Where's the Fire?

Very funny!

This is hysterical. Please tell me how you got this to happen. My guess is that this is a quick portrait before a practice fire. Am I right?

Strangely sureal and amusing, not sure if the guy bottom right of frame would agree though...I just hope this is a composition or at least am not in the same country as this fire depatment, if the worst happens ;-)

Funny? Scary? Must be a practice fire!

don't move !!!

Very clever photo! If it was a 'real' photo, then I hope the joke didn't backfire on them afterwards!! I wonder what it would be like in colour...

Its a shame that there are 4's and 5's ratings for originality, this is a great shot, pay no mind to the jackasses who cannot appreciate it.

Sell this one to David Lynch. I can see a pan of this picture as the lead-in to his next film!

This reminds me of that Benny Hill sketch where all the firemen stop in the middle of fighting the fire to have tea.

 

Great photo.

Two words; Hilarious.

Great idea indeed! I hope I'm not in their jurisdiction!

Very funny photograph - thanks for my smile-of-the-day.

Wow what are they doing?? hehehe I wish the fire hadnt burnt the whole forrest back there! this is a very funny picture!

Brilliant! And whoever said that this would make a great opening shot for a movie was bang on.

Not many people have commented on the actual quality of the photo (the subject tends to distract...:D). Great tones, and a perfect balance. My only worry is the section hose at the bottom of the image. It wouldn't be too much to ask for you to go back and shoot this, would it?

Thanks, everyone, for the comments.

 

The photo was shot right before a training exercise. It had the distinction of going global on the AP newswire. It ran in probably hundreds of newspapers, one of which (a NYC paper) was held up by David Letterman while sitting at his desk on an episode of his show. He made a couple of wisecracks about the fire department. This was a bright spot in my photographic career, no doubt.

 

Life magazine (this was 1984 remember) even contacted me and paid me $250 for a print. However, they never ran it. My only regret is that I didn't have any color film. Life said they definitely would have run it if I'd had a color version.

 

And I agree with you Sam...the hose at the bottom of the frame has always bothered me.

 

Oh well. It was a once-in-a-lifetime shot. I must say I'm pretty happy with the result.

 

Kevin Brown

always time to stop for a portrait.

 

Kevin, posting a photo 19 years old is a child's game... I am posting a photo which is 83 years old a bit above this, and I liked it a lot when John Peri posted portraits of Anthony Perkins and Melina Mercouri taken in 1960 or so. This is the nice thing of this site, that you can jump through space and time so easily!

Great photo.

But why is it permanently stuck at the top of the photojounalism forum?

There are others trying to post their pictures.

This is great! Glad you brought it out of retirement.

Brought this one out of the attic. Comments welcome.

 

Kevin

How many times are you going to ask for a critque of this photo? it is a funny pic. (especially being a firefighter myself), but i've seen it up for ratings at least 5 times in the past year w/o any changes. what's the deal?

Not again.

haha... good humor in this one... nice shot!

This picture has a powerful quip. Very good.