Search and Rescue

[KimC]

This week I was invited to attend an annual certification for search and rescue dogs. Most of the dogs were members of the State Police; however, there was one Labrador that was a member of the Department of Environmental Protection. Photographing this group was a bit more difficult as I had no idea what to expect, and it was a cold, drizzly day.

They set-up a mock disaster area for the dogs to search (it was on a military base, so it's something they add to, and never take down). It's mainly large pieces of concrete, an upside down boat, and a school bus. On this day, they were searching for live bodies.

During the warm-up, the handler is allowed to climb over the rubble with his/her dog as in #1.

#1


During the actual test, the handler is not allowed to go on the rubble with the dog; they can however, call out commands to the dog (one dog knew left and right which rather amazed me). Dogs in images 2 & 3 are independently searching.

#2


#3


When the dog finds the body, they signal to the handler by barking. The handler then goes up the rubble to see if the dog did in fact find the person buried in the rubble. The head instructor notes the find and the dog is recertified. As a reward, dog is given their ball. Image 4 displays this.

#4

[mknittle]

Nice set Kim.

[Shadowman]

Nice series.

[deetheturk]

Great captures and information to go with each image, well done Kim, and how amazing are these dogs!

[DEAN01]

Great series, Kim, shows the working relationship between dog and handler. Well done as usual.

[KimC]

Thank you Mark, John, David and Dean. I appreciate your comments. This opportunity has been the absolute best -- I just love watching the dynamics between the handlers and dogs, and I love capturing the moments for them. When I get to hang out with them, it always makes my week.

[IzzieK]

Kim, wonderful shots, especially the white labby in #2. You have captured its white fur there ever so good. You are lucky to have been accepted in their group...and now I missed my Coopers more -- it would have been nice if he had not died a week before he was to join his first SAR classes.

[Dave Humphries]

Another good series Kim,

I always enjoy these 'canine at work' sessions you shoot.

Thanks, Dave

[KimC]

I'm so sorry these were a reminder of Coopers Izzie. I didn't realize you were going to do SAR with him.

Thank you for your comment.

Kim, wonderful shots, especially the white labby in #2. You have captured its white fur there ever so good. You are lucky to have been accepted in their group...and now I missed my Coopers more -- it would have been nice if he had not died a week before he was to join his first SAR classes.

[KimC]

Thank you Dave. I'm glad you do :-) I was rather surprised as this has been a very popular set with them; personally, I prefer my new K-9 class as I have started to develop a nice rapport w/them and that connection is showing in the images.

Another good series Kim,

I always enjoy these 'canine at work' sessions you shoot.

Thanks, Dave

[Mike Buckley]

Wonderful combination of narrative and images. This is a great example of images that require an explanation to fully tell the story, and there's not a thing wrong about that.

[KimC]

Thank you for taking the time to comment Mike.

Wonderful combination of narrative and images. This is a great example of images that require an explanation to fully tell the story, and there's not a thing wrong about that.

[bnnrcn]

Nice series Kim I especially like the first image. Did you use a long lens for the shots ? I tried but couldn't see the exif data for the images.

[KimC]

Thank you for your comment Binnur. I had the 70-200 on for these images. The data on the first shot was ISO 320; 1/1000; F5; 100mm.

Nice series Kim I especially like the first image. Did you use a long lens for the shots ? I tried but couldn't see the exif data for the images.

[bnnrcn]

Thank you Kim. BTW I remember Mike saying in one of his posts that ' photographers write f/5 not F/5'

Thank you for your comment Binnur. I had the 70-200 on for these images. The data on the first shot was ISO 320; 1/1000; F5; 100mm.

[KimC]

Thanks for the reminder - I'm not sure why my brain doesn't remember that. I just burnt it in...

Thank you Kim. BTW I remember Mike saying in one of his posts that ' photographers write f/5 not F/5'

[bnnrcn]

Mike said that in someone else's thread a long time ago Kim. It is possible that, you may not have seen that thread as you weren't very active in CinC in the past

Thanks for the reminder - I'm not sure why my brain doesn't remember that. I just burnt it in...

[Ndukes]

Nicely caught Kim.

[KimC]

Wish I could say that; it's been mentioned to me before. ;-)

Thank you Kim. BTW I remember Mike saying in one of his posts that ' photographers write f/5 not F/5'

[KimC]

Thank you Neville

Nicely caught Kim.