Today we’d like to introduce you to Ryan Grothe.
Hi Ryan, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I have always had an interest in photography since I was a kid. When I was in high school, I took photography and learned how to develop the film and photos. The film was always a pain in the ass but somehow, I managed to get it done. That didn’t stop me. One of my photography teachers joked about how I was going to eat up the budget with all of my photos. For a few years, I slowed down to pursue a career in the fire service. I’ve been in the fire service now for about 15 years or so. Currently I’m an ARFF (Aircraft Rescue Firefighter) at Palomar Airport in Carlsbad. This is how I am able to capture the lovely sunrises and sunsets. A few years back I decided to get media credentials and take photos of Firefighting aircraft and other emergency incidents. I also have a cousin in Los Angeles who is a Paparazzi photographer, and she has helped escalate my photography quiet a bit. I owe a lot to her for assisting me and getting me through some of the processes.
I enjoy shooting control towers at airports. Especially during sunrises and sunsets. The towers are easier to shoot with since their backrounds can display a lot of great colors during the early morning and evening hours. Once I start doing astrophotography, The towers will look awesome with the milky way and other stars in the backround.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s partially been a smooth road. The toughest part is trying to shoot concerts. Getting access is tough having to go through agents and event management and so fourth. The first concert I shot was the Pet Shop Boys back in 2016. It was their super tour. I was initially just going in as a fan and thought I would bring my camera. I did all the research on the venue; The concert was in Los Angeles at the Microsoft Theater. I attended the meet and greet and spoke to Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe. To this day they still do not take photos with their fans. I had my camera with me on my shoulder. The lens must have been facing them cause Chris asked me to move it. I politely told him there is a lens cover on it and he was OK with that. A short time later it was time to re-enter for the concert. My ticket package was meet and greet and in the front pit. So, it was one of the first ones to enter. At this time, I didn’t have media credentials. I came up to security and set my camera on the table to go through the metal detectors. Surprisingly, security didn’t say anything. Not sure if they noticed it or perhaps, they didn’t really care. Who knows? I was just stoked. My spot was just to the left of Chris Lowe’s keyboard. Typical Pet Shop Boys concert is Mic on the left and Keyboard to the right. So, after standing in the pits for 45 minutes, the concert finally starts. Opening song was Inner Sanctum. First release from the Super Album. I took a bunch of photos and wasn’t sure how they were going to turn out. Especially since I had no experience shooting a concert and was going off of info on howe to shoot a concert online. At the time I had a beginner DSLR camera with the kit lenses. The camera was a Canon EOS Rebel T5. I bought a 50mm fixed lens from a camera shop. The lens had fair reviews for concerts. After the concert, I went back to the place I was staying at to review the photos. Most of them came out great and I was really surprised.
My media photography has its challenges too. My specialty is aerial firefighting photography. I love taking photos of the fire tankers and helicopters when they are working fires. Trying to figure out where the drops are going to be can be difficult at times. Luckily, I can rely on my experience in this field. When I shoot a fire, I carry 2 radios and my phone. I usually monitor 3 channels at once. This gives me a better idea of where they will be dropping. It also tells me what else is going on. One thing I like to do at a fire is start off at the highest point possible. I do this so I can get a view of the entire incident if I can. This way I can figure out a plan of where I want to shoot for close-ups. I have a Tamron 150-600mm lens that I can use when on high points. I always have at least 2 cameras with me. Most of my camera gear is Canon. I have 2 Tamron lenses. Typically, I prefer to use my Tamron 18-400mm when the aircraft are dropping right above me. This enables me to get the wide-angle shots of the aircraft. Of course, safety is always a priority when on the scene of a fire. Especially a large fire. I was in Riverside for 3 days shooting the Fairview fire. All three days I was there, this fire was not letting up. Biggest problem was the winds kept changing direction. The third day I decided to go ahead of the fire on a small road to the east. There were a few Cal-Fire brush engines back there. The fire was moving towards me. There were a few other photographers back there. I decided to stay next to my truck in case I had to retreat and get the heck out of there quickly. That’s always a concern. When on these fires, you always have to keep your head on a swivel and watch the entire clock. The fire indeed moved quickly, and the entire hill was gone within 15 seconds. Towards the end of the third day of shooting, there is also the risk of getting the retardant dropped on you. it’s been dropped on me a few times while on these shoots. The last time I got my truck dropped on. I was inside my truck, and it sounded like little pops. Luckily, it only took me a few minutes to wash it off and there was no permanent damage to my truck. I got a left front flat tire. Not sure what I hit. Probably something off-road. Luckily, I have a Tacoma and good-year tires. My trouble light came on in the truck. Luckily it was a slow leak, and I was able to limp the truck somewhere and get it plugged. Another struggle is getting to an area with reception to send the photos to media. A lot of these fires are in areas with little to no reception. Sometimes that’s something you just get used to.
Safety is always a priority when on these shoots. I have full wildland firefighting gear on when shoot wildfires.
When shooting sunrise/sunset photos, positioning can be tough at times. I usually like to shoot tall objects with the colorful clouds in the backround. Sometimes this can be tough. Especially since you have such a short time to get the shots. The clouds also move with the wind too.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Most of my photography is media related. When I’m not doing media shoots, I enjoy shooting the sunrises and sunsets. Especially with the cirrus clouds since they change colors. Some of the photos can be edited to increase lighting and decrease the shadows. Usually, I will take a look at the sky an hour or 2 before sunset. If there are high cirrus clouds, it’s most likely you’re going to have a colorful sunrise/sunset.
I’m proud that some of my media photos have been featured in nationwide newspapers and media giants such as the New York Post. The New York Post has featured a number of incidents I have shot in San Diego. A few of my photos have even made the National Enquirer. That caught me off guard, but I was still happy about it last year I had one of my photos featured at the San Diego County Fair photo exhibit. It was my first-time entering photos. I was just happy my photo made it to the event. I’m known for taking these types of photos.
One thing that sets me apart from other photographers is I prefer not to shoot weddings. I’ve been asked a few times by friends and others to do wedding shoots but have declined. There are a few reasons I don’t like to shoot weddings. First off, the area is already saturated with wedding photographers. Weddings are also too time-consuming. I say this since you have to do a lot of research per venue. What time will the wedding be? Where will the sun be, what will the weather be like, and so on.
Another thing that sets me apart from other photographers is my firefighting experience. A lot of photographers don’t have the training I have. It’s always imperative to know what’s going on while on scene. What is the fire doing? What is the wind doing? What is your escape route? When I hear a call on the radio for a fire, first I will google earth the location and look for access points. I’m also scanning for ways out in case things take a turn for the worst.
I choose music to go with some of the photo sets I post. Usually the music is what my mood is at the time or what I’m thinking about. The music expresses my emotions. Usually I like to add music to my sunrise / sunset photos.
As mentioned, Every photo tells a story. For me, sometimes it’s a way to tell a story without words.
We love surprises, fun facts, and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
This is a great question. I had someone that works at the airport mention to me that I take photos to get attention. This is true. All photographers want the attention. As I have said in the past. Photographers tell stories through their photos. For me, it’s also how I see things through my eyes. Getting photos out and exposed to the world is a great thing to be happy about.
There is always a story behind the lens.
Staying healthy is another priority for me. I work out at the gym every day. Working out and doing cross-fit is the best thing. Prior to working out I always felt run down and tired. Since I changed my diet and working out, I feel much better and not always tired.
There are always different perceptions with photos.
As I mentioned before, Photos tell a story. There is always a story behind every photo.
I only post a fraction of the photos I take on social media. I choose music to go with some of the photo sets I post. Usually the music is what my mood is at the time. The music expresses what is on my mind, emotions and situations. Usually I like to add music to my sunrise / sunset photos.
Pricing:
- 250 for RAW images
- 150 for JPG photos
Contact Info:
- Instagram: palomar_airportfire_photo
- Linkedin: Ryan Mon
Image Credits
Ryan Grothe
