Fire on Grant St. Photo Series (San Francisco)

huntjump

huntjump

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Apr 5, 2011
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July 12th: a fire breaks out at a dry cleaners located at the bottom of an apartment complex in San Francisco, CA. I just happen to be in the area getting dinner (or about to get dinner), and saw a fire truck up the street where smoke was coming from a door way. I had my R-d1 on me and ran up to get as close. Minutes later droves of trucks filled the street. Soon, I was surrounded by firefighters. I think it was the rangefinder body, but I was able to remain right with the firefighters (as close as one could get while being safe, or trying to be ...) until it was pretty much out. The street had been blocked behind me to keep people back about 50 feet, besides residents and owners who remained near their stores or apartment. I saw another guy with some sort of holga?? also able to get close, and i think he followed me in the very beginning which was smart because we both got to stay right up in the action, while others were pushed back. I noticed later the DSLR users were behind the containment line, coincidence or lack of timing to get close ...i don't know. These are the photos, some not edited, others I made some minor adjustments or converted to B&W b/c I thought the look was more appropriate. lens: CV 35 1.4


Firefighter Cuts Lock by huntjump, on Flickr

Firefighter Real Big Saw by huntjump, on Flickr

Firefighter Storms by huntjump, on Flickr

Four Go In by huntjump, on Flickr

Firefighter Portrait by huntjump, on Flickr

Firefighter Hose by huntjump, on Flickr

Firefighter Ruun by huntjump, on Flickr

Firefighter Group Pointing by huntjump, on Flickr

Firefighter Ladder by huntjump, on Flickr

Firefighter Ladder blur by huntjump, on Flickr

Firefighter Coughing by huntjump, on Flickr

I'm the Third Firefighter B&W by huntjump, on Flickr

Firefighter Back Tank B&W by huntjump, on Flickr

Firefighter Water B&W by huntjump, on Flickr

Firefighter light by huntjump, on Flickr
 
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Wow! Great series!! Some super pix in there...
They surely thought you were a pro from the way you handled the rangefinder!
Right place, right time, right camera.
Good for you...
Paul
 
Cool! I hope you have/will offer some to the firefighters. They so seldom get offered anything like that. A couple of 8x10 even in cheap frames will please a lot of good hard working men and their supervisors. Who knows, you might get invited to take more.
 
love that RD1 and you as Johnny on the Spot: AND that you and the Holga guy got the close ups while the dSLRs are help outside the action ring!

Being an RD1 user myself, I get a rush just looking at the pics, b/c I know what its like to take successive fast snappies while having to wind the "film" advance lever. The adrenaline rush just helps you wind the lever faster.
I had used the CV 351.4 on the Epson before, but I had the single coated version.
The wonderful alluring colors in your fotos (the fire, neon signs, lights, etc) make me think you have the multi-coated version, but just a guess (?)
And I can see some fog in the background, do you think some of the humidity in the air might have helped some colors to sparkle? eg, the small purple clouds in #7 and #8?
 
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Great stuff! Old-school quick thinking. I love it that you got so close! The colors are great. Good work. I agree you should build on this!
 
oftheheard: Great idea! I will report back on this. Sometimes giving my photos away i feel pretentious, hey "hang up my work!", unless someone asks me. But i think they will hopefully see it as a gesture of me giving back for their hardwork/sacrifice

nksdks/paulfish: thanks so much! much appreciated

fotomeow: haha you are so right! the adrenaline was pumping through me, i was working so fast, so hard and loving every second of it. I later thought how nice it would have been to have a rapidwinder, or a faster buffer! but i loved how it performed, the r-d1 colors i couldnt have been more happy with. I do have the MC version, and for colors, im quite impressed with it. Honestly, im not sure if the smoke was a brilliant magenta color from the color rendering of the r-d1 or if it was the chemicals from the dry cleaner itself burning. (i personally believe it was the latter. which kinda scares me thinking i might have breathed that stuff, but i feel okay ! :D)

Vics: i appreciate the support


Shot of Grants CLeaners from Google. They operate their own plant, probably why the fire started. I cant imagine all the customers whose stuff burned, but obviously thats the most minor thing, considering i believe no one was seriously hurt)

screenshot by huntjump, on Flickr
 
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Good stuff. I love the one with the fireman pointing up (and the other fireman looking up to where he's pointing).




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What a superb work. I am not an historical expert but the black and white shots soon reminded me of the great American street photography tradition from the 40's/50's/'60s - Weegee and Winogrand came to mind. Amazing stuff.
 
Ncaleffi thank you for the compliments. I am still feeling good two days later from that experience . It was such a fun rush
 
Great shots. Especially the B/W which add the 'grit' and the blurred shots perfectly paint the picture of haste and determination.

I'm a fireman and all my shots are always after the fact. Not a good look to be taking shots while the building burns - the guys would love the snaps :)

Cheers - John
 
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