Like188金博网网址多少itself, the art of fire photography sometimes spans the generations, as we see with this month’s profile of fire photographers Bill and Chris Tompkins. Bill and Chris are a father-and-son team who cover the northern New Jersey area and have frequently shared their work with188金宝搏是正规吗.
You can find more of their photos atwww.BTFirephotos.com.
FE: What got you started in fire photography?
BT:My grandfather was a captain on the Paterson (NJ) Fire Department. He took me to fires and to the firehouse down the block from his house when I was very young. That probably started my interest in the fire service. My interest in photography was from a high school photography course that I initially took as a “cake course,” but I got bitten by the photography bug. I then started working for the camera shop that I now own. Combining the two interests was a natural.
CT:My father, who has been taking photos for 40 years, started taking me with him to fires for as long as i can remember. I would stand next to him while he took his pictures and i would watch how he did it. As i got older he got me my own camera, a point and shoot, and i would take pictures with him. My photos were not good ones–I would take a photo of half of a fire truck or mostly sidewalk of a house fire. However, as I grew older my father taught me photography and the differences between day and night photography. In 1995, i had my first photo published, and from that point i never stopped. I could only hope to have the reputation and be as good of a photographer as my father.
FE: What kind of equipment do you use?
BT:我用尼康D-50s。我的主要镜头是尼克on 18-105. I also have a Nikon 18-55, a Nikon 70-300, and a Tokina 80-200 2.8, if needed. I always use a good, solid tripod for night shots. It allows me to shoot at a slower shutter speed to pick up more of the natural existing light.
CT:My main camera is a Nikon D40 with a Nikon 18 – 105. I also have a secondary camera which is a Nikon D60 with a Nikon 18-55 and a Nikon 55-200.
菲:been some of your more memorable jobs?
BT:Being so close to Paterson, New Jersey, most of the memorable jobs are from there. They include the “Fulton Street Fire” in 1978, which consumed three mill buildings and five homes, and the “Main St. Fire” in 1991, which covered multiple buildings in three blocks in downtown Paterson and took the life of a firefighter. Being so close to New York City, many memorable jobs have been shot there also.
CT:When i first got my license and was able to buff fires on my own, I was on my way to the supermarket when the Ridgewood (NJ) Fire Department was dispatched to the West Side Presbyterian Church for an activated fire alarm. I was just going to pass by to see some装置. When i was about a block away, the dispatcher update the incoming units that there was a report of smoke coming from the eaves of the church. I pulled around the corner and saw an engine dropping a supply line across the street and smoke coming from the roof of the church. I pulled into the church parking lot, grabbed my camera, and started to take pictures. I photographed that fire for hours, calling my father to give him updates as he watched the black column of smoke rise from his store window. That was the first spectacular fire I photographed.
FE: What’s unique about the area you cover–the place, the firefighters, the hazards, etc.?
BT:Northern New Jersey and the surrounding area has an extremely diverse mix of fire photography possibilities, from the major metropolitan cities like Newark, Jersey City, Paterson, and New York City; to the suburbs with the frame dwellings and strip malls; to the industrial areas like Elizabeth with the seaport and Linden with the oil tanks. Then if you travel to western New Jersey there are many farms and barns with the firefighters using tanker shuttles.
Thefirefightersin this area are some of the best because they face such diverse possibilities on their response. Many are running under-staffed due to budget restraints. Many departments are using older apparatus for the same reason. They do an incredible job with what they have to work with. Outside the career departments, thevolunteersmany times also have to with lower manpower than in the past. Work, family, and other obligations have cut into the time many people who are willing to volunteer are able to. Of course, seeing the FDNY at work with their vast resources is incredible.
CT:I have buffed two parts of New Jersey–the northeast part of the state for most of my life and the southeast part for about ten years. The fire load in the north is much greater, where you can buff one, two, or three fires a week, where in South jersey there are less jobs to cover. They are two totally different regions. In North Jersey you consider which jobs to buff depending on the time of day due to traffic, which fire department is fighting the fire, and if it is worth the trip. Down South, there is not nearly as much traffic and most main streets are 45 mph or more, so you can get to jobs quicker. The state of New Jersey has some of the best firefighters around. They deal with a high fire load with less manpower compared to departments such as the FDNY. One other difference is North Jersey buildings are much older, where there is more potential for larger, faster-spreading fires and buildings that are much closer to their exposures. No matter which area i was in, the excitement of photographing a job was the same anywhere I was.
菲:been some of your more memorable publications?
BT:Having been shooting fires for well over 30 years, I have been lucky to have been published in many publications. Getting one of your shots on the cover is always what you are shooting for. I have been on the cover ofFire Engineering, Firehouse, Fire Rescue,Fire Apparatus and Emergency Equipment, Fire Chief, and others, as well as freelancing for the North Jersey Media Group which publishes the major North Jersey newspapers.
CT:My first publication, which was almost 20 years ago, was of a house fire in Wallington which was used in the town’s local paper. Then, less than a year later, I had my first picture published in theBergen Record,which at my age was the “Big Paper.” In 1998, I received my first magazine cover inFire Chieffrom a fire in Oradell where the chief of the department was comforting the homeowner who just arrived home to find out her house was on fire. Finally, in September of 2000, I made the cover of188金宝搏是正规吗with a photo from a strip mall fire in New Milford.
FE: Any advice to aspiring fire photogs?
BT:The main advice is to not cut corners. When someone says “It is good enough,” it probably is not. I am not talking about having the newest and best camera, but if you need to use a polarizing filter to get the best photo, use it. If you need to use a tripod to get the best photo, use it. Also, don’t be afraid to ask questions. I don’t know of any good photographer that is not willing to pass on any tips. Most of all, have fun. Nobody is going to get rich with fire photography, it is the camaraderie with other fire photographers and members of the fire service.
CT:The main piece of advice I could share with other photogs is that fire photography is a hobby. It’s not a job and shouldn’t be competitive. Go out and have fun. It is a great time to meet and see other friends who share the same interests at jobs. If you are just starting out, ask questions, practice and over time–you will find your own style of photographing fires.
MORE BILL AND CHRIS TOMPKINS
