A look at Sam's news pictures
as his career documented the
lives and events of those people
for the Register-Pajaronian
that lived and worked in the
Monterey Bay area 1951-1985.
Just CLICK on these words.
See LHSA Viewfinder
magazine
offer: Jim's
"Filing Fotos- CDs and Contacts -
from Film
to Digital"
using Adobe
Photoshop.
E-mail: leicaman713@cs.com
Jim Vestal is a retired photojournalist with more than 40-years newspaper experience. He retired from the Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, CA) in 1996, after working 5-years for New York Newsday and 21-years at The Sacramento (CA) Union as the Picture Editor. Prior to those positions he was a news photographer for The Redding (CA) Record-Searchlight and the San Luis Obispo (CA) Telegram-Tribune, where he was the National Press Photographers Assoc. Photographer of the Year for Region Ten in 1966 and 1967.
He was the first Military Photographer of the Year as awarded by the University of Missouri, Enclyclopedia Britannica, and the Pentagon, for his work as a photographer in Korea for Pacific The Stars & Stripes military newspaper during 1960-1961.
By 1967 Jim was at the Lyndon Johnson White House with Lady Bird to celebrate an OEO movie titled "Pancho" that was based on and used his photos from The Telegram-Tribune on the then new Head Start program when it first got underway in 1965 and 1966.
He started in photography with his brother Sam, a news photographer for Watsonville (CA), Register-Pajaronian for over 30 years. The R-P was a 1956 Pulitzer Prize winning newspaper. Sam passed on July 8, 2002. He was a Stars & Stripes photographer in Germany 1952-53.
Jim and his wife Ann, a graphic artist, and ceramicist live in the East Bay from San Francisco. Jim retired (again) after 5 years teaching photography and photojournalism at California State University, Hayward. The two stay active in their professions at home, but prefer to summer and ski the Lake Tahoe resorts, plus Paris, NYC, Cheyenne rodeo, and Yellowstone the past two years.
Time jumps
forward after
40 years on
the shelves.
JFK
in
1963
visit
Jim's a multi winner in the 2006 Fillmore Heritage Center's "Jazz Legends National Photo Contest." They are part of a 55 picture slide show - see his b&w photos of Louis Armstrong, Charlie Mingus, Dizzy Gillespie, and color of Little Richard.
Look into the 1950-60's when Jim used his Leica's.
Going back in time we can see the Dave Brubeck Quartet and more at the MJF.
PLUS
Video
that
day
See the 2006 Viewfinder article on "Low Level Light - High Speed Film."
Take a look at Frank "Pancho" Mansera today, 40 years after he went
to The White House with Lyndon & Lady Bird...and he's there in 2005!
The Vestal's in NYC,
and from Paris now.
Normandy & Omaha,
Paris and Lovers,
I'm Henry,let's go to the Science Academy
Grand Tetons and
Yellowstone - NEW
Cheyenne Rodeo
action Summer 2008.
You are viewing a playful but also serious website that is a professional look,
as well as playful view of a "living scrapbook" from the Vestal Brothers using images from the late Sam Vestal, and on a daily basis - new additions by Jim Vestal.
The Vestal's May
2006 cruise ship
Sea Diamond sinks
at Santorini, April
6, 2007, bottoms up!
Only two lost or missing.
See Sam's S&S coverage of Martin & Lewis June 2, 1953 in France
NY City
clown
as we
tour
the WTC
site.
Gargoyle watch in Paris
Jim's Leica Story
Jim's Leica Story
See website for the Grand Opening of the Jazz Heritage Center, Dec. 1st, 2007
Look at some of the pictures taken at the 1959 Monterey Jazz Festival
Jim publishes 8 books -
Also see bottom of page.
13"x 11"
Table Top
200 page,
230+ photos
MJF 1958, 1959, & 1965
Click image to see book.
"Come Fly With Me"
Click for new book!
Click cover for the Paris book!
Click cover for Cheyenne book!
Alameda Highlands Games
BONUS, must to see book.
In the Leica "Viewfinder" magazine
"A Walk in the City" and "Yosemite
National Park, " 2005 Vol. 38 Issue 2
LHSA members - page 7, "Go
Grayscale" click cover, right.
JUST OUT!
7" x 7" and
120 pages,
60+ photos
Click Covers,
for select or
all pages in
the books.
Some UFO picture fun flying with the U.S. Air Force.
Just click on the book pages above to access the book on www.blurb.com website