IMG_5031-C
Moving it out.
Moving it out.
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Dec, 2016Views
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Awards
People's Choice in Men at Work Photo Challenge
Peer Award
Magnificent Capture
Top Choice
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
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Behind The Lens
Location
Irving, Texas Firefighters responded to a commercial strip shopping mall fire where the fire was found to be in the commercial trash compactor of one of the businesses. Nearly fully loaded with compressed corrugated cardboard cartons destined for recycling, Firefighters were forced to remove the contents by hand to reach the seat of the fire. Here a Firefighter is removing burning debruise from the compactor and away from the debruise field prior to being extinguished.Time
This 1 alarm response was struck in the late afternoon.Lighting
Due to the time of day, and with access to only 180 degrees of the scene, lighting issues were required to be compensated for with camera setting adjustments.Equipment
Camera utilized was the Canon Rebel T5i with battery grip for hand held stability and Tamron 18-270mm telephoto lens.Inspiration
As a Forensic Photographer assigned to the Irving Fire Department, this type of coverage is routine.Editing
Post processing was limited to straitening and cropping.In my camera bag
For the purposes of mobility at an incident scene the bag contents are limited to the camera with lens attached (as the environment is filled with airborne particulate matter and water mist), spare power, plastic bags and paper towels. I never carry my bag with me on an incident scene. It's just a distraction and gets in the way of concentrating on my subjects. If it doesn't fit in my pants pockets, I don't need it with me.Feedback
For those that want to work in this type of environment (these comments are geared to on scene outdoor locations), realize that most cameras are not water resistant / proof or hazardous environment / chemical fume resistant, so your equipment has to be considered disposable. A good heavy plastic bag taped to a lens hood can help in the rain, but hoods in general just become cumbersome in tight quarters and I never use one other than for the bag as I never found their practical application in improving results. Always use a UV filter to protect your lens and dispose of them regularly. I never use a flash (even in the dead of night) as it is distracting to First Responders, and reflective safety materials yield unnatural results, especially if the photos are used in evidence. In short, know how to use your equipment. Remember, you are an unnecessary luxury and add no practical value in bringing an incident to a successful conclusion. Invest in at least an 18-270mm lens and stay out of the way (a 75-300mm just won't cut it if you want to be ready for close-ups). Get your close-ups by knowing how best to use your lens. Don't carry your bag with you, it's just a distraction. Wear pants with cargo pockets or a small fanny pack on you fanny. Learn to shoot everything free-hand down to 1/10th of a second. It takes practice, but you can learn to do it. At night start with the maximum ISO setting available with the maximum light compensation of your camera. I only shoot in the Shutter Priority with the settings tweaked to my specification. Last, but most important, ignore all that stuff you learned in photography classes and use the methods that work for you. Never adhere to the premise "You shouldn't or can't" from photo "gurus", do it and deal with the results later; you'll surprise yourself. And know how to edit your work so that the viewer sees what you want them to see and concentrate on. That way they are not distracted by the contents of the rest of the frame, even if it is full. Even the simplest photo / picture programs have a "crop" feature. And you can get the full Adobe "Photoshop" for about $10.00 / month on their site, even if you only use a few operations. In closing, don't be afraid to try anything, reasonable or not! The worst that can happen is you end up with something you don't like and toss it, or an award winning photo. Worth the chance?
