I'm in the UNESCO town of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, a tourist destination and historic town with beautiful old wooden buildings. While at dinner with friends Friday night (27th) the sound of fire engines and ambulances passing by (just before 7) had me grabbing my camera to run outside. Smoke was rising from behind a building down the street, so I walked quickly to see where it came from. Out on a pier, I could see a large warehouse burning and local volunteer firefighters trying to douse the flames. I took stills for about 20 minutes, but when I tried to take video, my hands were shaking.
I returned to the restaurant where everyone wanted to hear what was happening. Soon the sounds of fire engines filled the streets, so I left dinner to return to the scene. Being an historical town, I tried very hard to consider the importance of every shot I took and to get the lighting right as I knew this was something significant I stayed, taking photographs until after 9.
Back at the restaurant, a couple at our table whom I was meeting that night for the first time asked to see my pictures. It turned out that she'd written for a number of newspapers in the States (including the Wall Street Journal), and he was a photographer and writer! She got paper and began to write the names of the news services up here, telling me to contact them all.
I got prompt replies and it seems the need was great for photos as there was not time for a lot of news coverage. At CTV, the reporter said that all she had was stills she'd taken from a video so she asked me to send everything I had. I selected the ones I liked best and she used nearly all of them, giving me photo credit http://www.ctvnews.ca/photo-galleries/fire-engulfs-nova-scotia-heritage-site-1.1474777
I returned this morning to complete my own personal photo journal, and ended up being interviewed by a Global News reporter. He asked for pictures, too, and tonight's 6PM news contained some of them as well as the interview http://globalnews.ca/video/870206/lunenburg-fire.
It's hard to be "happy" about getting good photos when the event is such as this, but my pictures have always been about the events of my day, and this time I think they'll be unforgettable
Louise, these images are so powerful. You were definitely the right (wo)man for the job, especially since you took the responsibility so seriously and kept shooting through the hours of darkness.
Wow! You just never know where your camera will take you! Congrats on having photos published on the news. Glad no one was hurt and I'm sorry for the damage to the building. It was fun to see your interview. You didn't trip over your words or anything! Good job! :)
Yes, I agree Louise, it is difficult to see things like this, but when it happens someone needs to document the events, good or bad, as it is all a part of history that will fill the pages of history books in years to come. Why not be a part of it. You are a good choice to capture some of those moments
Very impressive photo journalism coverage, Louise! Way to go! And indeed, I'm glad to know that no one was injured and the brave firemen saved the nearby structures.
@loey5150 AmongSt the volunteer firemen I seem to have carved a niche... The band director for the Bridgewater fire department called me a few days ago to ask if we'd come to the concert in a church across the street tonight. He told me what time they'd be setting up, and said I was welcome to take photos. Another man who's the head of the Volunteer Fire Services does a national posting for firemen and asked me to send him photos for the blog any time I can get some...se I'm looking forward to tonight in a happier situation! Musical Firemen! xo
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I returned to the restaurant where everyone wanted to hear what was happening. Soon the sounds of fire engines filled the streets, so I left dinner to return to the scene. Being an historical town, I tried very hard to consider the importance of every shot I took and to get the lighting right as I knew this was something significant I stayed, taking photographs until after 9.
Back at the restaurant, a couple at our table whom I was meeting that night for the first time asked to see my pictures. It turned out that she'd written for a number of newspapers in the States (including the Wall Street Journal), and he was a photographer and writer! She got paper and began to write the names of the news services up here, telling me to contact them all.
I got prompt replies and it seems the need was great for photos as there was not time for a lot of news coverage. At CTV, the reporter said that all she had was stills she'd taken from a video so she asked me to send everything I had. I selected the ones I liked best and she used nearly all of them, giving me photo credit http://www.ctvnews.ca/photo-galleries/fire-engulfs-nova-scotia-heritage-site-1.1474777
I returned this morning to complete my own personal photo journal, and ended up being interviewed by a Global News reporter. He asked for pictures, too, and tonight's 6PM news contained some of them as well as the interview http://globalnews.ca/video/870206/lunenburg-fire.
It's hard to be "happy" about getting good photos when the event is such as this, but my pictures have always been about the events of my day, and this time I think they'll be unforgettable
Thank you...I wanted to share..
http://365project.org/Weezilou/365/2013-09-28