the crazy life of newspapers...just got done putting in my a.m. assignment, shot on deadline, and our spot news reporter comes over - after 2 hours, fire crews are still battling a housefire, and no one can find the owner, they believe he is inside....so we should go check it out just in case it turns into a fatal. As soon as I walk up to the house, a guy asks me who I am, then tells me I have no reason to be there and can't take pictures. "My dad's in there, and you have no business taking pictures here...I better not see any pictures in the paper." Even though I've been to numerous fires and dealt with people really NOT wanting me there doing what I do, I felt at a total loss...all I could do was tell him that I was sorry about his father, but I almost felt as though I shouldn't shoot, although I knew I'd have to. I just tried to be discreet and stay out of his way....later he came over after he saw me taking pictures, and then he was REALLY upset...."I told you not to take any pictures, and you are. That's my f***** dad in there and you're f**** taking pictures?!!!" I'm not sure what would have happened if his family hadn't literally stepped in and pushed him back away from me. Needless to say, I felt like an ass. Even though (amazingly) his family were telling him that I'm just doing my job, and I know that I'm just doing my job, it was still a really tough situation, and trying to make any images of the family consoling one another was clearly out of the question at that point. You know, sometimes it just isn't worth it - why add to their stress by trying for THAT picture....not to mention the fact that his son most likely would have tried to kick my ass for real over that one. Anyway, this is what's left of the entrance to the home....I think fires are among the most tragic and disturbing events that a family can endure, but there is something, purely visually, about the aftermath of a structure fire, especially with the water, ice and snow, that I find really amazing...now I am off to make a portrait of a man who collects wasp's nests
what a crazy job this is!!
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