Bob Crum

Long ago I bought my first camera while in the U.S. Air Force stationed in Okinawa. A 35mm film point and shoot gem. A delightful camera sufficient for my needs at that time. But not without quirks. The film counter seldom accurate. Exposure mostly a matter of luck. Were it not for bad luck, I would not have had any. Tempted often to toss it out of the RB-47 at 30,000 feet.

I brought that camera home and used it until the film advance lever jammed. At that time, Konica introduced their Autoreflex T which used an external light meter cell to set the lens diaphragm automatically for proper exposure. At least a better exposure than me skinny dippin'down at the creek. So I bought model T.

As cameras got better I bought into the Canon system... AE-1 and A1 cameras. State of the art film cameras all.

Which brings to mind that some still think “film” is the only true photography. Digital not authentic. Purists think photos printed from film have that “look” about them that isn't duplicated with digital processing. In a word: Pooey!

For decades I had a love/hate relationship with film photography. You load a roll of film and invoked a higher power for help. Select Tv or Av mode ('auto' if in doubt), mash the shutter button, and pray. No way to know the results until the film was processed and prints made. But I digress.

Besides gear limitations, creativity was greatly limited. I bought an enlarger and made a darkroom in the garage. Spent hours burning and dodging in the dark lit only with a red light attempting to create a photo. Many sheets of photo paper wasted in the process. Not even a little do I miss the ghastly odor of developer and fixer.

Back to the present and landscape photography specifically. Whether in Av (Aperture priority) mode or Tv (Shutter Priority) mode, float the ISO and proper exposure is less of a problem with today's cameras. What's left? The all important composition!

Too often, the biggest problem I see with up and coming photographers is that they don't stop long enough to ask: What is it I am shooting and why? What is the image subject and meaning? Too often too many think a great photo magically happens when the shutter release button is pressed. Au contraire. A digital camera merely records data... the photographer makes the photograph. Remember?

Which brings me to “style”. A photographic style can be applied somewhat by camera programming but style comes alive when imparted during photo processing. Yes, the dreaded post processing! But digital photography opens up a world of creative possibilities that couldn't even be dreamed of with film photography. Key word: Creative. Creativity is a photographers adrenaline!

One of the recurring questions I receive is whether the Photos of the Week are straight from the camera or processed. Straight from the camera? I always record photos in RAW (300ppi) mode. But a RAW image is only data. Like film or yore, it has to be processed.

Photo editing is a topic I have yet to address. Will do just as soon as I can present it in an interesting manner. Oy, the demands of a photography columnist are exasperating!

This week’s Photo of the Week: The handsome Great Pumpkin of Fillmore. Rumor is that the Headless Horseman lusts for this charming head. The clock ticks. Will the Great Pumpkin ride into midnight on a black horse?

Send your comments, questions or suggestions to bob@fillmoregazette.com

Video courtesy Fillmore Fire Department.

Chris Theisen, General Manager for the Ventura Regional Sanitation District spoke first in the Presentations part of Tuesday’s regular meeting. Unfortunately a camera malfunction forced this reporter to leave before hearing the discussion. His remarks will be reported in a later edition. However, a last minute fix permitted some photos.

SESPE AQUIFER EXEMPTION:
The Seneca Oil Company is seeking to have the Sespe aquifer removed from the Safe Drinking Water Act which would permit it to extend its fraction operations closer to Fillmore’s large aquifer. Approximately 40 opponents of the Seneca proposal attended Tuesday’s meeting and urged that the Council send a strong letter to the Environmental Protection Agency condemning such a move.

The Council unanimously agreed to send such a letter. Each member spoke out against Seneca’s plan, arguing that fracking so close to the city’s aquifer could have catastrophic consequences leading to an eventual contamination of the aquifer.

Councilmember Diane McCall recalled an old Western adage, “We fight for whiskey. We kill for water.” That statement metaphorically sums-up the determination of the Council and city to halt any attempt by Seneca Oil to extend its fracking operation closer to our aquifer.

The Council will send a strong letter to the EPA opposing such a move.

A meeting of citizens concerned about the proposal by the State of California to remove a Sespe aquifer from the Safe Drinking Water Act was held at 421 Sespe Ave. last Saturday. The meeting was attended by approximately 40 persons. The aquifer is not presently used for city drinking water but is approximately two miles from the city’s main aquifer. This is an area into wishes to extend its activity, which would include the process of fracking. Many Fillmore citizens fear that this process (forcing water down into oil deposits) could cause leakage into our aquifers, contaminating the water, which could not be purified. This group recommends a review of https://earthquake.usgs.gov/research/induced/myths.php

Fillmore Police Chief Dave Wareham and Ari Larson representing the Rotary Club of Fillmore attended the Rotary Master PRLS (District 5240) training in Oxnard from Friday, October 20-22, 2017. The classes provide valuable leadership training that participants can apply to both their Rotary and business careers as well as use in their personal lives. Fillmore Police Chief Dave Wareham received his graduation certificate. For questions regarding the Rotary Club of Fillmore please contact Cindy Blatt 805.906.4114

The California Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR) has a joint plan with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the State Water Resources Control Board to ensure that California’s oil operations are in compliance with the federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), which protects groundwater suitable for drinking or other human use. State law protects groundwater for all beneficial uses, including domestic and municipal drinking water supply and irrigation. This aquifer exemption proposal is part of that larger process.

Frequently-Asked Questions:
What is an aquifer exemption? The SDWA has broad requirements to protect underground sources of drinking water, but exemptions are allowed under certain conditions for aquifers that do not provide water suitable for drinking, irrigation or other beneficial uses. This includes aquifers that are naturally mixed with oil and briny water, such as the one under consideration in this exemption proposal.

If approved, a Sespe aquifer exemption would be issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which would allow water produced during oil production to be injected back into the same aquifer, or water and steam to be injected for enhanced oil recovery. Among the factors that are considered in the exemption process: Does the aquifer currently serve as a source of drinking water? Is it unlikely to ever be used as a source because it contains commercially producible amounts of oil or other minerals? Does it have a natural TDS (total dissolved solids) level between 3,000 and 10,000 mg/l? Is it so deep, remote, or contaminated with natural elements such as arsenic or boron that it is economically or technically impractical to utilize as a source of drinking water?

Why is an aquifer exemption needed in the Sespe oil field? There is already an aquifer exemption in the Sespe field. It was approved in 1983, when the US EPA granted the State of California “primacy” to regulate injection for enhanced oil recovery and the disposal of fluids produced during oil and gas production. The exempted portion of the aquifer matched the known extent of the underground oil reservoir at that time. Since, modern mapping technologies have shown that oil reservoir is larger than was known three decades ago.

What is the process for creating an exemption? An oil and gas operator brings a request and supportive data to DOGGR. If DOGGR determines the SDWA exemption criteria have been met, it consults with and seeks concurrence from the State Water Resources Control Board. If the state regulators agree that the proposal has merit, a public comment period is conducted. If DOGGR and the State Water Board continue to concur that an aquifer exemption may be appropriate after the public comments are reviewed, an application is submitted to US EPA. The federal agency has authority to make the final decision.

If a proposed aquifer exemption is sent to US EPA for approval, DOGGR will publish a document announcing that decision and summarize the substantive public comments received and the disposition of those comments.

Will expanding the aquifer exemption in the Sespe oil field affect drinking water supplies? No. The fundamental purpose of the aquifer exemption is to protect water used for drinking or agriculture. The water produced with the oil, or used to enhance oil production, will only go into the underground geological formation that naturally contains an unusable oil/water mix. The subsurface geology ensures that injected water will not migrate to other aquifers and mingle with water suitable for drinking or agriculture.

The nearest public water supply well is about three miles away from the proposed boundary of the aquifer exemption. Also, the Basal Sespe Zone aquifer proposed for exemption is not hydraulically connected to Sespe Creek. Oil production from and injection into the zone occurs 2,400-7,500 feet below the surface of the earth.

Does an aquifer exemption allow the oil operator to use hydraulic fracturing? No. An aquifer exemption doesn’t permit an oil company to do anything; it simply ensures compliance with the SDWA and state law within a given area. So, for example, if a company wants to either use enhanced oil recovery or dispose of produced water in the future, it will have to go through a separate, comprehensive permitting process with DOGGR, with review and approval by the State Water Board and Regional Water Quality Control Board.

Who permits oil production to occur in this area? Much of the Sespe oil field is on federal land. Permission to produce oil on federal land is granted by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). The role of state regulators is to ensure oil production does not threaten or harm the health and safety of the public and the environment.

Will an expansion of the aquifer exemption harm condors? The USFS and BLM have strong requirements in place to ensure oil production does not impact the environment and that condor habitat is protected.

Is there a potential for increased seismicity? No. DOGGR assesses seismicity and earthquake hazards early in the process when evaluating proposed injection projects. An approval means there is minimal risk for increased seismicity as a result of continued or expanded oilfield injection.

Bob Crum

The Headless Horseman is a short story of speculative fiction by American author Washington Irving. Fiction? Read on!

As the story goes, Ichabod Crane landed in a little town called Sleepy Hollow. Being a teacher and choirmaster he was considered an important person.

Ichabod soon realizes that the daughter of the richest guy in town is gorgeous. He decides to woo her such that to resist falling in love with him is futile. There's just one problem. A handsome hunk named Brom Bones fumes over Ichabod's moving in on his lady.

Getting word that Brom is extremely angry over recent events, Ichabod decides best to become less conspicuous. Then one day Ichabod receives an invitation to a party at the lady's home. Jubilant he duns his finest duds and heads off on a borrowed old steed.

The party is jiving when Brom accidentally discovers Ichabod is extremely superstitious. Aha! Just the spark angry Brom needed to ignite his scary tale of the Headless Horseman.

Party over, Ichabod hops upon his trusty old ride now worried about what might be lurking in the dark glen. At the far end, a covered bridge spans a creek. If he can get to the bridge, he's safe. The Headless Horseman's curse ends at the bridge.

Almost there, a mysterious black headless silhouette on a big black horse appears from out of the woods. Fright overwhelms Ichabod. To get to the bridge he begs the tired old horse to run faster. The Headless Horseman was gaining on Ichabod. Ichabod is almost at the bridge when the night suddenly turns totally black. A long terrifying scream is heard throughout the glen. Then dead silence.

Daylight does not reveal any secrets. Townsfolk find fresh horse tracks, Ichabod's hat and a smashed pumpkin. No sign of Ichabod.

Back in Sleepy Hollow, Brom Bones laughs suspiciously anytime anyone talks about the disappearance of Ichabod. It was no secret that Brom was exceedingly jealous of Ichabod to the point of rage. Also noted was that the pumpkin on Brom's porch... gone! Coincidence? The mystery continues. The Horseman in black still rides every Halloween dying for the perfect head. I know!

One dark Halloween night, with camera in hand, I courageously ventured out hoping to encounter the feared Headless Horseman. A hooting owl's eyes twinkled from the light of the full harvest moon. In the spooky dim light, imagination stimulates goose bumps.

Then from the woods a blood-curdling scream accompanied with the pounding of horse hoofs. Just as the Headless Horseman came into view, I promptly raised my camera. Momentarily surprised, the headless fiend abruptly stopped just long enough for me to make the photo. In a blink it turned and as it quickly disappeared back into the darkness I heard... “next time get my good side”! Cranky horse!

Capturing the photo was no small feat. I didn't know where the Horseman would appear from or when. A lens can't focus in the dark so I set the focal point to infinity, also opened the lens aperture to f/4.5... the max. I reduced the shutter speed to 1/45 seconds which is risky when shooting handheld but necessary for a respectable exposure. I relied on the lens IS (image stabilization) for help eliminating blur. A much higher ISO would allow a faster shutter speed. But high ISOs produce a lot of digital noise that has to be dealt with in post processing. Through it all, the process of creating such images is gratifying which explains my passion for photography. But I quit pursuing photos of the mysterious rider on a black horse. I like my head!

Halloween is replete with hundreds of photo ops. Seize the opportunity. Record awesome memories with photos!!!

Happy photoing.

Send comments, questions or suggestions to bob@fillmoregazette.com

California Highway Patrol

Teenagers are considered at greatest risk for distracted driving, and collisions are the number one killer of teens in the United States. To address these concerns, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and Impact Teen Drivers (ITD) are joining forces to help eliminate these preventable collisions.

Ten percent of all drivers aged 15 to 19 involved in fatal collisions were reported as distracted at the time. Based on miles driven, the Foundation of the American Automobile Association has found teens are involved in three times as many fatal collisions as all other drivers. To improve these statistics, the message of the ITD program is simple: focus on the road ahead and get where you are going safely.

“Teenage drivers are some of the most inexperienced motorists on the road, and with added distractions such as cell phones, we have to work even harder to teach them to drive safely,” CHP Acting Commissioner Warren Stanley said. “Impact Teen Drivers and the CHP share the goal of raising awareness about the dangers of reckless and distracted driving.”

At schools and community events across the state, the CHP and ITD will work to change the behavior of teen drivers. The one-year grant for the Teen Distracted Drivers Education and Enforcement campaign includes an education component as well as enforcement operations to be conducted throughout California through September 2018.

“It will take all of us – educators, law enforcement, parents, and community leaders – to change the driving culture to one that is distraction-free,” said Dr. Kelly Browning, Executive Director of ITD. “By combining quality education and enforcement in a multi-faceted approach, we can stop the main killer of teens in America – 100 percent preventable car crashes.”

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.