Some photos from the air that I took Oct. 9, 2011 @ the F.D. Open House
Jan 26, 2012 13:30:58 #
A nice perk about being the dept photographer is that I get to do some neat photos once in a while. As part of the dept. open house, the dept. takes people up in the Snorkel truck to get a view of the city from the air. I went up last to get some photos. Here are a few for you to enjoy. Any questions, please feel free to ask.
Looking South-Southwest from the main station which is here in front.
Looking South-Southeast from the main station. The bridge in the photo is the main bridge coming into the downtown area.
Looking North from the main station. The blue building with the red roof is the bowling alley.
Jan 26, 2012 13:53:17 #
Jan 26, 2012 15:49:54 #
Thanks. On major holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, you can roll a bowling ball down the main drag (main road) of downtown and not hit anyone or any vehicles. Even some summer mornings early on are that quiet.
Jan 26, 2012 22:48:27 #
photo guy wrote:
A nice perk about being the dept photographer is that I get to do some neat photos once in a while. As part of the dept. open house, the dept. takes people up in the Snorkel truck to get a view of the city from the air. I went up last to get some photos. Here are a few for you to enjoy. Any questions, please feel free to ask.
Nice aerial shots. Are they straight from the camera? The colors are so vivid...
Jan 26, 2012 23:05:35 #
Yes, they are straight from the camera. I used my Kodak M530 12mp w/3x optical Point & Shoot camera mounted on my monopod when I was up in the Snorkel bucket so it was steadier than when I went up earlier in the year without any stabilization. Of the 8 I took earlier in the year, I was only able to use 1. Doesn't help when I didn't have a monopod at that time and the operator wouldn't keep the bucket steady instead of keep moving it. This time I had a different operator who appreicates my photos and told me that he wanted to make sure I got great shots.
Jan 26, 2012 23:06:43 #
photo guy wrote:
Yes, they are straight from the camera. I used my ... (show quote)
Nice to have friends huh???
Jan 26, 2012 23:07:13 #
Here is a photo of the Snorkel truck that I went up in to get the photos.
Snorkel - it the platform can go 75' up in the air. I was able to go up in it in May of 2011 during the dept.'s CItizen's Fire Academy for some photos and again during the dept. 2011 open house Oct. 9, 2011.
Jan 26, 2012 23:09:50 #
photo guy wrote:
Here is a photo of the Snorkel truck that I went up in to get the photos.
I took my 2 year old grandson to the firestation because he is obsessed with firetrucks. The guys were so nice to us. Let him sit in the drivers seat, gave him a hat and a badge. I took some pictures rather quickly because I didnt want to bother them too long. Needless to say, I didnt get one shot I could use......Dang it!!!
Jan 26, 2012 23:18:13 #
That's too bad. My dept. gives station tours to school groups, community groups (ex. boy scouts, girl scouts), personnel from other fd.'s from out of the area. They are also for the most part family oriented as most of the personnel have families, so they can have their families down once in a while to have a meal with them or on some holidays the families of the crew(s) working that day make a large meal and bring it in for them or cook it directly at the station for them.
During the Halloween time when the city has the business Trick or Treat the dept hands out candy and holds a costume contest. The kids then come back at the designated time at the end of the time to see who gets picked as the top winner. This past Halloween I was even asked to do more than photograph it. I was asked to help choose the catagories, photograph the event, help hand out candy, and even help choose the winners.
During the Halloween time when the city has the business Trick or Treat the dept hands out candy and holds a costume contest. The kids then come back at the designated time at the end of the time to see who gets picked as the top winner. This past Halloween I was even asked to do more than photograph it. I was asked to help choose the catagories, photograph the event, help hand out candy, and even help choose the winners.
Jan 26, 2012 23:29:07 #
photo guy wrote:
That's too bad. My dept. gives station tours to s... (show quote)
Its a great job your doing that is often thankless and its awesome that you take the time with little kids because they really do look up to you. My grandson is only 2 but he was in awe and is usually shy, but he grabbed the firemans hand as he showed us around the truck......
Jan 26, 2012 23:33:19 #
Thank you. That means a lot. I was thanked last year by a relative of a patient that I helped transport to the hospital when I was doing a ride-along on the ambulance. I know the relative as she works a block from my residence at the gas station so to me it is moving that way.
Jan 26, 2012 23:36:31 #
photo guy wrote:
Thank you. That means a lot. I was thanked last year by a relative of a patient that I helped transport to the hospital when I was doing a ride-along on the ambulance. I know the relative as she works a block from my residence at the gas station so to me it is moving that way.
My nephew is a firefighter/paramedic in Rapid City. He loves it... Everytime he comes to town he looks around and says "that tree is too close to the house, you need to do this, you should do that"... lol
Jan 26, 2012 23:42:46 #
Ahh bring back memories. My dad was a ff for 12 years, cousin is currently a paramedic, brother is currently a ff/paramedic 12 years. I know how it goes. When our mother and step-father bought a different house a year ago my brother went hog wild telling them what needed changing immediately (even though they are in MN and we're in WI) but he is just looking out for their safety. I am in a lot of habits too that I picked up over the year with this in the family like knowing where exits are on buildings and where the fire extinguishers are located (suprisingly though some places don't even have any and are required to). I love doing it as this is my way of helping without being a full fledged firefighter. I am just the civilian rank Official Volunteer Fire Dept. Photographer. If I didn't like it so much, I would have quit by now but growing up in my family it is in the blood. Once it's in it's too hard to stop.
Jan 26, 2012 23:48:42 #
photo guy wrote:
Ahh bring back memories. My dad was a ff for 12 ye... (show quote)
I hear you.... My nephew doesnt ever want to do anything else. He would like to come to Denver, but its almost impossible to get hired here, so many highly qualified people here....
Jan 26, 2012 23:52:49 #
I hear you there. My brother has been with his dept for 6 years now as a FF/Paramedic after starting local here and now he has 16 under him already with more to be hired soon per the dept website when I looked at it yesterday. Only bad part about his dept that I don't like: No Photography Allowed by anyone and no dept photographer. I am trying to get him to talk to the upper brass to see if I can come over and have a talk with them about it and get something changed.
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