Firefighters 1

Three members of a forest fire crew leaving at the end of a long, hot day.

They have been battling fires all summer long without a break.

Exhausted, they were cheerful about letting me take their photo.

Expressive portrait. I don't know if it's intended but the figures look 'monumental' to me! Like statues...

Great image and I like the sepia tone to it!!

Love the overall tone, Lind...the shot is wonderful - they seem to have have a sence of being winners written all over there faces. Well done, my friend. Regards, Lawrence.

Dedicated men and a shot well composed or these 'unseen heroes'.......thankyou for bringing us a little closer to their world........wonderful tones Linda, great capture, sincerely, Gail

I like the tones as well as they suggest nostalgia and romanticize people who work in heroic jobs. The tones also are suggestive of brown soot. The trees make a very good backdrop, and the firefighters have nice faces.

Very nice Linda. I like this one a lot. Regards-Jim

Rajat, thank you. I was experimenting with the light and shade, trying to add a bit of drama. Maybe by doing this I made them look like they were statues. I appreciate hearing your thoughts. All the best.

 

Warren, thanks for commenting.

 

Lawrence, thanks. I think they were pleased that they were having their photo taken, and asked questions about their work. I don't think they get the appreciation they deserve. It is a tough, dirty, and dangerous job. They are like front line foot soldiers.

 

Gail, "unseen heroes" is a good description. Thanks for stopping by.

 

Donna, thank you. I think you are right about the sepia tones suggesting soot. I don't think that they think of themselves as doing heroic work, they all seemed very modist to me. Yes, they do have nice faces, thanks for noticing that.

 

Jim, thanks for commenting, I'm glad you like it.

 

Warm regards,

 

Linda

Linda,

This si ageat shot. I love the color tone that you used. Great stuff. Regards, Patsy

Perfectos tonos y fantásticas expresiones. Sin duda un excelente documento. Muy merecido para estos valientes hombres. Saludos.

Nice portrait with good tonality. Best regards.

Well done...Nice portrait shot with Beautiful tons ...................................Best regards

Thank you all for stopping by and commenting. All the best.

Nice job Linda. When I first saw the photo I was wondering if they were statues, especially the two on the left, until I viewed the large version. You did a good job with trhe post processing, caught good facial expressions, and the background works well.

In keeping with the war theme, this looks like WWII photos of GIs catching their breath.

Great expressions! Very clear and engaging eyes. I like the way the center guy stands forward a bit, creating a sense of depth, emphasized of course by the background trees and atmospheric lighting. Even the hands of the centered guy look really nice and I sense a bit of motion in his left hand which I also like a lot. Nice that their caps are not casting shadows on their faces. As for the statuesque look, I think that comes from what seems to be a bit of added glow in the processing. Not that you necessarily used a glow filter, but some levels and curves adjustment give skin in particular a bit of a marble quality, a bit smooth rather than textured, etc. I see that on their clothes as well. The underside of his hand has the grittiest look to me. The toning works well here. I hope you were able to give them a copy of this.

their expressions like a feeling of pride and accomplishment.. The method of presentation is also applicable to such and image... I love coming to your portfolio and fully and always expect to see great work and you never fail to deliver! MJ

Steve, thank you. I am glad you like it.

 

Jeff, good to hear from you! These men really looked to me like exhausted foot soldiers trudging of the battlefield. Tough job, I have a lot of respect for them.

 

Fred, I always like to read your opinions. I used a poleroid filter when I shot this, and a bit of dodge and burn when processing. The smoke is very interesting to photograph, it changes constantly with the wind. Before I converted this I felt it looked flat, which may have had something to do with the smoke. I wanted to give them a bit more dimension with highlights and shadows. I wasn't sure if it worked, but I now think it did. I did send these men e-mail copies.

 

MJ, I think they were feeling proud. I appreciate your encouragement. Thank you!

 

Warm regards,

 

Linda

This is a spectacular portrait of these brave men. It's a posed shot, but it's relaxed and natural.....not at all stilted. And indeed, you have captured their spirit and pride....it's really palpable! Very fine job!

Thank you! I'm glad to hear that you like it.

 

 

Love the tones and certainly the composition as well. What strikes me the most are their expressions! I love how jovial they are, despite the grim situation. Really a positive photograph and one worth keeping.

These men were great. I think were pleased with my little bit of attention. The guys who are out in the trenchs doing the tough and grimy work are sometimes forgotten during the actual crisis. There was a great deal of appreciation and gratitude from the owners of property who's homes were saved, and the population in general after the fires were out.

 

 

 

The contrast of the facial expressions with the rest of their surroundings really make this image.

 

 

Jim Phelps

Thanks Jim. Good to hear from you.

All this talk of heroes...

 

I don't want be anywhere near a hero at a bushfire.  I just want to finish my 12 hour shift, alive.  Heroes frequently kill people. A bushfire is no place to be making impetuous decisions when others are depending on you to demonstrate calm, sound, tactical thinking.

 

Nice shot.