Photographing Fire Apparatus

By Dennis Maag

Welcome to what we envision to be an ongoing feature with some pointers on how to photograph apparatus in a style that is similar to what you see on the pages of Fire Apparatus Journal.

In the first column, we will basically review the submission guidelines that have been used since the magazine first was published in 1984. It covers a broad range of items which are discussed in general terms. Future columns will include detailed descriptions of specific aspects of apparatus photography that can assist you in replicating the images that you’ve seen in Fire Apparatus Journal. We’ll also cover items such as camera settings, information gathering and tricks of the trade that can make a good photo a great shot! And finally, we hope to also offer a forum where you will be able to submit photos to Fire Apparatus Journal photographers for comments about improving the image and the techniques you are employing when photographing apparatus.
The first thing to consider about photographing fire apparatus is to decide what you want to do with the photo. Just because we, as apparatus photographers for Fire Apparatus Journal, shoot rigs in a particular manner, doesn’t make it the right way for everyone. You must decide what you want from the photo including any artistic license. Are you interested solely in the rig itself and preserving it for history? Or do you prefer to see the rig in action at a fire?



Should you decide that you’d like to photograph apparatus in a manner similar to what you see in Fire Apparatus Journal, then you’re in the right place. The goal of this column is to provide you with what we look for when considering apparatus for Fire Apparatus Journal magazine.


The majority of the apparatus views we select for publication in Fire Apparatus Journal employ what is commonly referred to as the 3/4 front/side view in which the sun is shinning on both the front and side of the vehicle, with all shadows behind the rig. There should be no shadows or obstructions blocking or projected onto the vehicle. There should be some space in front of and behind the vehicle so we can do some cropping of the photo without cropping into the

vehicle, in other words, the photo should not be bumper to bumper. However, don't stand so far back that the resulting photo is a small image of the vehicle. The vehicle should fill up around 90% of the length of the photo.

The 3/4 Front/Side View

One of the first items referenced is a 3/4 front/side view. The goal of the 3/4 front/side view is to show two sides of the vehicle. The most common pose you will see shows the front and the driver’s side. This has been the accepted pose for years and is due for the most part to showing the pump panel on the unit. However, given that not all apparatus are equipped with pumps (aerial ladders, rescues, ambulances, etc.), or in situations with pumpers having front-mount pumps or top-mounted controls, views showing the front and passenger side of the vehicle are acceptable in those situations. In an upcoming column, we will provide some examples of the best angle to shoot this 3/4 shot in.



Sunny Conditions

Another aspect of the general description was the reference to sunshine. Almost 100% of the photos that appear in Fire Apparatus Journal are taken in full-sun conditions. Taking photos in cloudy-hazy conditions will probably lessen the possibility of your material being published. There will always be situations where the sun or other conditions may not permit that perfect photo. In cases where you may not have the rig outside again, you should also take a photo for what is sometimes called proof of existence. At least you’ve got a shot of it until you have the chance to shoot it in better conditions. Remember that any shot of the rig is better than no shot at all!

Foreground and Background

Another important factor is that no part of the apparatus be blocked by anything such as cars, people or any other obstructions in the foreground with just as much attention being given to items in the background as well. There should not be any people in the photo, even far in the background. Furthermore, cab and compartment doors should not be open and when photographing apparatus in front of station bay doors, it always helps to close the doors for the background. Given such, photos of apparatus on fire scenes or in parades are difficult to qualify for these criteria.



Camera and Media

An important issue when photographing fire apparatus includes the camera and media being used to record the image. For years Kodachrome slide films were the film of choice. With the advent of digital technology, the transparency and print films appear to be on their way out. Although a future column will discuss specific film and digital options, regardless of what media you chose, for the best results, when shooting with a 35mm SLR film camera it is recommended to use a fixed 50mm lens (+/- 5mm). When using a digital SLR camera it is recommended to use a fixed lens that most closely reproduces the same 50mm results achieved with the SLR film camera (check your camera specifications for the focal point multiplier and multiply that number by 35 to achieve the focal length in 35mm film settings). We do not recommend the use of telephoto, zoom or wide-angle shots because these tend to distort the apparatus



Over the years Fire Apparatus Journal has received thousands of submissions of apparatus photos for consideration in the magazine including some very unique and interesting rigs. Unfortunately because of issues with the way the photo was taken, they were not chosen to appear in the magazine. While we have provided a brief description of the general idea of apparatus photography above, we will get into more detail about specific aspects in coming issues and will provide photographic examples of both good and not so good photos. In the meantime, should you have any questions or comments about this column or like a photo reviewed or critiqued, please contact us at: fireapparatusfan@swbell.net