA on August 31, 2021.

A chimney remains amidst a forest of burned trees on August 31, 2021 in Phillips, CA.

5 November 2019

Joshua Seligsohn November 22, 2019

In the early morning hours of Oct. 23, 2019 Deputy Brian Ishmael responded to a call of Marijuana plants being stolen. When he arrived on scene a man opened fire killing him and a injuring ride-along he had with him.

On Nov. 5, 2019 friends, family and peace officers from across the nation met in Roseville to remember him. It was a moving scene at the church which was at capacity.

The service concluded with a 21-gun salute, a flyover and the presenting of a flag to his wife Katie. He is survived by his wife and their three children.

Extending at least ten miles with hundred of police cars, the procession leaving Roseville saw a massive outpouring of support with thousands of people lining every intersection, overpass and streets all the way from Roseville to Placerville.

19 October 2019

Joshua Seligsohn November 8, 2019

Claude performs with his band at The Bitter End in New York City, NY. on Oct. 18, 2019.

Michael selfies, and yes I just used that as a verb, with Jim, Susan, and Kay outside The Bitter End in New York, NY. on Oct. 18, 2019.

Andrew and Dave chat at Susannah’s engagement party in New York, NY. on Oct. 19, 2019.

Miles and Nira joke and wait for food to make its appearance at Susannah’s engagement party in New York, NY. on Oct. 19, 2019.

14 October 2019

Joshua Seligsohn November 8, 2019

5 October 2019

Joshua Seligsohn October 5, 2019

These are miscellaneous shots from my experiments with ektachrome. I’ll probably buy more of it in the future but its application is somewhat limited so it won’t be something I keep around for everyday use.

Morning light on the Capitol Building, Sacramento, CA

Aspen and Ponderosa Pine, South Lake Tahoe, CA

First light on the Crystal Range, South Lake Tahoe, CA

28 September 2019

Joshua Seligsohn October 5, 2019

Firefighters from across the state gathered at the State Capitol September 28th for the annual California Firefighters Memorial. This year thirty four names were added to the memorial, commemorating the firefighters who lost their lives in the line of duty. These photos are from before the ceremony as firefighters, adorned in their class A uniforms carrying mirrored axes and plaid bagpipes, arrived. It is a somber occasion but it also carries the air of a reunion as old friends are reunited.

19 March 2019

Joshua Seligsohn March 22, 2019

Shortly before 08 Sergeant Michael Seligsohn opens the door to the office leading me through a series of hallways to the front desk. I fill out some paperwork then they run me to make sure I don’t have any warrants (I don’t) and then the receptionists double checks with the Sergeant to make sure he is ok taking me for the day.

With that we’re off—to breakfast.

Over chilaquiles and coffee we discuss what the day is going to look like. We will start west and work east, hitting population centers along the way and responding to calls as they come. He explains that Tuesday mornings tend to be on the slow side.

We go to a ski resort where we chat with the private security that works there. They discuss weather, a recent spate of burglaries, and spring training. We cruise through the parking lots before leaving to make sure all’s well—it is.

The rest of the morning is spent patrolling and doing traffic enforcement. Nobody seems to be particularly out of line. Tuesday mornings.

In pursuit of an April Fool’s Day prank we head to Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care (LTWC) around noon. Current residents of the center include a pair of young bear cubs, Blaze and Yreka, whose mother had been poached leaving them in need of care. Fortunately for the pair Tom and Cheryl of LTWC are experts in this area.

We got to hang with the bears during their lunch time. Tom weighs each of them, both clocking in right at 5 pounds, before feeding them their milk and then burping them. The bears, only having just opened their eyes a couple weeks ago, are still too

young to walk. They aimless swat their paws, which are still more claw than anything else, around the whole time.

After this we fuel up then hit the streets. Having earlier established that the road to the northern limit of the county was open we decide to hit that early in the afternoon. We cruise on up for one of the most picturesque drives in the county. When we get to Tahoma we find ourselves suddenly in dire need of caffeine. We head towards a coffeeshop which I’d only ever once been to prior—after Graham and I got off of the Tahoe Rim Trail—but was quite skeptical they’d be open. When we’d gone there before it was September and they’d been closing just after 1300 when we got there.

The coffee shop is in a funky strip mall that is also home to a pizza place and a hot dog place. The hot dog place advertises beer for sale but they only do to-go sales. I’ve never been to the pizza place because it was closed when we got there last time. The man working the hot dog window finished serving all his customers only to walk across the parking lot and open the pizza place as Graham and I sat, filthy and tired, in the parking lot.

We arrive shortly after 1500 and there is no sign of life from the coffee shop. We check just across the road in Placer County and the coffee shop there is nearly totally disassembled, bare plywood and frame standing naked in the snow, as it being remodeled.

Don’t expect much from Tahoma during…well really during anytime of year.

As we turn onto the road I feel the Sergeant punch it out of the turn. I look over at the speedometer as it approaches 50 miles per hour, glancing to the right to double check that we’re still in a 35 zone.

“What did you see?” I ask as we close the gap with the van who is now tailgating the cars ahead of him.

“He crossed the double yellow…but I wasn’t right on him so I want to see what else he’s going to do”

Stuck behind a pair of cars going the speed limit we follow the van through another turn, then both of the cars ahead turn off the road we are on.

The van opens up the throttle, I look over to the speedometer again and watch it read 50, 55, 60. We continue accelerating. Grabbing the radio Sergeant Seligsohn begins to communicate our situation to dispatch. His hand floats down to the switch for the lights and pauses briefly before flicking the switch over and turning the lights on.

“That guy is so frickin’ stoned” he says as he steps back to the car.

“How do you know that?” I challenge.

“He reeks and he just smoked.”

Apparently our speeding stoner was forthcoming and admitted that he had smoked a bowl at the ski resort before heading out.

Sergeant Seligsohn radios in for a CHP officer to come do the evaluation.

Field marijuana evaluations are particularly challenging. Given that there is no level of metabolites which constitutes presumptive intoxication, the way there is with alcohol, the only tool officers have to use is a subjective test—evaluate signs and symptoms then make a judgement. For deputies who don’t have the same kind of training or experience with these tests as CHP officers this presents a high bar to making a ‘good’ DUI arrest.

After a while of standing around and waiting for the CHP to show up I ask how long it normally takes for them to show up.

“They’re normally here within fifteen minutes or so.”

“Well how long has it been?”

“Fifteen minutes on the dot.”

As if on cue the black and white Chevy Suburban rounds the curve and pulls up behind us.

“How are you Sarge?” Officer Burke says greeting my father. Then they get to work.

Armed with all the information from the initial stop my father along with Officer Burke head back to the car and pull out the driver.

Officer Burke begins the field sobriety test, taking his pulse, asking about medications, his day, hitting him with a whole array of questions.

Officer Burke lets the driver return to his vehicle. He explains that even though the guy admits that he’d smoked before getting in the car he didn’t have the physiological signs of intoxication required to sustain a charge against.

Officer Burke elaborated explaining that when was down in Los Angeles he’d pulled over a guy swerving across five lanes on the 405, who admitted to taking bong rips, yet when he did the field sobriety test he simply lacked the signs that would be necessary to charge him. He describes a conundrum for law enforcement today—with no good test for marijuana impairment drivers basically have carte blanche to smoke and drive. As in this case the fraction is citable—the driver of the van was cited only for the moving violations— but the greater cause faces significant barriers to prosecution.

Sergeant Seligsohn writes up the citation, asking Officer Burke what court date they’re currently using for infractions issued that week, then gives the citation to the driver. After a little bullshitting with Officer Burke and another late comer CHP officer we’re on our way through another quiet neighborhood and back to the station to end our day.

18 February 2019

Joshua Seligsohn February 22, 2019

“How does 08 sound?” my father asks.

My mother and I both look at each other, balking at idea. She suggests 5 and I say I’d be open to 4. We agree to 5, democracy survives yet another test.

Now, did we actually leave at 5? Well if you know my mom you know the answer. We were still out the door before dawn so I can’t complain too much.

Now, if you anything about my family you know we did not leave at 5. Before dawn, yes, but not 5.

We take the old Pony Express route south which is a gorgeous drive in its own right, winding through the rolling hills far below the majestic peaks of the Sierra Nevada, past old oak trees, through mining towns where horses and people had now been replaced by cars working their way through the center of their town. Were it not for the cars and the pavement upon which they travel, one could easily forget the year or even century.

Climbing into the Sierra is one of my favorite things. Seemingly without notice the foothills and oaks give way to grand mountains and pines. There had been much hay made of whether or not the road into Yosemite would actually be open. Signs along the way ambiguous and gave conflicting information. I remain confident that on a bluebird day the road would be open, barring the road being physically damaged.

As we climb higher snow becomes omnipresent, blanketing everything around us. Freshly plowed, snowbanks with clean edges line the road. It’s that magical kind of fresh snow that glimmers as you pass it, thousands of small mirrors reflecting back the light of the sun.

Tunnel View feels much like Disneyland: unruly children run about, the parking lot is difficult to navigate, there’s a designated viewing area where one must jockey for position. Yet even so, it is difficult to not be inspired, to feel a connection with the artists painting the same view in the 1800s, the native Americans who lived here long before the Mexicans or the Americans who would later make their way here, to imagine that it would have been a day like today when Muir went riding an avalanche just to see what it felt like. It’s truly a place of grandeur and exploration even though for many that exploration is wholly confined to pavement.

In fact, it is this aspect that may be Yosemite’s greatest asset today—it is accessible. Millions of Americans every year visit as it is the most heavily trafficked National Park. Thus it provides many an avenue into appreciating the spectacular American landscape and it also minimizes impact to the rest of the park, other national forests, and wilderness areas by concentrating it in an already developed area.

During the federal government’s shutdown this past year, Joshua Tree lost millions of dollars and saw hundreds of years worth of damage. Though anomalous, it should be understood as a cautionary tale for what mismanagement and irresponsible usage of resources can look like.

On the drive home we take a different route out of the park. Watching the granite walls dodge behind other hills and out of my view is melancholy but stopping at what must certainly must be America’s most picturesque gas station (if there is better please let me know so I may visit) provides a moment for reflection. As I wait in line to pay for our coffees I thought about how lucky we were to take an impromptu trip here, how incredible these kinds of places are, and how important it is to protect them.

15 February 2019

Joshua Seligsohn February 20, 2019

Early Friday morning I rode into Sacramento with my mother, Anna. I went into her work with her where she paraded me around as if I was some sort of foreign dignatary. I passed some time with her in her office and chatted with her friends before I decided it was time for me to do some exploring. Grabbing a quick bite to eat at my favorite (and the best) breakfast place in town I decided to head over to the Capitol. As I parked the Jeep a torrential downpour began without any warning.

People began to dart all over the place, some whipping umbrellas seemingly out of nowhere while others seemed resigned to their fate.

Minutes later the sun returned bathing the Capitol in what seemed to be an unseasonably warm shower of light. The sun, in repelling the clouds, returned to the area a light mood, the urgency of minutes past washed away as the clouds and their chaos had been by the sun.

26 January 2019

Joshua Seligsohn February 8, 2019

Chloe Tacata waits to be called for her first snatch.

Chelsea Wilkes pauses for a moment during warm-ups.

Norma Jean Hatten awaits her first lift of the meet.

Coaches and athletes awaiting their turn to lift.

Alexi Fair and coach Jordan Boriak rest between lifts.

Robin Brougher fiddles with tape on her thumbs before her final lift.

Chloe Tacata cleans seventy nine kilograms in her opening lift.

Robin Brougher makes a successful sixty eight kilogram snatch.

Chelsea Wilkes is congratulated by Jack Carpenter after a successful final lift.

Coach Jessica Gee celebrates with Robin Brougher after making the heaviest clean and jerk of the meet.

Jordan Boriak high fives Alexi Fair after a successful lift on her way to ultimately going six for six.

Robin Brougher, Chelsea Wilkes, Chloe Tacata celebrate their team being recognized as the best team due to their outstanding lifting.

14 January 2019

Joshua Seligsohn January 16, 2019

Colin (right) mobilizes while chatting with Anthony (left) before a workout.

Anthony, a Philadelphia Eagles fan, recounts a heartbreaking dropped pass, and subsequent interception, during the Eagles’ 14-20 loss to the New Orleans Saints, in the playoffs, to end the Eagles’ season.

Colin and Anthony belt up for heavy front squats.

Anthony front squats 265 pounds, setting an all-time personal record.

With macabre fascination, Keith and Colin examine a significant piece of flesh and hair found on a box.

Anthony, known for his keen sense of smell, lays accusation against Colin.

Anthony, Colin, and Keith recover after their workout.

6 January 2019

Joshua Seligsohn January 13, 2019

1 January 2019

Joshua Seligsohn January 2, 2019

I failed in my original goal for this blog. I thought if I held myself accountable for shooting everyday I’d see a huge benefit to my photography but that didn’t happen. Or at least it didn’t happen for a year as I’d intended it too. I still shot a lot.

Reading, listening to podcasts, watching videos on youtube all began to consume more of my time as I sought to continually improve the quality of the photos I was taking. Shooting film really threw a wrench in my plans as well. Turns out analog photography is not conducive to a daily photography blog. It’s very rewarding in all sorts of ways—I think it is from shooting, developing, and printing my own film that I learned the most this year—but it is just not cut out for the kind of immediacy I wanted. Film did make me begin to understand the concept of deep work as I spent hours working in the dark room on a single print. The hours of focus on a single photograph, first as a projection then, viewed through the chemistry, under the orange safety light, made me pick apart every detail of the image. It is this time that made me come to understand so many of the details I like, and even more so what I loathe, in the images I see and capture.

It is true I did not do what I intended to do but I learned so much more than I thought I would and for this I am grateful. So as we close the door on the past year I consider about all the people and lessons I’m grateful for and with bright eyes looking toward the future I am ready to usher in a new year with boundless potential.

A man sleeps in a coffee shop in Eugene, Oregon on 1 January 2019. In 2018, the coffee shop as public space was subject of significant public debate.

It’s important to contrast this year’s goals with last year’s. Last year it was important to build a habit so that I might take a better, more technical picture. This year I want my photos to have more meaning. I’m going to get closer, make myself more uncomfortable, and hopefully in doing so I’ll be able to say more.