RIDING THE STORM OUT

Suddenly it happens: a hurricane, a flood, an earthquake, an airplane crash or a fire. And you must document disaster with pictures. Perhaps you work for a newspaper or news magazine. Possibly a photo agency, insurance company or parent company needs images from the scene. Or maybe tragedy has struck in your own "backyard."

Disaster coverage is never pleasant. Most people in our well-ordered society give little thought to unexpected violence beyond the 6 o'clock news; yet these things DO happen. They happen across the nation and across the world on a daily basis, and someone must record them in a professional manner.

I've been thrust without warning into crisis situations dozens of times while working for the "Houston Post." Even as I was writing this story, they dispatched me to Pampa, Texas to cover a chemical plant explosion. During the 24 hour assignment, a Continental jet crashed in Denver and killer tornadoes ripped through south Texas. Disaster strikes with alarming frequency without regard to life or geographical location.

When catastrophe strikes, you've got to ask, "what's my next move? What should I take with me; what can I leave behind? How can I safely cover a hazardous situation and still deliver useable and timely photographs?" Every assignment differs, but the following examples may prevent your news assignment from turning into a personal disaster.

--Be There--

Two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Stanley Forman immortalized the phrase, "f/8 and be there." In keeping with these words, you should always keep film in your cameras and the exposure set to ambient lighting conditions. Every news photographer can recite a dozen examples proving how these few seconds can make the difference between capturing a shot or returning empty-handed.

Similarly, many news photographers keep a change of clothing, several major credit cards and a current passport in the trunk of their cars. An emergency rarely allows time to pack, and no one wants to scrabble thorough drawers trying to find a passport when they need to catch a plane.

A case in point occurred in 1979 when Larry Price went to Liberia for the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram. He received the assignment because he was the only available staff photographer with a passport. The Liberian revolution came to a violent climax during his trip, and Price won the Pulitzer Prize in news photography in 1981 as a result of his dramatic imagery.

Not every assignment demonstrates the need for preparedness so vividly, but when an earthquake struck Mexico City in 1985, another Post photographer and I were instantly available to catch a chartered jet, arrive within hours of the tragedy, and stay a week without backup. This fast footwork let us beat the local competition and almost every newspaper in the country by a full 24 hours with exclusive pictures. The resales from the first day's photographs alone paid for the expensive jet ride!

--What's the Story?--

A scene of destruction is, by its very nature, an unexpected event. Confusion reigns supreme. It can be difficult to create visual order from chaos when nobody knows the full story.

Experienced news photographers know to gather local maps, emergency telephone numbers and information on the run. If the emergency is still working, an AM radio news station and a programmable scanner can help keep you current. Late arrivals should buy the local newspaper and contact the police, Red Cross and city hall for updates about evacuations, emergency shelters and clean-up operations.

Additional problems arise in countries outside the United States. If you don't speak the language, hire an English-speaking cab driver for the day and have him listen to the radio. Not only do taxi drivers know the region intimately, they frequently provide a tremendous source of up-to-date information and can even serve as translators. Be careful to conform to local ethical standards, however. Some countries allow the media surprising access to emergency scenes. In others, you can suddenly find yourself looking down the wrong end of an automatic weapon while performing routine documentary work!

But to be honest, luck also plays an important role in crisis photography. One photographer can come back with spectacular images from a scene while another returns with nothing. The difference may be measured in feet or seconds. Your only defense is to gather information on the run and be prepared for any conceivable eventuality.

--Gaining Access--

Many photographers believe that they need special press credentials to enter an emergency zone. True, press credentials make reassuring items to dangle off a shirt, but they frequently serve little useful purpose. Worse, they may target photographers for unwelcome police attention; you may achieve better access by acting like a bystander!

Never, but never, argue with a police officer. As one seasoned photographer puts it, "you can beat the rap, but you can't beat the ride!" Tensions run high during a tragedy, and courts in recent years have shown little interest in protecting First Amendment rights as they apply to news photographers. When you remain sensitive to the subject, though, most police officers will ignore or even assist a confident and fast moving photographer.

Fast moving doesn't mean careless, however. Even a simple warehouse fire can be extremely hazardous. Mud created from the runoff of fire hoses can obscure nails, broken glass and live wires. Seemingly sturdy beams, walls and floors can collapse without warning. And fires frequently produce explosions, toxic smoke and caustic chemical runoff.

The best rule is to stay close behind emergency personal and watch their actions. They may suddenly evacuate an area with no warning or explanation: just as you expect them to know their jobs, they expect you to know yours.

For instance, one San Antonio photographer was shooting a major fire enveloping an entire residential district. When he looked up after changing film, he suddenly realized that the firemen had disappeared and that a miniature fire storm had begun. The fire started sucking in hurricane blasts of air to feed itself, creating heat so great that he had to drop his gear and run for his life!

There is nothing common about common sense. More people are injured or killed during emergencies because of inattention or faulty judgment than any other reason. The camera's viewfinder encourages psychological insulation from surrounding events, but it provides poor protection from injury.

--The Aerial Option--

Any major fire produces both spectacular and terrifying results. At a refinery fire, columns of flame shoot hundreds of feet into the air and dozens of acres may be ablaze. Unfortunately, company officials typically seal a plant when something goes wrong, ostensibly for public protection, but mainly to minimize press coverage. Trying to shoot through chain link fences, trees and buildings from half a mile away is maddening. Similar problems arise when documenting any remote, restricted or widespread disaster.

The key, of course, is to charter a flight or hitch a ride with emergency personnel into a disaster area. These days even the smallest towns boast local airstrips, and you can reduce costs by offering to split expenses with another photographer.

A helicopter makes a superior, if costly, shooting platform since it can move slowly and even land in unlikely locations. But whether you charter an airplane or helicopter, try to get an aircraft with removable doors. Shooting through Plexiglas guarantees soft pictures, and it's awkward to poke a lens through a tiny cockpit window.

Be sure to secure all equipment to the seat or your person before takeoff, taking particular care with your own seat belt. Just as the wind blast can rip a camera from a photographer's hands, a sudden wind shift or evasive maneuver can dump you out the door! Some photographers even wrap a turn of duct tape around the belt release mechanism as insurance against snagging camera straps.

A newcomer to aerial photography often relies too heavily on overall shots of a scene. True, everyone should shoot a few wide-angle shots to establish the location, but editors always want tight shots, even if you must resort to a 300mm or longer lens. Shutter speeds must remain in the 1/500 second or faster range to minimize aircraft motion and vibration.

Also act as a second pair of eyes for the pilot. The sky over a major metropolitan news scene may be filled with a dozen erratic, fast-moving TV, radio and police aircraft. Like anyone, a pilot can become distracted by the events on the ground. You want to document the news--not become a part of it!

The Federal Aviation Agency sometimes restricts the air space above a large fire, since a superheated column of air or explosion can swat a small aircraft from the sky like an insect. Let the pilot be the guide, but offer suggestions if he seems unfamiliar with aerial photography. Depending on the haze, you can still obtain quality pictures from a mile or two away.

Sometimes aircraft won't be available for other reasons. Mexican officials grounded helicopters just after the earthquake out of a justifiable concern that rotor vibration could topple buildings maintaining an uneasy equilibrium. In any event, most disaster scenes must be worked from ground level.

--Foul Weather Photography--

Floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, torrential downpours and high winds produce horrible photographic conditions. Roads may be impassable, light nonexistent, telephone lines down, clothes and cameras soaked, yet clients expect strong images documenting the scene.

Sometimes it pays to reconsider your actions. During Hurricane Elena, I found myself at 3 a.m. driving alone into St. Petersburg as officials evacuated the city. Mine was the sole vehicle driving across the causeway AGAINST a solid stream of headlights and hurricane-force winds. I had to wonder, "what the heck am I doing? I could get killed!"

I ended up following some fire trucks into the stricken area and giving a ride to a soaked, freezing and stranded motorist. He directed me to an evacuation center where we spent the night--and where I got some of the best pictures of the trip!

Try to rent a four wheel drive vehicle with high ground clearance if you plan to venture into flood areas. Keep the gas tank filled, since gas station pumps do not work when the power goes out, plus the extra weight helps retain traction. If there is a possibility that you may be trapped in the field, take along bottled water in plastic containers and non-perishable ready-to-eat food.

Major storms produce hazardous conditions for everyone without regard to the importance of your job. Drive carefully through flood regions since debris, low water areas and emergency workers can appear without warning. A hurricane's storm surge can combine high tides and winds to pile water 30 feet higher than normal. Tornadoes occur occasionally during "normal" storms, but hurricanes sometimes spin-off dozens. Try to escape an approaching funnel cloud by traveling at right angles to its approach path. Otherwise abandon the vehicle and seek shelter in a ditch.

High water creates problems even for those on foot. It forms a flat sheet covering everything, making ten foot drainage ditches look like ten inch puddles. For instance, Post photographer Carlos Rosales was wading down the middle of a flooded Houston street recently and suddenly discovered that flood waters had forced a manhole cover off, creating a very real "water trap." Both Carlos and his new camera gear received a thorough soaking.

You should make some water-proofing preparations before venturing out to cover a foul weather assignment. It helps to Scotch Guard a camera bag as a matter of routine, and a couple of garbage bags and towels will aid in keeping gear dry. Towels also come in handy for drying a car's electrical system after going through deep water.

A brightly-colored rain suit provides both comfort and some safety from distracted motorists in foul weather. Ziploc bags will keep film, wallet and expense receipts dry; and a small, powerful waterproof flashlight like the Mini-Maglite is a lifesaver at night. I also like to carry a compass since anyone can get lost when venturing into unfamiliar areas--even in their own city!

--Old News is No News--

More than one photographer has experienced the fury of having invaluable film confiscated by overly-zealous bureaucrats. Even Eugene Smith had to smuggle his famous "Spanish Village" film out of Spain. The standard technique these days is to carefully seal exposed film into fresh film boxes and let officials confiscate unexposed film after a convincing argument.

The film itself is another cause for concern. Freelancers frequently make the error of shooting Kodachrome, which requires special processing facilities. The time limitations of a spot news assignment makes it imperative that you shoot C-41, E-6 or normal black-and-white film, depending on your client's needs.

Just as "being there" helps capture the decisive moment, getting the film "out of there" to make a deadline can be of equal importance. Many commercial shippers promise to deliver within 24 to 48 hours, but pitfalls include weekends, holidays and the extent of the disaster.

Alternately, you can use the airlines to deliver film on the same day via air freight. On several occasions I've even asked boarding passengers to hand-carry film and had someone on the other end meet them at the airport. Most people will gladly cooperate--it gives them a vicarious sense of participation in a major event.

Operating from the local newspaper, Associated Press, or United Press International bureau affords a final option. The camaraderie of this business always allows out of town news photographers access to the darkroom since they may need the favor returned one day! Most newspapers have an AP or UPI transmitter in their office, but this should be a last resort. Transmitting a single black-and-white print takes eight minutes, color takes 24 minutes, and it loses considerable image quality.

--Meet the Press--

One problem facing contemporary photojournalists stems from the unique nature of news photography. News photographers act in an apparently voyeuristic fashion the public finds difficult to accept; their actions can sometimes be viewed in a negative fashion.

Generally, the public does not view disaster objectively because these experiences are alien to them. This explains why "eye witness accounts" yield such notoriously inaccurate information. People who confront these scenes routinely learn to react professionally, placing them into perspective from earlier experiences.

News photographers can no more afford the luxury of panic, confusion or emotional involvement at disasters than can police, firemen and doctors. They must react calmly to a crisis. Some even make it their responsibility to attend first aid classes, since news people sometimes arrive at a scene before emergency personnel.

The public's right to know deserves this calm expertise. News photographers have the difficult task of being the eyes and ears of the public. But they must also be responsible for their actions in the field, presenting an image of restrained behavior and sympathy, balancing this against the seconds they have to capture an image before it disappears forever.

But always remember that you are a human being first, a photographer second. Nothing you do should aggravate the situation or hamper emergency personnel. If necessary, be prepared to drop your gear and help in any way you can. No photograph is worth a human life.

--In Closing--

We've barely touched upon the topic of disaster photography, but this covers the basics. Aerials, equipment, fires, foul weather, reporting, ethics: you could write a book about each subject and still be guaranteed of omitting something.

Disaster photography is never pleasant, yet it frequently serves an important purpose beyond the simple, but vital, documentation of an event. The work may force you to work for days without rest, a decent meal, or sleep, but it also provides certain rewards.