It was only a "Drill" but...

For this Photographer, the day was very real, and I took my job very seriously just like all of the other students and Medical staff did on this particular day:

"It was just a regular day for a bus load of students who had participated in a camping trip when suddenly they found themselves involved in a deadly crash..."  and so the scenario began ...  

This past Wednesday on the Campus of Calhoun Community College in Decatur, I had the awesome opportunity to participate in the "Mock Disaster Drill".  The Drill took place in front of the Health Sciences Building and the purpose was to benefit primarily the students in the Medical/Emergency program at Calhoun. As a photography student I had the opportunity to participate as a photo journalist.  I wiped away tears in between shots, and fought back more, keeping it together, telling myself of the job I was there to do.  I truly got caught up in the atmosphere, hearing the screams of the students, I was on the "scene" just as the sirens were turning the corner and the students were wandering aimlessly crying out for help.  (Wow, they did an awesome job...  I told them, they will be in the Fine Arts Dept next in Theater!) ...  I listened as one student tried to push her way past medical staff, crying out, to get back on the bus, to look for her cell phone, to call her parents... students devasted to learn of a friends injuries... "Is he dead...Is he dead???..." ... the problem was that "yes", some of the students were going to be "tagged" as "DECEASED" ... and I made the mistake of knowing who those were (I met them earlier...).  I found it impossible to take close-up shots of those "bodies" all I could think of was "What if their parent's saw this in the newspaper?" ...  My instructor later reminded me that I could be a "Forensic Photographer" and they needed that photo for evidence, and so I blew it! (of course I told him, I wasn't a Forensic Photographer! :) ... ) ...  but he was right, I should have taken the shot for evidence just the same.  It was just too hard for me at the time.  Then of course I thought of the student(actor).... by the way, not dead... who would like to have seen himself as the actor (sorry about that!) ...  One of them I did get a shot of "accidentally" .... 

It was a day of adventure... and a day of hands on learning, that I am really thankful for...and in the end... I believe if it did come right down to it, I think I could do it, I think I could cross over from "Mom" to "Photo Journalist", because capturing some of those images was an incredible experience that day ...

Capturing Hands On Experience,
Tina  :) ..
 http://www.tinawrightphotography.com/

  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Huntsville-AL/Tina- Wright-Photography/281608874156