Construction Photography: Here We Go Again
January 5th, 2012Nothing like a backed-up septic tank to enliven an eastern Pennsylvania family's Christmas Eve. The family in question would be mine. And this story's almost a carbon copy of the one I blogged two years ago.
Once again, a call to Hickman Sanitation, and out comes owner Dave Hickman (below) with one of his employees. Let the pumping process begin...
This is one of those "dirty jobs, but someone has to do it" scenarios. But the Hickman Sanitation guys aren't grossed out by the task at hand. They just do it...
Here's a tip for tanker truck observers: When the upper bubble starts showing liquid, it's time to shut down the pump and empty the tank...
Which is done back at the Hickman Sanitation headquarters. Note my previous post – the tank contents are transferred into a much bigger truck, which makes regular runs to a regional waste disposal facility.
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Event Photography: Weatherization Workshop
January 25th, 2011If you're like most Tucsonans, you live in a house that does a lousy job of keeping the winter's cold outside. Which means that you're left with the uncomfortable choice between living in an icebox or dealing with heating bills that rival your mortgage payment.
Almost all houses inside the Tucson city limits were built before any national energy efficiency standards. Roughly 175,000 houses in eastern Pima County – which includes the city of Tucson – have little or no insulation, R-2 or R-3 walls, and leaky single pane windows.
The above fits my house to a tee. This Middle-Aged House is in its mid-50s, it's pretty drafty, and I've already had the windows replaced.
So, how am I solving my drafty house problem?
I started by having home energy auditor Maggie Michel over for an inspection. Here she is, identifying air leakage with an infrared camera...
The bad news is that Maggie's report confirmed what I had long thought: This place leaks like a sieve.
The good news is that it's possible to make houses like mine more energy efficient – without spending megabucks. And a lot of the work can be done with tools you already own.
That's where Tucson's Green Retrofit Co-op (GRC) comes in. It helps members work on each other's homes in order to make them:
- Energy efficient
- Resource efficient
- More affordable and livable with age
I'm a GRC member, and I recently hosted my first of what will probably be several GRC workshops. Reason: This Middle-Aged House is an emotionally needy house. One workshop just isn't enough.
The festivities started with instruction from GRC founder Tres English. Here, he's showing GRC members how to seal air leaks around electrical outlets and switches. He's using a spray foam sealer called Great Stuff...
Tip: Tres is using the window and door version of Great Stuff. There's another version that's used for sealing bigger gaps. That version of Great Stuff foams like crazy. Don't use it for sealing leaks around outlets and switches. Just don't.
Maggie's home energy audit found quite a bit of leakage where my walls and ceilings meet. To help solve this problem, here's Richard, the courageous kitchen caulker...
On to the back of the house. What do you do to keep your hot water heater from getting cold and lonely?
Well, you give it a nice, warm insulating blanket so it doesn't keep coming on and making money-burning sounds that I can hear inside the house. GRC mentor Norm is on the case...
It's been a week since the workshop, and as mentioned above, there's still a lot of work to be done. But I've noticed that this place doesn't get cold as quickly in the evenings as it used to. So, some progress is being made.
Tip: You can view more event photography in my portfolio and on this blog. I am also available for event photography assignments in Tucson, Arizona, and elsewhere. I specialize in concerts, festivals, parades, political rallies, and sporting events. To check availability and to request a proposal, please e-mail me or call 520-690-1888.
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Construction Photography: Seeing Orange, Red, and Yellow
October 21st, 2010I just got back from a trip to Ann Arbor, Michigan. Being a northern city with only so many snow-free months, Ann Arbor has a "go flat-out while you can" approach to road construction.
This year, there's been quite a bit of road work in and around Ann Arbor. Meaning that you'll be seeing a lot of orange...
The resulting traffic delays will probably have you seeing red. And using colorful language that I don't dare repeat on this blog...
Now that fall is here, the beleaguered drivers, bicyclists, and walkers of Ann Arbor will soon be getting a break. Those much-reviled construction projects will be halted for the duration of The Season that Every Michigander Likes to Complain About. That would be winter.
In the meantime, enjoy those fall colors while you've got 'em!
Tip: You can view more construction photography in my portfolio. I am also available for construction photography assignments in Tucson, Arizona, and elsewhere. To check availability and to request a proposal, please contact me.
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Construction Photography: Replacing Windows
February 9th, 2010Five years ago, I decided to replace my house’s drafty metal casement windows. I’m pleased to report that this home improvement project has finally come to an end. Earlier today, the Open Enclose crew came and installed two new windows in the living room.
But the old windows didn’t go down without a fight. The guys had to use quite an array of hand and power tools to remove all vestiges of them…
Once the old windows were out, it was time to install the replacements…
Tip: You can view more construction photography in my portfolio. I am also available for construction photography assignments in Tucson, Arizona, and elsewhere. To check availability and to request a proposal, please contact me.
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Event Photography: Dillinger Days and Downtown Tucson Construction
January 26th, 2010This past weekend, I attended the annual Dillinger Days celebration in Downtown Tucson. This event commemorates the 1934 capture of "Public Enemy Number One," bank robber John Dillinger. The festivities centered around the Hotel Congress, where Dillinger and his gang of outlaws stayed when they first hit town.
The hotel boiler caught fire, forcing the evacuation of the hotel. The Dillinger gang got out safely, then they realized that they’d left a couple of suitcases full of guns, ammunition, and money inside. They asked a fireman to retrieve the suitcases, and, just to make the trip worthwhile, the gang gave the fireman a hefty tip. Then they found other places to stay.
After the firemen returned to their station, they spotted a photo of John Dillinger in True Detective magazine. Time for Tucson’s Bravest to pick up the phone and alert Tucson’s Finest. Who arrested Dillinger and his gang a few days later.
The 2010 edition of Dillinger Days happened right after a major rainstorm hit Tucson. Same storm left a lot of snow on the Santa Catalina mountains, which are "jailed" behind the Union Pacific railroad fence that’s just north of the Hotel Congress…
If you’re into antique cars, Dillinger Days was the place to be. Talk about fun for the whole family…
I was very impressed by the amount of work that went into the restoration and upkeep of these cars…
What’s even more impressive is the fact that most of them are still working automobiles. And, as you can see, they are much loved by their owners…
On the other hand, some of them still need work. This 1939 Chevy Sedan Bus was used to transport University of Arizona athletes during the 1940s. That was its heyday. Its current owners acquired the bus after it had been left to rot in the desert for more than 30 years…
The highlight of Dillinger Days is the re-enactment of the gang’s stay at the Hotel Congress. Abundant seating is set up outside the hotel, and here are some smart people who arrived early…
I didn’t show up in time to get a seat. Hence, no re-enactment photos in this post.
One final point: Even though there’s still a lot of construction Downtown, a lot of things are open for business. Take, for example, Maynards Market and Kitchen, which is across Toole Avenue from Hotel Congress…
I’ve done a lot of blogging about the weekly Meet Me at Maynards social run/walk around Downtown, and you can read those posts here.
Tip: You can view more event photography in my portfolio and on this blog. I am also available for event photography assignments in Tucson, Arizona, and elsewhere. I specialize in concerts, festivals, parades, political rallies, and sporting events. To check availability and to request a proposal, please e-mail me or call 520-690-1888.
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Construction Photography: When Bad Things Happen on Rainy Days
January 15th, 2010While I was visiting family in Pennsylvania, the septic tank backed up. This happened while my mother was running the dishwasher.
The sight of icky liquid seeping into the house via the basement floor drain put Mom in a very bad mood. Did I mention that it was the day after Christmas and it was pouring rain outside?
Time to call the company that installed the Retallick family septic system more than 40 years ago, Hickman Sanitation. The owner of the company, Dave Hickman, came out to do the cleaning…
The contents of the septic tank pretty well filled up his truck. So, time to head back to the Hickman Sanitation world headquarters in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and do a transfer to a bigger tank…
If you’ve ever wanted to have the road to yourself, do what Dave does and drive a honeywagon. I guarantee that you won’t get tailgated or cut off. Not to mention the fact that no car will stay alongside you.
And it’s not because your vehicle smells bad. If you know what you’re doing, it won’t. (The Hickmans have been in the sanitation business for over 100 years, so they know how to handle the, ummm, stuff.)
Now we come to the final photo in this septic saga. Time to transfer the honeywagon’s contents to a bigger tank…
Once that task was completed, it was back to the Retallick residence so Dave could clean the seepage pit. After that was done, the Retallick household was a much more cheerful place. After all, when Momma’s not happy, no one else is happy.
Tip: You can view more construction photography in my portfolio. I am also available for construction photography assignments in Tucson, Arizona, and elsewhere. To check availability and to request a proposal, please contact me.
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Construction Photography: House Painting Time!
November 11th, 2009Since we’ve had a warm, dry fall here in Tucson, it’s been a good time for outdoor projects. My latest was getting the mortar and stucco repaired on my house’s exterior walls. Then it was time to freshen up the paint.
Here’s Kurt (from Creative Kurt Painting) getting my studio windows taped…
With all the taping done, it’s time to fire up the paint sprayer and have some fun!
Tip: You can view more construction photography in my portfolio. I am also available for construction photography assignments in Tucson, Arizona, and elsewhere. To check availability and to request a proposal, please contact me.
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Construction Photography: Tear Down the Wall
October 30th, 2009My front yard was graced (if you want to call it that) by a crumbling brick retaining wall. The wall had no seep holes, which meant that it was gradually being weakened by moisture.
Time to tear down the wall.
I wanted replace the old wall with something more attractive. Since I’m a member of the Watershed Management Group’s Water Harvesting Co-op, I had a great opportunity to enlist others in working and learning project.
WMG’s Matthew Bertrand and I formulated a plan: We’d replace the wall with a rock garden full of low water use plants. (The new plants would fill in the outermost zone of my xeriscape, which is the arid zone. The other two zones are oais, which is closest to the house, and transitional, between the oasis and the arid zone.)
Here’s Matthew, hard at work during our pre-workshop meeting. He’s removing one of three barrel cactii that will be re-planted in the rock garden…
Then it was wall demolition time. Here’s Li’l John Excavating on the job. And let me tell you, the demolition was so well done that it was like watching a ballet dance with a backhoe…
Workshop day, Sunday, October 25, dawned bright and sunny. Soon, my front yard was filled with eager WMG Co-op members.
The first order of business was moving rocks and rubble out of the way so that the crew could get to work. Then they set about removing the few bricks that the backhoe couldn’t get at…
On the other side of the yard, Judy cuts down a mesquite tree that’s never done very well. The tree has since been reused as mulch and firewood…
Time to start building the rock terrace for the garden. WMG’s workshop leader, Matthew Bertrand (kneeling, left), provides some instruction…
Having been properly instructed, the WMG Co-opers set rocks into place and begin the planting…
All done! Time for a victory photo…
Tip: You can view more event photography in my portfolio and on this blog. I am also available for event photography assignments in Tucson, Arizona, and elsewhere. I specialize in concerts, festivals, parades, political rallies, and sporting events. To check availability and to request a proposal, please e-mail me or call 520-690-1888.
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Tucson photographer launches stock photo site
October 7th, 2009Tucson, AZ – Martha Retallick, local photographer, web designer, community activist, and volunteer, just launched a stock photo website for ad agencies, photo editors, businesses, and organizations.
BicycleStockImages.com features photos of the bike culture, including bicycle racing, bicycle touring, utilitarian cycling, and artistic close-ups of bicycles, bike tools, and bike parts. The site also offers photos related to construction, civic pride, and the environment. A practitioner of “bike-tography,” Retallick, who doesn’t own a car, travels to Tucson-area photo shoots on her bicycle.
The site includes shots from the semi-annual Bicycle Swap Meet on 4th Avenue, a criterium race around the UA campus, and the free valet bicycle parking that the city’s Department of Transportation provides at major events.
An avid cyclist for 30 years, Retallick pedaled through all of the United States between 1980 and 1992 with her trusty Nikon. Her travels provided a first-hand look at the diversity of the American landscape and its people. In addition to nature and travel photo galleries, BicycleStockImages.com also includes abstract photography, a weekly, noncompetitive run/walk through downtown Tucson: Meet Me at Maynards, and construction photography.
Over three years, Retallick helped build a 36-house Habitat for Humanity community in central Tucson, and also worked on International Relief Team’s post-Katrina reconstruction teams during 2006-08. She enjoys finding the graphic mix between the raw physical labor and the artistry of humans and machines in motion.
Who will use Retallick’s stock photography? Ad agencies who might want images to go with a client’s campaign. Photo editors who might want event photos for a feature on Things to Do in Tucson, Arizona. Companies and organizations, such as those in the bicycle or construction industry. Or Tucson organizations looking for someone to cover upcoming special events. Or consumers.
Visitors to BicycleStockImages.com can search its online database of photos, and purchase photographic prints, royalty-free images, and personal use downloads.
Bicycle Stock Images, a project of Western Sky Communications, is an Arizona-based business owned and operated by Martha Retallick.
Retallick is affiliated with the following Tucson organizations:
- El Cortez Heights Neighborhood Association
- Eller College Associates, Eller College of Management at The University of Arizona
- International Friends, Inc.
- KXCI 91.3 FM Community Radio Development Committee
- Mansfield Park Neighbors Coalition
- Teaching and Helping Project
- Tucson City Council Ward 3 Neighbors Alliance
- U.S. Green Building Council Arizona Chapter
- Watershed Management Group Water Harvesting Co-op
Contact Information:
Western Sky Communications
Post Office Box 43161
Tucson, Arizona 85733
Phone: (520) 690-1888
Tip: You can view more event photography in my portfolio and on this blog. I am also available for event photography assignments in Tucson, Arizona, and elsewhere. I specialize in concerts, festivals, parades, political rallies, and sporting events. To check availability and to request a proposal, please e-mail me or call 520-690-1888.
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Construction Photography: Building Freedom Day
September 15th, 2009Every year on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Habitat for Humanity Tucson begins construction on several homes, building them from the ground up, to not only memorialize the victims, but to celebrate hope, community and the American dream at its annual Building Freedom Day.
This past Friday was Habitat Tucson’s eighth annual Building Freedom Day. Hundreds of volunteers turned out for a day of construction under the hot Tucson sun…
Tip: You can view more construction photography in my portfolio. I am also available for construction photography assignments in Tucson, Arizona, and elsewhere. To check availability and to request a proposal, please contact me.
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