Courage Photo | TrekEarth

Photographer’s Note

Yesterday was our National Day of Mourning. All the TV stations did broadcast live the ceremony which was attended by our Prime Minister and dignitaries from far and wide. I include part of Kevin Rudd's speech as he addressed the nation:

"For on Black Saturday, what we saw was the worst of nature yet the best of humanity.
What is courage? We know it by instinct. We see it. We feel it. Courage is a firefighter standing before the gates of hell — unflinching, and unyielding and with eyes of steel saying this: "Here I stand, I can do no other.
Courage is neighbour saving neighbour. Courage is stranger saving stranger. Courage is all these things as brave women and men in their lives and in their deeds these last weeks have written a new chapter in our nation's story."

I had a similar problem as in one of my previous shots of the fire and that is the ISO 800 which compromised sharpness. But the image is clearer than the earlier one. I have included another shot in workshop which also illustrates the concept of courage.

Beasolea, rginer, phwall, shevchenko, Gerrit, vinicio, ktanska, Dyerco, bisok has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

mesutilgim (36839) 2009-02-22 13:59

Hi Klaudio,
In fact it's a sad chapter but photographycally perfect. Very good pov and perfect light balance and good sharpness.
Good and usefull notes.
TFS and best regards
MESUT ILGIM

batalay (20948) 2009-02-22 14:33

Hello Kladio,

Both this and the ws image are spectacular, and both could and should have been main images. That said, the photograph is bittersweet. The tragedy of the occasion, the insanity of a few people who might have exacerbated the situation (setting their own fires), and the courage of the fire fighters who fought the fire. The note is, as one has come to expect from you, thoughtful and incisive.

First rate photojournalism. Have a good week.

Bulent

il_corsaro_nero (1361) 2009-02-22 14:37

Hi Klaudio,
very impressive photo documenting a really sad event there.
A part of high iso, the picture is giving perfectly the mood and the feeling of the situation, with very good colors and sharpness.
I appreciated the notes.
Very good work
Benedetto

Waylim (10817) 2009-02-22 14:38

Klaudio,
again, I hate to say it's a beautiful shot due to the tragic event of the image captured, but it's a really beuatiful colors cause by the smoke, where the sun is not too strong, and the smoke fill back ground give it an atmosphere of mist like in the early morning yet there is warm glow of the fire. What a sad scene yet beautiful at the same time. Great documentary photo. Journalistic style image. Thanks
Way

Beasolea (1644) 2009-02-22 15:03

Witaj Klaudio,
Are you a Firefighter?? How you take your close picture??
TFS with us all the moments of the tragedy.
Very good note as well.
Best regards
Bea

rginer (538) 2009-02-22 15:20 [Comment]

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phwall (5570) 2009-02-22 16:33

Hi Klaudio,
Definitely the best of the series, the lone firefighter has so much more impact than when you included the other members of the brigade fighting the fire alongside. The image is first class in both sharps and exposure. A very good photojournalistic image, seeing the flames so clearly through the smoke and bush delivers the drama of the situation.
I was going OK yesterday, but when they showed the photographs of the victims, especially the children I went to pieces, such a shocking tragedy, so many lives taken forever.
Courage is a wonderful description for these brave and selfless men and women.
Peter

tempocativo (439) 2009-02-22 16:34

Olá Klaudio, embora o motivo não seja o melhor devido a tratar-se de um incêndio, a verdade é que a fotografia ficou com umas cores muito bonitas e retrata bem a coragem destes homens que dão a vida para tentar apagar este fogos. Bela homenagem. Parabéns

delpeoples (6082) 2009-02-22 18:37

Caro Klaudio, a fitting photo for the Day of Mourning. Those men and women deserve to be recognised. It's not something Victoria or the rest of Australia will get over easily, but seeing the courage of these amazing people really makes me proud to be an Aussie. The image is sharp and management of light exceptional. As with the previous post - such a good reportage shot: this is history. Have a happy Monday and please stay safe, LDNR :)

SteveH (3911) 2009-02-22 18:53

Hi Klaudio, Like phwall I prefer this shot over the ones you posted previously. When I was looking at one of them (I forget which) I thought that a vertical view might have worked and so was interested to see your WS, which I like. For me it conveys more of the scale of the fire, with the lone fire fighter dwarfed by the trees. Although this one shows more flame, I think I prefer the WS. Cheers, Steve

cebe (164) 2009-02-22 19:58

Klaudio, this is sort of a photojournalism shot, a kind relatively rare on TE. It gives a good idea of what it was like on the front line (although I'm sure there was much worse to witness).

I saw an excerpt of the ceremony in the Canadian news today. All that is really sad. In cases like that, commenting on the qualities of a photo for the fun of it just seems futile.

Claude

shevchenko (9922) 2009-02-22 23:03

Hi Klaudio,
I feel sad too many old trees and animals lost their life in the fire, especially I like the big tree with dense leaves showing by this photo.
I can imagine how bad the weather and quality of air full in smoke, I'm admire that you still go near to the scene of fire to shoot this series of lively photos for sharing with us, well done.
Ally

Gerrit (35733) 2009-02-23 1:34

Wow, You did a great job and were quite courageous yourself.
very good that you show us an inside photo that brings the tragedy so close to us. The workshop photo is even more impressive with that huge trees and the little man giving the David-Goliath feel and accentuiating the courage of this man still better.
Excellent work. Very impressive.
Regards, gerrit

vinicio (22412) 2009-02-23 4:38

Another beautiful even if dramatic image from your country, well done Klaudio, compliments.
Ciao
Vinicio

ktanska (16581) 2009-02-23 5:52

Hi Claudio,
Another dramatic firefighting shot. And this time also flames are visible. I hope fires end soon. Your tragedy has also been in the news here in Finland.

Dyerco (9092) 2009-02-23 7:17

Well done Klaudio
This one belongs in my favourites. It shows the enormity of nature against human endeavour and in spite of the 800 ISO turned out really well. We saw part of Rudd's speech on our news in Canada.
Phil

skippy007 (7053) 2009-02-23 18:50

Ciao Klaudio, I looked at the WS version & thought it was a difficult choice as they are both very good & capture the atmosphere, danger & courage these brave people have but what truck a second later was the far more difficult choice the nearby residents have to make that is whether to defend their property or flee, living at Kinglake for a while I always thought that my first option would be to leave. All very brave those who stay & defend & those who go to fight.
Well done
Saluti
Santo

npecanhuk (13963) 2009-02-25 3:24

Hello Klaudio!
Although photographing a real big problem around your Country, the results of the image are really attractive, with superb sharpness, excellent exposure and wonderful colors!
TFS - Congratulations!
Best regards,
Neyvan

b021 (500) 2009-02-25 15:47

Zao mi tolikih suma Klaudio. Ali lepo zabelezena akcija gasenja pozara...

pozdrav
Branimir

alainh (35369) 2009-02-26 22:18

hello klaudio
very sad mements for Autralia. these fire are true humans and ecologic tragedies ! thanks to give importance at the hard and dangerous work of firemen.
friendly, Klaudio
alain

bisok (266) 2009-04-13 18:56

Hi Klaudio

Yes, I agree with "il corsaro nero" that it's very impressive photo documenting a really sad event there. The WS is interesting as well. The photograph is illustrating the mood and the feeling of the situation.
There is an interesting and useful Photographer's Note too. Well done.

Greetings
Mirek

jammer79 (2666) 2009-05-30 19:57

Good shot you have got here! I can almost feel the heat coming out off this picture. Very good piece of documentary shooting. Also your composition is very well done.

Rgds, R.

Photo Information

Copyright: Klaudio Dadich (daddo) (11365)
Genre: People
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-02-15
Categories: Nature
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/40 seconds
More Photo Info: view
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Theme(s): Things That Mean Something, Ney's favorite pictures of Australia!, The Best of Australia [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2009-02-22 13:55
Favorites: 2 [view]