Stay with plan or go for fire trucks?

[Neal Shields]

I was set up tonight accross from the opera house. Camera leveled, focused, rise dialed in, shutter set, spot readings taken, tripod locked down and dark slide pulled. I was waiting for intermission which was supposed to be "any minute" for about 35 minutes so that I would have a crowd in the scene.

Just then, at least 6 firetrucks lights flashing responded to a call about 3 blocks away and out of my line of vision (one block up and two over).

What to do?

[Bob Fowler]

Shooting spot news with a view camera would be a news event in itself!

There IS an upside though, if any TV news crews were there, you KNOW that they'd get footage of wacko with the "antique" camera taking pictures at the fire and that it would make the air at 11:00pm.

The downside... The cops would think that the wacko SET the fire just to stage the pictures - otherwise what the Hell would he be doing with an "antique" camera at a fire scene?..........

[Ralph Barker]

Bob - Nah. Somebody would ask, "Hey, is that a Hasselblad?" ;-)

Neal - I'd shoot both. The flashing lights would do wonders for the crowd, and the fire or whatever would likely still be there with the few minutes delay.

[Armin Seeholzer]

Thats why I always have a point and shot with me or my pixelhorse Fuji S2! And if you have your wife also there then she can stay at the LF till you are back from the other event! "Sometimes are wifes really the best solution!" Good light!

[John Parker]

It has been my experience that if your awareness of a fire alarm is based on seeing the engine, aerial, rescue and chief units enroute to the scene it's too late! I've been shooting at fires since 1977 and the only time I get really good pictures is when I'm on the scene well before any of the equipment and that usually means hearing the alarm on the scanner and already being in the neighborhood. The best fire pictures include flames and most departments knock those down pretty quickly. If the fire is big enough for the flames to be visible for more than a couple of minutes then the police line is usually far enough back from the scene that you can't get decent shots. You are probably only going to have time for a few shots.

My advice would be to stay put, but that's easier said than done.

BTW,what did you do? Did you get anything good?

[Neal Shields]

I stayed put. I also thought about getting accused of calling it in to get the picture. I hoped I could get the first shot and go to the fire trucks after but it wasn't anything major and they left almost as fast as they came.

[Jim Galli]

John, So you're the guy that's been lighting all those fires? :>()

[Mark Sampson]

Joel Sternfeld has a well-known photograph of a fireman in full uniform buying a pumpkin from a farm stand while a house burns in the background...

[Ellis Vener]

About the Sternfeild photo referenced above: the abandoned house that was burning in the background was part of that fire department's training exercises.