Shooting the Stills

02 Dec 07

Poor Doughty... the things I put that man through! LOL I wouldn't necessarily say that he's camera shy, but I know it's not fun for him to pose for stills. Luckily, he and Fran have become friends and I'm sure that made it a little easier to deal with having to endure still shots.

So I made the guy get into his turnout gear and grab his helmet so we could take still shots of him on the Hazards. I could have gone over to Ladder 6 on Friday night and shot them there, but that just did not seem right to me. The guys who ride the Hazards ARE the Hazards. It would not have been an accurate depiction of him to shoot him at Ladder 6 and when I told that to Paul, he agreed. The Hazards is his home... just like the rest of the firefighters who are assigned to the truck. Most of the people on it have been there for years - because they love it. Okie, Chris Brown... it is WHO they are, not just their assigned truck.

Fran asked me what it was that I had in mind and I explained the shots that I was looking for. Of course, she got them right away (as always). Maybe my opinion is biased, but I'm sure I've got the best damned photographer on the planet for this job! Anyway, when we were through, the rest of the A-Group crew from the Hazards came down to the apparatus floor because they were getting ready for an air bag drill (practicing using special air bags that are used to lift heavy objects that people are pinned under). As we talked a little bit with Paul, he asked Fran if she would take a picture of the group together by the Hazards. Of course she said yes and they all gathered by the chauffer's side. Fran got a great shot of them and showed it to the guys - apparently they liked it very much.

Again, this is where something unexpected happened for me. As I watched these four men standing by the side of the Hazards and posing for Fran, I saw what Paul talked about during his interview. He told me about how the guys that he rides with are his brothers - "minus the blood bond", he told me. "We talk to each other pretty much every day, we live together at the station, we go to social functions, we even fight like brothers." I was able to see the bond between these Brothers and it was a wonderful thing to bear witness to. I'm proud that my best friend and photographer, Fran, was able to capture that moment.

Just another perk to taking on this incredible task of mine... gotta love it.