Police Ride-Along Photo Story - PJ

[<AkulA>]

I got to ride a long for a graveyard shift with the night sargent of the Pierce County Sherrifs Office this Sunday. For my photo-journalism class, we have to turn in a photo story consisting of 5-7 shots - which set do you think is stronger? Hopefully I can get some comments and criticism as well, thanks!

Also, please keep in mind that these were taken in extremely low light, with high ISO and at wide aperatures! Our instructor said as long as we are doing something interesting with inspiring photos, you have some wiggle room in terms of quality.

Story One - The Raid
1.
http://akula.smugmug.com/photos/157320522-L.jpg

2.
http://akula.smugmug.com/photos/157321657-L.jpg

3.
http://akula.smugmug.com/photos/157321697-L.jpg

4.
http://akula.smugmug.com/photos/157322185-L.jpg

4 and a half, LoL
http://akula.smugmug.com/photos/157http://akula.smugmug.com/photos/157322230-L.jpg

5.
http://akula.smugmug.com/photos/157322835-L.jpg

[<AkulA>]

Story Two - The Crash

1.
http://akula.smugmug.com/photos/157320522-L.jpg

2.
http://akula.smugmug.com/photos/157321657-L.jpg

3.
http://akula.smugmug.com/photos/157323231-L.jpg

4.
http://akula.smugmug.com/photos/157324546-L.jpg

5.
http://akula.smugmug.com/photos/157323641-L.jpg

6.
http://akula.smugmug.com/photos/157324955-L.jpg

[HectorsGTI]

I like #2 . especially the #6 where the fire fighter choking a man to death.

[airfrogusmc]

Good stuff. I vote crash.

[thekid24]

I like the first set.
Pic 1: The briefing
Pic 2: The 'lets go gettem" smile
Pic 3: We found our man
Pic 4: We've got him in custody
Pic 5: Here is why we needed to arrest him (bag of cocaine?)/ After a longs nights work, job well done.

[Derweissehai]

AMAZING.....SHOWS LIFE IN IT'S NORMAL STAGES.

[Karl C]

I like the first series. Those shots are, to me, the style and mood found in newspapers and magazines - especially the last three shots.

Good work!

[vegasboy]

awesome stuff man

[shaunknee]

To me the "Raid" has more story. Both are good.

[fireman93514]

I like the crash especially #5 it really shows emotion.

[The REBELion]

Crash, but both are good.

[Vinni]

I vote crash. There's just more going on.

[R_Metzel]

All are good. And I really like the conversions. The Raid has more to it in my opinion. Nice work though. Either choice should make the professor happy I would hope.

[StaticThought]

In like Crash, emotion of the shouting dude really makes it happen. It also shows the victim and the aggressor.

[Village_Idiot]

I love #3 from the raid. It looks like the guy was flying and the cops caught him dead in his tracks....shadow and all.

[<AkulA>]

Thanks for all the great comments guys! I let my friend use my vote so my opinion didn't skew the poll! Keep the votes coming, I turn in the first draft tomorrow! And thanks to all who took the time to vote/comment!

[twisted pixels]

Story one gets it for me. The pics tell a story of danger and drama with a good ending and arrest. Well done!
You are very fortunate to get to ride along on a night shift, There is no way in the world we could get to do something like that here in Australia.

[adamo99]

I like #2 . especially the #6 where the fire fighter choking a man to death.

Sometimes you want to, especially if the driver you're treating's been charged with DUI.

[BottomBracket]

I like the "Raid". #3 is an amazing capture.

[<AkulA>]

Sometimes you want to, especially if the driver you're treating's been charged with DUI.

Haha, yea - this dude definately sounded like he was on something! He had to have been to steal a truck and try to make a 90 degree turn at around 60 MPH!

[<AkulA>]

BTW - I hope all you who commented also voted! Keep em coming, LoL

[lil_miss]

Wow - they're both pretty cool..... :D

[<AkulA>]

Wow - they're both pretty cool..... :D

Thanks, bur Grrr, that doesn't help me much! :D Vote! ^^

[Richtherookie]

I vote for the crash, I myself like the shot of the firefighter choking the DUI "victum". After you pull about so many innocent kids from crashs you'd choke em to.

All of these are winners, but i had to vote for one, "all of the above" was not an option!

[Anke]

I think The Raid is the better series, after all we can all turn up to a crash and take them shots, not many of us get the opportunity to go on a raid. It gives it more gravity in my opinion. You'll do well too, they're great shots.

[mcmadkat]

I think the raid tells more of a story, it was a deliberate planned action, where as the crash was just an accident.

[<AkulA>]

I think both will tell a decent story once I get cutlines written for all the photos, but I'm leaning toward the raid, even tho the votes are showing the crash, hahaha.

I like the story behind the raid, and the action/danger shots from this series, but I also really like the story of the felon stealing a truck and crashing, then getting arrested. I also like the emotion in the guys face.

This is a HARD choice! LoL - Thanks again to all who've voted and left feedback, I really appreciate it!

[ErikT72]

Very cool shots! I really like the second sequence, though the first is also good. This has inspired to me--I am going to see if a deputy friend of mine will let me ride with him and shoot an evening's events. Let us know how the assignment works out.

[<AkulA>]

Hehe, thanks! Try and do your ride along in worst area in your state - you'll get more action! Compton/LA here I come!

Sacramento, Stockton and Oakland are all pretty close to you, and I'm sure there's a lot going down every night in those towns!

[MikeI]

They are neck and neck in the poles!

I prefer #2. In the raid, you have no idea why the police are there. Search warrant? Arrest warrant? Probation/parole search?

The crash has several pictures that help tell the story.

Let me add that they are all great pictures. You did a great job w/ this IMO. The briefing room picture is great. This is a side of the job the public doesn't get to see.

[<AkulA>]

Thats another thing I should have mentioned. The pictures should somewhat speak for themselves, but there will be a 5-8 sentence cutline for each photo explaining it as well. For the raid, we were just grabbing some coffee at a gas station when an officer called over the radio "shots fired". There had been plenty of shots fired that night as reported by the dispatcher - but when it comes from a cop, they don't mess around. I guess one officer was driving down this block when some crack-head decided to haul off 15 shots from his AK47, LoL. We got to the place (about 4 blocks away) and there were already about 5 cars there, and about 10 more showed up after us. They posted up with AR-15's and ordered the occupants out of the house. Then they sent in a 5 man clearing party - called in a warrant after the house was safe, and the rest is history! They found about $8000 in drugs, the 2 guns, and over $3000 cash. Good bust!

[Master-9]

Why can't you combine them as one story?

[kolok]

Quick question, what equipment did you use and what general settings? BTW, I'd vote the bust!

[<AkulA>]

Well, the assignment says we must tell as story with 5-7 images. As much as I'd like to, I don't think I could combine the 2 different stories into that many shots to make any sort of sense.

Also, I used my 5D w/ 24-70 and 30D w/70-200 - I shot wide open most of the time in AV mode, metering for the lights (usually the spotlights from the patrol cars). Also, very high ISO's (1600-3200) played a big part in getting these shots. Even then, sometimes it was just too dark to get a fast enough shutter speed to freeze the action. It turned out okay I guess, as the motion blur adds action in it's own way.

[<AkulA>]

Oh yea, I added in a 4 and a half on the raid story - sorry for the late entry! LoL

[shakyhands]

I like #2 . especially the #6 where the fire fighter choking a man to death.

:lol: ...those guys are always doing that! See in #5, the guy's yelling to the police 'don't leave me with those killer firemen!'.
Both are great series...I personally like the first. Nice work.

[tomd]

vote for crash here

[Jim7226]

I think the raid tells more of a story, it was a deliberate planned action, where as the crash was just an accident.

I concur with this advice completely.:)

[Richtherookie]

How about one of the cops beating up the DUI driver and then the FF's choking him?

[Andy_T]

Some comments ...

... both stories are great :D
... I think the raid is more special, but the complexity might require more than 5-7 images.
... hence ... I think the crash is the more 'rounded' story
... I don't think the firefighter is choking anybody, to me it looks like he is examining his neck for injury.
choking a person just doesn't feel like something a firefighter would be doing.

Best regards,
Andy

[embdaw]

This is so neat! I vote for the crash.

[<AkulA>]

Thanks for the votes guys! Keep em comin!

[shakyhands]

... I don't think the firefighter is choking anybody, to me it looks like he is examining his neck for injury.
choking a person just doesn't feel like something a firefighter would be doing.

Best regards,
Andy[/quote]


ummmmmmmmmm......I believe it was said in jest :rolleyes:

[sblais]

Still pretty tight with the votes! I voted for Crash.

[deltroid]

To me the "Raid" has more story. Both are good.

Ditto for me...

The last picture of the Crash series is the best IMO, but the better overall set is the raid...

Very nice job!

[Tomi Hawk]

I think The Raid is the better series, after all we can all turn up to a crash and take them shots, not many of us get the opportunity to go on a raid. It gives it more gravity in my opinion. You'll do well too, they're great shots.
I think the raid tells more of a story, it was a deliberate planned action, where as the crash was just an accident.
Annnd .. this is also why I voted for "The Raid" ..

BTW .. great job on both ..

[jklewer]

I voted Crash because I feel like there is some incongruence with the time in between the "lets go get him" look and the one of the guy outside. I realize you probably were not permitted close enough to get shots during this period. All in all, I think the crash shows a more consistent story. Great work!

[mjm80]

Both good stories but I prefer #2 as the shots are sharper.

[Kol]

I reckon Crash, but both are awesome. So very good mate. I do like the cops storming the house though!

[<AkulA>]

Thanks again for all the comments and votes! I think I may try and do this every other week or so - it's a HUGE adrenaline rush!!!!

[woodsie]

I like the raid more as there seems to be more of a flow to the story. I wouldn't like to be a cop going into a house with the sort of artillery in the last shot! :shock:
But number 5 and 6 in the crash are excellent shots standing on their own.

[Kol]

Wondering further, has anyone done this in the UK? Are our Forces open to this kind of thing? It got me thinking as I walked past Nottinghamshire Police today. I wouldn't know who to contact though ?? Would be something fun to do during the Summer, assuming I'm not working my ass off to pay off my student overdraft ;)

[eenorton]

So? Which one did you turn it?

[<AkulA>]

Hehehe, our instructor is out of the state for a photo-journalism convention in Oregon, so I get to turn them in next week! I guess the votes are still coming in!

Also, as far as doing this type of thing in the UK - you might have to have a sort of "in". Like maybe if you know an officer or something. Here in the states, there is somebody called a Public Information Officer who handles this kind of thing, you might check to see if there is an equivalent in your area. Goodluck - its a blast!

[LaFemmeNIKITA]

I like the raid, BC it is more unusual than a car crash. I've been in this country for only 5 years, but I must have seen dozens of car crashes, but never a shooting involved ( thank God !!! ). It shows the more dangerous side of cops job.

[<AkulA>]

I've been in this country for only 5 years.

Where you from??

[nicoy3k@gmail.com]

Number 1 is superior in every way to me.

That third shot is just outstanding. Congratulations.

[grimreaper]

The Raid,especily like numer 3 great shot