Gerlach, Scientists and Tahoe

Hello!
    This week was full of new adventures. On Wednesday I got to go hangout with some physicists doing research on plasma using this really cool (and expensive) machine. Then on Thursday I went up to Gerlach (where Burning Man takes place) and fell in love with the town and the local folks that live there. This week I also went to my first fire! and then another one the next day. The first one was pretty sad because this guy and his teenage son lost everything in their apartment the second fire was a wild fire but I'm not allowed to get close to those so I didn't decide to put up any pictures from that... but maybe next week there'll be another one.

    It's been in the hundreds (or close to it) almost everyday for the past week and a half leaving us all, in the immortal words of an old Vermonter, "sweat'n like a stuck pig." So I've taken to the road for my two days off and went to the coast for a day... I'm writing from Bodega Bay, north of San Francisco.

Scientists.

There was a huge boom sound when they tested the Plasma.

Downtown Reno

Black Rock Desert.

Bruno's Bar (Bruno owns most of the town) in Gerlach, Nev.

Flash and Bev at the Miners Club in Gerlach

JB Iveson's Ranch outside of Gerlach. JB stores art cars after Burning Man

JB Iveson in an art car on his ranch outside of Gerlach

Namasdave (seriously his name) on the Black Rock getting ready for the Fourth of Juplaya

Gracefully facedown barbie at the beach.

Audrey at Sand Harbor

Shane and his younger sister Josslyn fishing for crawdads using hotdogs on a string

Fire

Where I tried to sleep last night somewhere in Steinbeck Country before getting spooked by my #OveractiveImagination 

End of Rodeo, Retired Boxer and Truckee River

The rodeo came to a close on Sunday. As much as I really enjoyed photographing the rodeo... I'm excited for the next assignment. I also spent some time with x-boxer, Joe Bliss. He was a really interesting guy to talk to and he shared some boxing tips with me. I also photographed my first crime scene this week, it was a drowning victim that the Sparks Fire Department pulled out of the river. The guy had been in the river over night and it wasn't a very pretty sight to say the least, a real tragedy.

Anyhoo. Here's some of what I did this week!

P.S. if you haven't seen what I photographed the first weekend, CHECKOUT THIS LINK

Joe Bliss, 81, former boxer, only living member of the original Nevada Wolf Pack

It's hot this week in Reno, lots of folks out for swims. 

The body of 38-year-old Keith Hagar was found in the Truckee River, no foul play suspected

Cotton Rosser night at the Reno Rodeo. 

Old Cowboy

Young girl at the rodeo

Barrel racing

Escaping horse

Bareback world champion, Kaycee Feild at the Reno Rodeo

Bull Riding is extremely dangerous, this man was just stepped on by the bull

Despite the fact that they are competitors, all of the Bull Riders show concern when someone gets injured

Cowboys and friends can enjoy free beverages after their event in the members only club. 

Graduation & Stewart Street & Tahoe. Oh my.

With week one of my internship complete, I thought I would share some more images from things I've been doing, people I've been meeting.  Looka here.

Also, if you haven't had time to check it out before, checkout MY WEBSITE www.hilaryswift.com

Galena High School Graduation

Galena High

Hug High School Graduates... Hugging

This group of graduates were my favorites. They had the most character and were all so excited to be there. 

Reno High School Graduates

Ben and the trash fire

Andy and the crazy good salad dressing

Tom Flyod of Floyd's Fireside Lounge

People raft'n on the Truckee River.

Lake Tahoe's Sand Harbor

Hey! I'm an intern now NINE PHOTOS OF RENO

Hello all!
     I have officially began my internship at the Reno Gazette-Journal. This town is simply rampant with photo opportunities. Aside from the incredibly beautiful scenery of this place, I've found that each person I've met has an interesting story. Here are some images I've taken both in the course of work and just on my own time.

Let me know what cha think!

Introducing: downtown Reno on Virginia St.

Brothers: (from left) Squirrel and Riot. These two have been traveling for several months, hopping on and off trains and staying where ever they can, doing almost anything to make money to get to the next town. Originally from the state of Washington, the two were in Reno for two weeks before they headed out for Utah in the final stretch of their trip back North.

Downtown Reno.

From left, Rachel Luni, Samantha S., and Jacob Burgess prepare a display for their new exhibit called "Rush to Reno" at the Wilbur D. May museum in Reno.

18 year old Kendrick hanging out at his favorite swimming hole on the Truckee River in downtown Reno.

Mike M. takes his first ever trip down the Truckee River. Mike just moved to Reno from Sonoma, Calif., to take care of his father. Although this was his first float, he said that he had been checking out the route on his bicycle for the past few days to make sure it was safe.

Two girls cooling off in the Truckee River in downtown Reno.

The drought in California is not missed here in Reno. Drought is expected to plague this side of the country for the next months. Locals know that if they want to swim in the Truckee River this summer they must do it soon or else face dangerously low water height. 

On my way home I saw these cool shoes hangin out.

PS. This is the paper I work for!
http://www.rgj.com/

Since then

Hello All!
     Since my last post much has happened. Most noteworthy, I have moved to Nevada! I will begin my work as a photo-intern for the Reno Gazette-Journal on Wednesday, the 11th.
     This past weekend I photographed an event here in Reno known as the Pudding Bounce. The idea being that people come together and wrestle in pudding. Although there were meant to be several matches, it was a colder day than expected and there was only one bout that happened early in the day, but I was able to catch the clean up! Regardless it was a very interesting night including several DJ sets by local performers. This is just a small take from a much bigger set. Eventually I'd like to add some of these images to a larger series I've begun to do on young Americans (David Bowie reference intended).  SEE PHOTOS HERE or click the link below:

CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE OF PUDDING BOUNCE

Also, here are some added photos of things and people in my life.  

My roommates best friend and a crystal hunter, Andy

This kitty cat

Washoe Valley

My roommate and an avid gardener, Ben

 My boyfriend, Max Kasch

Post Deltopia 2014

Mischa Lopiano and I decided to head out of town around midnight last night to go see what was up with the riots happening at Deltopia in Isla Vista. We broke apart once we got there, Mischa found the riot police and I sought out the students. Fireworks had just been sent off and the police reaction to this was teargas and rubber bullets. Aside from being blinded, it was still completely dark where I was, making it difficult to see let alone be able to photograph anything. Several party goers showed me the rubber bullet casings that had been fired at them earlier while others screamed at the injustices of not being allowed back to their homes.