Heat Rises

If there’s one person you can’t complain to about heat, its a fire fighter. Even when shooting the new Fire Fighter Training Facility in Visalia, CA, in 115 degree weather, with natural fires starting up all around town, (HAHAHAHA) well, we jumped in two feet first. Turnouts on and 250+ degree rooms waiting, this was one hell of an interior shoot! The walls were all rigged with propane and the experience of the space helps fire fighters work through the anxiety of a real fire situation. In many ways, this building can help save lives. Hopefully, my images will accurately show the value of this type of training facility and assist in obtaining funding to build more of them. More cities with burning buildings that is.

Lose The Door, I Want More

Today, Brad Galles (Farm Advertising) and I decided to take a sexy red helicopter all over the downtown L.A. skyline to get the right shot.  The client had initially suggested a view from the ATT building, but where’s the rush in that?  I rented a gyro from Samy’s Camera and a Nikon D3X for it’s high ISO capability.  The gyro helped stabilize the camera, but we really didn’t need it as the flight wasn’t very bumpy. When I asked the pilot how close we could get to anything, he always answered “How close do you want?” The entire time we were up in the air, only a little seat belt held me in.  No harness, no cable, just this little rinky-dink belt.  HAHA, I loved it!  Here’s the url for the pilot.  http://www.celebheli.com/

My Favorite People

Firefighters are simply my favorite people, period. They’re real modern day heroes? In my experience of working with firefighters while photographing their stations, I am fortunate to see another side to them that transcends anything I have experienced. While most people think of firefighters as heros, giving-of-them selves, and willing to sacrifice their lives to save another.  I’ll tell you, it is their character that is the firefighter’s true essence.  The character that our U.S. firefighters possess is simply astounding.  

Fire! Fire!

Okay talk about one of the most exciting shoots of my life.  This is the Riverside Emergency Operation Center designed by RRM Design Group.  The facility not only serves as a central hub for the county in times of disaster, but also as a training center to all those who save our lives every day.  My job was to communicate the experience of the design provided by my client, and to promote this facility that better prepares us in times of disaster. In addition to the operations rooms with large screens and computers, this EOC featured a full Burn House and Burn Car.  With a flick of a switch we have fire.  While this was a very valuable learning tool for the fire fighters, it also made for an exciting project for us to document.  These are real 40 ft. flames, no Photoshop required.

Granada Theater, Above It All

The second shot on this blog is one many see by simply purchasing a ticket to a performance at the Granada Theater in Santa Barbara, CA. What many do not see is in the first shot, the grid that sits above the stage, and supports everything hoisted above each performance. By strapping a line to five of the steel rods, one can suspend 1 ton of weight. Hopping around with my union escort between gaps that I could have easily fallen through, I felt privliged to take part in this shoot.  Seven floors up, 6-12 inch gaps every step, this was a special site to see and the engineering involved in this space was………awesome. I loved taking this shot!

Who Visits The Library???

So, who goes to the library now a days you ask?  While shooting this project, my assistant and I observed a local prostitute soliciting in the area.  She was picked up by a “John” on his BMX bicycle. While composing my shot, we listened as the “John”  attempted to talk her down in price and fought with her over payment up front.  The couple circled in front of us a few times, her riding on his handle bars, until eventually the transaction ended due to the John’s unwillingness to produce payment up front. Despite additional harassment from the local townspeople for our presence in the area, we achieved our shot, and got out of there in a hurry.  Good times!

Call A Fire Man

This firestation serves as the prototype for all the Port of Long Beach fire stations that are to be built in the years to come.  When scouting the project, I felt an overwhelming sense of support from the fire chief that oversees all fire stations in the district.  So, why not ask him for assistance in taking a pivital shot that could better show the context of the station.  With a single request, the chief was able to arrange a ladder truck to take my assistant and I hi above the station in order to get the shot we needed.  Oh, and lets not forget, we got to go up in the ladder of a fire engine ladder truck!!!!!!!!!!!!  I LOVE MY JOB.

Frrrrreezing

One day I received a call from the advertising agency for Ritz Carlton Hotels.  They were putting up a new hotel in Vail, CO and needed an elevated perspective shot  that captured a full 360 degree panoramic of what would be the roof top view of the hotel.  The goal was to capture the image with snow, but not snowing, and we had a strict deadline.  Easy right?  No.  After much planning and several postponements due to weather, we flew into Vail on a snowy day, hired a 60 ft. boom lift, shot in -8 degree weather the next day with perfectly clear skies and fresh snow, held my camera close to my heart to keep it warm, then played a few days in a heavy blizzard.  The timing was difficult, but we got our shot, met the deadline, and even had time to play.  I have the best job ever!  It just takes a little planning and research.