Portrait of a Responder: Eric Kaltenmark

"I am an emergency services photographer working to document full-time and volunteer emergency responders in action, during training, and behind-the-scenes."

- By Eric Kaltenmark

I respond to emergency calls or attend training events at their departments or throughout the state to get these images.

I accomplish the behind-the-scenes work by spending a day or more with an individual or a department. I photograph the daily events, training, and calls and then document the visit and interviews as part of my Portrait of a Responder project.

My gear varies based on my shooting situation. For example, I have a 17mm or 17-85mm lens camera when shooting inside a vehicle. I will use a tight strap to help steady the shoot and keep gear out of the way. When shooting a fire scene or training event, I use two cameras, one with a 17-85mm for scene shoots and my immediate area. I have a 70-200mm on the second camera for distant shots and capture portraits of the responders in action. I do not use flash on night fire or accident scenes but adjust my position or ISO to compensate as much as I can. The emergency lights and scene lights also provide supplemental and impactful lighting.

The first responder portraits for my Portrait of a Responder project are an opportunity to pull together equipment, uniforms, and gear with bright or contrasting color combinations. I shoot most responder portraits with a 17-85mm lens and prefer afternoon sunlight as my light source. I will use flash or continuous lighting when indoors.