susan solo photography blog

Today I had a unique opportunity to photograph something very different and new to me. My new friend, Corey, (who is dating my very dear friend, Coelle) had one of his “final exams” this morning and I volunteered to take some photos for him and the other students. Final exam to me usually means a pencil-and-paper test, but Corey’s final exam happened to consist of entering a burning house and extinguishing a fire. Corey is a volunteer firefighter in the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department, and today was their live burn practical exam. I totally love that photography allows me to learn more about various things - to be honest I had never really thought about how fire fighters practice putting out fires. Today I gained up-close insight as to exactly how that practice takes place. I hope the company enjoys having these photos, and I hope that in a very small way I was able to give back to these brave men and women who put their lives at risk for the good of the community.

The live burn took place in Vienna, at a home that was scheduled to be demolished.

Dozens of firefighters and EMTs were involved in the activities.

Students (in the red hats) took turns working on teams for each burn.



This is Corey, hamming it up a bit for the camera:

Corey, explaining the various pieces of gear:


This was one of the last burns of the day:



Coelle pointed out this cool silhouette in the doorway:

All smiles during clean-up:

“And these are my gloves…” (I love how the kids are completely in awe!)

Last night I had the honor of participating in something different and very special. I attended the National MS Society Ambassadors Ball as a volunteer photographer and witnessed an amazing charitable event. The ballroom of the Hilton Washington was all decked out for the ball:

So many fabulous items were up for bid in a silent auction, and so many people opened their hearts and their wallets to try to win the items and to raise money for a great cause. I know what Chris would’ve wanted to win:

And I know what I really wanted to win! (Yes, that’s a real yellow lab – she’s 10 weeks old!)

A few international performances provided entertainment for the evening:

How cute is this little one?!


Once the dance floor was open, The Wright Touch had everyone out on the floor for the rest of the evening, showing off their best moves.

I’m thrilled to have been able to help out in some small way, so thank you to Sarah, Hilary and Abra for inviting me out! (And it was nice to meet you too, Emily! Please do email me anytime about photography. You’ve got a good eye, girl.)