Rafael
Mandlerian
My fingers are still numb. I am just now regaining feeling in my toes. And the adrenaline is still pumping.
When I first got up this morning to let the dogs out, I thought I noticed an acrid smell in the air. I didn't think much of it. However, as I was driving back from taking my wife to work, I noticed huge plumes of smoke rising into the air from somewhere very near my house. I turned on the radio in the truck just in time to hear the newscaster describe the fire that had already engulfed one building and that was threatening to spread.
I got home, grabbed my camera bag, an headed out to find the fire. As it turned out, it was only two blocks away. I hadn't even arrived at the scene when a man came past me yelling, "it's the crack house, it's the crack house" (I don't live in the best of all neighbourhoods!). A few seconds later, the fire was in sight.
I spent the next two hours moving about the scene (outside the police tape obviously) and taking photographs. Upon opening my bag, I suddenly remembered that I had taken my M4 out last night. So, I had to make do with one body. This was a bit of a drag as it was -24 degrees celsius outside. Changing lenses in that kind of cold is not a lot of fun!
I shot five rolls of HP-5 in the two hours that I was there. I met a fireman who, after noticing that I had been taking photographs for a little while came over to ask whether I had gotten any good ones of him (I'll be sending him a print). I also met the contractor who will start work on the site tomorrow and a man who had rented his basement out to the tenants of the crack house last year (I won't repeat what he had to say about them).
Most of the time, however, I was just moving, watching, and making photographs. I hardly noticed the bitter cold (until I got home and started to thaw out that is). And, while one never likes to see a house burn down (even a crack house), I cannot deny the thrill I felt at photographing the scene.
Somewhere along the way, it occurred to me that the final image is really not all there is to photography. Obviously I will be very disappointed if I did not make some good photographs this morning. But the experience of photography is also very gratifying for me. Photography is not just something you make. It's something that you do. At least, that's the way I feel.
When I first got up this morning to let the dogs out, I thought I noticed an acrid smell in the air. I didn't think much of it. However, as I was driving back from taking my wife to work, I noticed huge plumes of smoke rising into the air from somewhere very near my house. I turned on the radio in the truck just in time to hear the newscaster describe the fire that had already engulfed one building and that was threatening to spread.
I got home, grabbed my camera bag, an headed out to find the fire. As it turned out, it was only two blocks away. I hadn't even arrived at the scene when a man came past me yelling, "it's the crack house, it's the crack house" (I don't live in the best of all neighbourhoods!). A few seconds later, the fire was in sight.
I spent the next two hours moving about the scene (outside the police tape obviously) and taking photographs. Upon opening my bag, I suddenly remembered that I had taken my M4 out last night. So, I had to make do with one body. This was a bit of a drag as it was -24 degrees celsius outside. Changing lenses in that kind of cold is not a lot of fun!
I shot five rolls of HP-5 in the two hours that I was there. I met a fireman who, after noticing that I had been taking photographs for a little while came over to ask whether I had gotten any good ones of him (I'll be sending him a print). I also met the contractor who will start work on the site tomorrow and a man who had rented his basement out to the tenants of the crack house last year (I won't repeat what he had to say about them).
Most of the time, however, I was just moving, watching, and making photographs. I hardly noticed the bitter cold (until I got home and started to thaw out that is). And, while one never likes to see a house burn down (even a crack house), I cannot deny the thrill I felt at photographing the scene.
Somewhere along the way, it occurred to me that the final image is really not all there is to photography. Obviously I will be very disappointed if I did not make some good photographs this morning. But the experience of photography is also very gratifying for me. Photography is not just something you make. It's something that you do. At least, that's the way I feel.
Topdog1
Well-known
And that, my friend, is also why the camera you use does make a difference...to you! It's not just all about the finished print to the photographer. But it is to the viewer.
/Ira
/Ira
Ash
Selflessly Self-involved
What a great story.
At least it wasn't anyone's home with anything valuable in it </irony>
Can't wait to see your photo's
At least it wasn't anyone's home with anything valuable in it </irony>
Can't wait to see your photo's
peterc
Heretic
Nothing like a fire at the neighbourhood crack house to liven up the day.
At -24 there should have been some good icicle action from all the water.
Can't wait to see the pics.
Peter
At -24 there should have been some good icicle action from all the water.
Can't wait to see the pics.
Peter
Robert Price
I missed what?
Ahh, the thrill of the work is what got me hooked in the first place. Taking photographs can be such great fun indeed, then getting the film developed and back to see what yor visions looked like can either confirm your success or failure in capturing that one awe inspiring shot.
I hope you were successful.
I hope you were successful.
Rafael
Mandlerian
I should add that nobody was in the house when it went up. And yes Peter, the icicles were incredible. In fact, once the fire was out, the remains of the house looked like they had been coated in wax drippings.
pesphoto
Veteran
wow, Rafael. can't wait to see your results. Im glad it was such a rush for you. I came upon a fire once while out shooting so I know what you mean.
Rafael
Mandlerian
Topdog1 said:
I am in absolute agreement.
FrankS
Registered User
Well said. This is like "the zone" discussed in a recent thread.
pesphoto
Veteran
Were there any other photographers there? Perhaps your local paper might be interested in publishing your images. If that would interest you.
peterc
Heretic
Cracksicles.Rafael said:
Sorry ... couldn't resist.
Good to hear nobody got hurt ... I hope the firefighters weren't breathing too deeply.
Peter
Rafael
Mandlerian
pesphoto said:
Paul, I did think about it. But I was shooting film while everyone else was shooting digital. So I thought that my turn-around time would be too long. The fire was a pretty big deal here and the first images were up on the internet by the time I got home. They will be in the paper tomorrow I'm sure. I suppose that I could have developed the negs and then rushed them in to the lab to be scanned (my scanner is still in the mail on its way to me). But, I just couldn't justify the extra time that would have taken out of my day. I will, however, post some images here as soon as I get them ready.
peterc said:
Topdog1
Well-known
Now you know why all photojournalists have moved to digital.
/Ira
/Ira
dee
Well-known
So .it's not just ASdee people that find that the camera makes all the difference to the moment ?
My Leica IIIc and Zorki S , plus a couple of ID ravaged Russian ''Leica IIs '', which , Oleg now assures me , are ex-Feds rather than Zorkis - carried me through a ''dee-ficult '' holiday - literally helping me to focus through confusion , in a way that my trusty minolta SRs / SR7v never managed .
30 % of the slides ''came out '' many half slides attributed to a tired IIIC - and some excellent ones to a reworked I 22 ''Elmar '' - see avatar .
But i have vivid pics in my head of those moments .
My Leica IIIc and Zorki S , plus a couple of ID ravaged Russian ''Leica IIs '', which , Oleg now assures me , are ex-Feds rather than Zorkis - carried me through a ''dee-ficult '' holiday - literally helping me to focus through confusion , in a way that my trusty minolta SRs / SR7v never managed .
30 % of the slides ''came out '' many half slides attributed to a tired IIIC - and some excellent ones to a reworked I 22 ''Elmar '' - see avatar .
But i have vivid pics in my head of those moments .
mfunnell
Shaken, so blurred
Well, if the story has legs and runs for a few days, and if you have some images that are better than the ones used in the first crop of stories, the local media may have some need for images to use in any "aftermath" articles they run. Its at least worth reviewing your shots to see if any might be good for that.
...Mike
...Mike
andersju
Well-known
That reminds me of last week, when I was out shooting with my Nikon D70 in -10 degrees celsius - much warmer than in Rafael's story. After about an hour or so in the cold, the camera simply showed "ERR" and refused to cooperate, and I wished I had brought a film camera with me. (I'm sure D200 & D2X fare better than D70 in such conditions..)Topdog1 said:
R
ruben
Guest
Rafael said:
I bet you will have great pics too.
Cheers,
Ruben
Topdog1
Well-known
andersju said:
Ever see a film camera arc a sparc of static electricity across the film when wound in cold weather? Isn't that one of the reasons the early M3s had glass film pressure plates (that and flatness)? In any case, nothing really functions well in really cold weather. I remember some film cameras had special battery options for cold weather where a remote battery holder with a long wire could be held close to the body to keep it warm. Heck, just pour whiskey over the damn things - that'll keep 'em running!
/Ira
R
RML
Guest
andersju said:
Not to offend you but that may have been your own fault. I've shot at -35 degrees C in the dead of Mongolian winter and have never had my digital cameras (neither my Canon 300D nor my R-D1) ERR on me. It pays to keep them and the batteries warm and covered from the wind and cold as much as possible. Shooting in freezing circumstances requires some adjustments to the way you work. Just like you wouldn't go out without being clothed for the cold, your cameras don't enjoy that either.
dll927
Well-known
Topdog1 said:
Of course - because the editors want pictures five minutes after something happens. That doesn't necessarily make digital better than film. Of course, in -24 degrees, you might think twice about a camera, such as my Minolta Maxxum 7, that rewinds a 36 in about three seconds.
As for the final image, the current issue of Amer. Photo quotes one guy as saying that he isn't as interested in the quality of the print as in the content of the photo. Maybe he has something there.