My heartfelt thanks go out to Milan, Daniel, Sylvain, Steve, Rob, Luch and Phil of the Fire Emergency Safety Training Institute (FESTI) at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport. These guys do great work, and were enormously generous in allowing me to photograph them.

Many thanks to Irwin for sitting, and for his patience as I tried some new things. I’ve enjoyed getting to know Irwin better since the recent passing of our mutual friend. I also appreciate the interest he has taken in my photography, going so far as to loan me his Sinar view camera (which is a vast improvement over the Speed Graphic I’ve been using), and acting as my assistant while I process my negatives.

I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to photograph instructors at the Fire & Emergency Services Training Institute (or FESTI), located at Toronto Pearson airport. These guys are the best of the best, each one a longtime veteran firefighter. Between them, Daniel (left) and Sylvain (right) have over 50 years experience.

On a side note,the FESTI facilities were security headquarters during the recent G20 summit. They were still clearing out when I arrived, and I was afraid the shoot wouldn’t happen until I was able to talk my way past the Toronto Police at the gate. 

UPDATE: Sylvain has informed me it was just the regional Canadian police headquartered at FESTI during the G20.

Carolyn was sorry she missed the massive portrait party a couple months ago, so when she was visiting last week I said I would shoot her anytime she wanted. “Give me thirty minutes to get ready,” she said, and so I set up and photographed her, despite feeling miserable from what later turned out to have been a bronchial infection. Funny thing, while I was shooting I didn’t feel so miserable. I am exceedingly happy with these two frames, and I’m really glad that I’m starting to incorporate some standing poses in the mix.

Next stop, Toronto and the firemen.

Thanks go out to the proud firefighters of FESTI, who have invited me to Toronto to photograph them in early July. I’ll be there for two weeks, and while I’m there, space has been arranged on July 4 for anyone who would like to experience intimate large format photography. The cost for a sitting is $129 per person, and you’ll get a one 8x10 print, plus JPEGs of the entire sitting sized for use on your blog or Facebook. Call to reserver your sitting at 310.441.1581, or contact me through B&G Photography.

Individual sitting may be arranged for other dates, so contact me for pricing and availability.

Dress casual and be prepared to open yourself up.

Fellow photographer George hangs out (literally) on the rings at Santa Monica Pier on a regular basis. This guy can hold himself horizontal using nothing but his arms. Find out more about Ring Fliers by checking out the Flickr Swingers pool over at Flickr.