How did I get into photography?
Cameras have always been my friends. I can remember being lost as a small child at Universal Studios back in 1972 and I was carrying our Polaroid camera. As I walked around the park looking for my family, I took pictures of all the different attractions they have there and that kept me occupied. I remember not feeling scared and being alone because I had my friend with me. During high school there was an older man in my life who let me use his camera and instructed me on how to use it. I would carry around his Canon FX camera that he brought back from Vietnam and photograph my friends at school. I gave a few of the shots to my brother who was on the yearbook staff and they published my photos. I thought that was the coolest thing ever and so I joined the yearbook staff and became the sports editor for the next two years. When I was in college I majored in photojournalism and worked on the college newspaper. This was very exciting because I was very interested in photographing action. I eventually wanted to earn more money so I began assisting a wedding photographer (John Seirup). This mentorship was very valuable to me because of different situations I was forced to work in. I was actually mentored by three different photographers in Los Angeles and Orange County. I learned much about event, portrait and commercial photography. Eventually I was getting so many calls to shoot events, family portraits and headshots that I started my own business, Imageworks Photography.
What camera model do I shoot with?
I have used Nikon for many years and have loved its durability. Since I started working with the LAFD five years ago I switched over to Sony simply due to the incredible optics, the functionality of the camera and high ISO quality.
Any words of wisdom to pass on to someone wanting to shoot emergency incidents themselves?
If you have the availability, the tenacity and the gear to shoot your own fire incidents, I would highly recommend a camera with a very good nighttime ISO rating and a fast lens meaning 2.8 or 1.5. Lastly, I would say if you don’t mind not getting any sleep this is the job for you. Caution, once you photograph your first fire incident, you will be hooked.
Remember, there are moving pictures and there are pictures that will move you. -Gary R. Apodaca