Fire photography is the act of taking
photographs
A photograph (also known as a photo, image, or picture) is an image created by light falling on a photosensitive surface, usually photographic film or an electronic image sensor, such as a CCD or a CMOS chip. Most photographs are now created ...
of
firefighting
Firefighting is the act of extinguishing or preventing the spread of unwanted fires from threatening human lives and destroying property and the environment. A person who engages in firefighting is known as a firefighter.
Firefighters typically ...
operations. People who practise this form of photography are called fire photographers.
Since fire photography involves being close to dangerous situations, fire photographers must have special skills and knowledge about emergency incident scenes, operations, health, and safety.
Fire photographers are often required to wear firefighter
protective equipment
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other garments or equipment designed to protect the wearer's body from injury or infection. The hazards addressed by protective equipment include physical, ele ...
.
Uses of fire photography
The work of fire photographers encompasses multiple applications. These include:
*
Investigation
*
Training
Training is teaching, or developing in oneself or others, any skills and knowledge or fitness that relate to specific useful competencies. Training has specific goals of improving one's capability, capacity, productivity and performance. I ...
*
Fire prevention
Fire prevention is a function of many fire departments. The goal of fire prevention is to educate the public on the precautions which should be taken to prevent potentially harmful fires and how to survive these fires in the event that they do o ...
*
Occupational health and safety
Occupational safety and health (OSH), also commonly referred to as occupational health and safety (OHS), occupational health, or occupational safety, is a multidisciplinary field concerned with the safety, health, and welfare of people at wor ...
*Post-incident analysis
*Improvement of the public's view on emergency work
*Strengthening of
sense of belonging for firefighters
Involvement with fire departments
Fire photographers may or may not be directly employed by
fire department
A fire department (American English) or fire brigade (Commonwealth English), also known as a fire authority, fire district, fire and rescue, or fire service in some areas, is an organization that provides fire prevention and fire suppression se ...
s. They provide a specialized photography service which may involve a fee per photograph. Access to safety perimeters can be an issue for fire photographers, thus they usually develop good relationships with their local fire department to improve access to fire scenes. Such access may, at the fire department's discretion, require additional training or other arrangements. Large departments do often have professional photo service units, such as those in New York City and Chicago.
Certification
A formal fire photographer certification process is being drafted by the International Organization of Fire Photography.
The intent of this certification is to attest that an individual has sufficient training, skills and knowledge in relevant areas (health & safety, firefighting operations, etc.) to operate within a safe perimeter of an emergency incident scene.
See also
*
Fire buff A fire buff is a person with considerable interest (a fan) in fire fighting and emergency services, while not being an active member of these services. Fire buffs may collect or promote information about the local emergency services, raise money fo ...
References
External links
International Fire Photographers Association''archived''
Incident ResponseFire Service PhotographyConnecticut Fire Photographers AssociationSouthern California Fire Network
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fire Photography
Firefighting
Photography by genre