It has been a minute since my last blog. Well, maybe a few weeks, but who’s counting? This past week was very busy to say the least. With dead bodies found behind shopping centers, an ex-police chief’s funeral and this year’s first big local fire, there’s a sense of job security in the air.

When we found out there was a dead body discovered, a lot went through our minds. Murder, foul play, suicide. This body was none of the above and it’s suspected the guy passed from dehydration. When I pulled up to the scene I carefully approached and shot from a distance with a long lens so I wasn’t in the way. In similar situations authorities have been leery about media showing up and photos being taken. Yet the officers on duty were very casual and didn’t seem to mind where I stood or how many photos I took. Not that I’m complaining, it’s just not expected. Quite a different tune compared to non-injury accident scenes where at times authorities are stressed beyond belief and can’t handle media coming around.

Someone back at the newsroom asked if seeing dead bodies freaks me out. Covered dead bodies don’t bother me, but uncovered dead bodies are creepy. Other than the smell of death on a hot summer day it’s not something I have bad dreams about.

Shooting funerals on the other hand is possibly the hardest assignment to shoot with emotions pouring out and because I’m the guy that nobody wants around. I’ve had people threaten to break my camera, personally threaten me and go as far as complaining to the newspaper.

The service for Robert Jimenez was very low key and pleasant. I spent the first hour standing off in a corner listening to the mass and then quietly photographing friends and family members speaking on Mr. Jimenez’s behalf. Other than a few glares from the audience, people seemed to consume themselves with the real reason why they were there.

But there’s always someone out of the crowd who takes it upon themself to approach and make a comment. After the service I wanted photos of Robert’s daughter Dana hugging family and friends. The best angle to achieve this was on the first step leading to the altar. A woman walked up to me, first asked if I was with the newspaper and then went on to say how disrespectful and inappropriate I was to be standing on the step of the altar. Now, I grew up in a Catholic church and attended mass every Sunday. I know how to conduct myself in a church. Even the Father who spoke during mass didn’t seem to mind where I was standing.

Meanwhile both Dana Jimenez-Harder and Robert Jimenez II were very thankful for our coverage and even took a few minutes to pose with their father’s photograph. After all there are far greater things to be emotional about at a funeral than where a photographer is standing.

And at last the fire near Mammoth Bar was our first big fire of the year. You can always tell the first fire of the season because people are always on edge saying you can’t do your job. It seems that later in the season, toward September, people are over it and don’t care what we do or where we go. I managed to get as close as I could before other media showed up, which was a good thing considering they were being told to stay back on Foresthill Road. All I can say is that it’s a long fire season and media will continue to show up where the action is. Hope fire crews can get used to it.