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2021 in photos: A year in review, Part 2

Clifford Oto, The Record
·4 min read

Picking out a number for a year end list is, at best, an arbitrary affair. This year I picked my top 10 favorites, but it could have easily been my best 25, 50 or even 100.

In years past I made top 12 lists comprised of my favorite photo from each month. This year’s top 10 was chosen mostly due to space concerns. I could present them easily in 2 lists of 5 photos.

2021 in photos: A year in review, Part 1

The first half, presented last week, included a free pet vaccination clinic, precautions for potential civil unrest at the state Capitol, basketball players under dramatic storm clouds, a radio-controlled boat enthusiast in the water with his small craft and the funeral of Stockton police Officer Jimmy Inn.

Here now the second half of my top 10 in chronological order.

(5/20/21) 102-year-old Daisy Scaletta releases a painted lady butterfly at the butterfly release event at the Brookdale Lodi senior living facility in Lodi. CLIFFORD OTO/THE STOCKTON RECORD
(5/20/21) 102-year-old Daisy Scaletta releases a painted lady butterfly at the butterfly release event at the Brookdale Lodi senior living facility in Lodi. CLIFFORD OTO/THE STOCKTON RECORD

On June 5 the Brookdale Senior Living facility in Lodi partnered with Seva Hospice to hold a butterfly release as a part of a springtime renewal and new beginnings ceremony. It was the first event open to families of residents after many months COVID-19 restrictions. Each resident was give an painted lady butterfly to release. I got a photo of 102-year-old Daisy Scaletta as a small, delicate butterfly lifted from her age-gnarled and wrinkled fingers and a youthful smile came over her face.

(5/26/21) A rare supermoon eclipse is seen near a grain silo on Staten Island Road near Walnut Grove in the Delta. Also known as a blood moon for the color it often turns during total eclipse, the supermoon is when a full moon is closer than usual in it's elliptical orbit making it appear slightly larger. Also May's full moon is also called a "Flower Moon" by the Old Farmer's Almanac referring to flowers that bloom in May. CLIFFORD OTO/THE STOCKTON RECORD

A rare supermoon lunar eclipse occurred in the early morning hours of May 26. At about 3:30 a.m. I drove out to Staten Island near Walnut Grove. It’s in the middle of Delta farmland and far enough away from large populated areas to avoid most light pollution. Set up along a roadside and placed a grain storage building in the foreground. I waited in the darkness as the Earth’s shadow slowly ate away at the moon. About 4:11 a.m., as the eclipse’s totality began, I started by shooting. I moved around and used different lenses, to get some different angles. At 4:22 a.m. a pickup drove by, which shows you how early farmers get up. The long exposure I was using created a long red light streak from the truck’s travel through the frame and it’s headlights helped to illuminated the darkened foreground and add some detail that might have otherwise been last to the darkness.

(7/31/21)A driver takes a picture as retired USMC Major Bill White waves during a drive-parade for White's 106th birthday at the Oaks at Inglewood retirement community in Stockton. White thanked and waved to drivers and passengers as they wished him a Happy Birthday. In 2020 White started Operation Valentines by asking people to send him cards on Valentine's Day. He received hundreds of thousands of cards from all around the world. CLIFFORD OTO/THE STOCKTON RECORD

USMC Major Bill White is a Stockton treasure. He fought in Iwo Jima during WWII and is a Purple Heart recipient. In 2020, White started Operation Valentines by asking people to send him cards on Valentine's Day. He received hundreds of thousands of cards from all around the world. In 2021 he turned 106. On July 31, the Oaks at Inglewood retirement community held a birthday party for White. Due to the pandemic it was held as a drive-thru event. Clad in his sharp blue dress uniform, White sat on his walker and greeted everyone with a bright smile as cars rolled up, with their occupants waving back, taking pictures and wishing him a happy birthday.

(9/23/21) Edison's Malahki McElvaine, left, his helmet knocked off by Chavez's Loyal Easter during a junior varsity football game at Edison's Magnasco Stadium inS Stockton. CLIFFORD OTO/THE STOCKTON RECORD
(9/23/21) Edison's Malahki McElvaine, left, his helmet knocked off by Chavez's Loyal Easter during a junior varsity football game at Edison's Magnasco Stadium inS Stockton. CLIFFORD OTO/THE STOCKTON RECORD

One of my favorite photos of 2021 wasn’t a part of the assignment that I was sent out for. In September 2020, Edison High School football and basketball player 17-year-old Treyvon Breckenridge was killed in an automobile crash along with 3 other teens. On Sept. 23, 2021, my assignment was to photograph Breckenridge’s younger brother Marcel Ware who was a quarterback in an Edison’s junior varsity football game against Chavez at Edison's Magnasco Stadium in Stockton. Ware didn’t start the game so I had to wait until he played. Normally, we only cover varsity games but decided to shoot anyway until Ware as subbed in. On one play Edison's Malahki McElvaine went in to tackle Chavez’s Loyal Easter. Easter lowered his shoulder and his shoulder pad hit McElvaine in the head causing his helmet to fly off. He immediately got up, put on his helmet and seemed none the worse for wear.

(11/12/21) Cheered on by the Delta baseball team, the San Joaquin Delta College's women's soccer team celebrates a goal during the Big 8 Conference women's soccer tournament final against Siera Collegeat Delta College in Stockton. Delta won 3-2. CLIFFORD OTO/THE STOCKTON RECORD
(11/12/21) Cheered on by the Delta baseball team, the San Joaquin Delta College's women's soccer team celebrates a goal during the Big 8 Conference women's soccer tournament final against Siera Collegeat Delta College in Stockton. Delta won 3-2. CLIFFORD OTO/THE STOCKTON RECORD

The Delta College women’s soccer team had a remarkable season. They finished undefeated. On Nov. 12 they played Sierra College at home in the final game of the Big 8 Conference tournament for the league championship. The Delta baseball team were practicing next door Nick Cecchetti Field. When the practice was done they came over to cheer on the women’s soccer team. They were as supportive as if they were playing their own game. Throughout the game shouted the traditional soccer chant “ole’, ole’, ole’” and sang the chorus to the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army.” The game was close. When the women’s team scored the go-ahead goal, not only did they explode in celebration, so did the baseball team.

That’s the end for the top ten of 2021. Here’s looking forward to 2022.

Record photographer Clifford Oto has photographed Stockton and San Joaquin County for more than 36 years. He can be reached at coto@recordnet.com or on Instagram @Recordnet. Follow his blog at recordnet.com/otoblog. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.

This article originally appeared on The Record: 2021 in review: Record photographer Clifford Oto's 10 favorite photos