The madness sets in...

The madness sets in... · 03:32 PM

So as some of you may know, I work in the summer as a helicopter pilot for a firefighting crew in Nevada, USA... Well it's been a slow season and sitting around the the desert heat is starting to get to the guys

... someone had hair clippers...

"if you guys do hawks, I'll shave my eyebrows..."

I admit I went over the top a little on post processing - I think "over the top" works for the subject matter

.

**Marc Langille** · 07-10-2009, 04:06 PM

Nice.... !!!

Did you participate???

heliphoto · 07-10-2009, 04:56 PM

Originally posted by Marc Langille

Nice.... !!!

Did you participate???

- I would have, but I had just had my hair clipped pretty short, so it wouldn't be much of a mohawk... who knows what the future may hold though

...

Igilligan · 07-10-2009, 05:04 PM

Bored boys with clippers... It can get downright dangerous!

fractal · 07-10-2009, 05:37 PM

Last shot is awesome. What lens did you have mounted for that shot?

heliphoto · 07-10-2009, 07:24 PM

Originally posted by Igilligan

Bored boys with clippers... It can get downright dangerous!

Quite true Gus - at least everything was voluntary in this case (well there may be a bit of peer pressure involved

).

Originally posted by fractal

Last shot is awesome. What lens did you have mounted for that shot?

Thanks fractal! It's my favorite of the series too. That was with the DA 10-17mm Fisheye.

Damn Brit · 07-10-2009, 07:37 PM

Next week you can all give each other Brazilian waxes.
I don't want to see the pictures though.

Niki · 07-10-2009, 07:56 PM

its the Mohawk Madness!

you all are due some fun for all the hard work you do
great shots heliphoto!

LOL @ Gary....Brazilians....

heliphoto · 07-10-2009, 09:05 PM

Originally posted by Damn Brit

Next week you can all give each other Brazilian waxes.
I don't want to see the pictures though.

Gary - with thinking like that you could easily become an honorary member of the crew

... Trust me that joke has already been made here, and I'm hoping they were just kidding

Originally posted by Niki

its the Mohawk Madness!

you all are due some fun for all the hard work you do
great shots heliphoto!

LOL @ Gary....Brazilians....

Thanks Niki - it's the hard work they're missing, but they sure are capable of doing some hard work when the times comes.

ve2vfd · 07-10-2009, 11:11 PM

Cool pics!

Glad to hear it's a slow season, my buddy is back down your ways for the summer season (he's in Paramedic school in Montreal in the off season).

Pat

dazman · 07-11-2009, 04:18 AM

Men and boredom...damn, we come up with fun & smart things to do! I could write a book.
A fun series of images Josh. The hair cuts suit the boys...did you get a hawk?...or a Pentax logo

**Sailor** · 07-11-2009, 06:22 AM

Terrific series, Josh. Well shot and well presented.

Jer

heliphoto · 07-11-2009, 09:23 AM

Originally posted by ve2vfd

Cool pics!

Glad to hear it's a slow season, my buddy is back down your ways for the summer season (he's in Paramedic school in Montreal in the off season).

Pat

Thanks Pat - These guys rely on a busy season to make any money... without overtime they're hurtin' for pay, so they're pretty bummed it's a slow season.

(hurts my pay too

).

Originally posted by dazman

Men and boredom...damn, we come up with fun & smart things to do! I could write a book.
A fun series of images Josh. The hair cuts suit the boys...did you get a hawk?...or a Pentax logo

Men and boredom - my life in the fires service (there's your book title daz.

). My hair's cut too short for a hawk right now, but maybe later - you never know.

Originally posted by Sailor

Terrific series, Josh. Well shot and well presented.

Jer

Thanks Jer.

ve2vfd · 07-11-2009, 09:42 AM

Originally posted by heliphoto

Thanks Pat - These guys rely on a busy season to make any money... without overtime they're hurtin' for pay, so they're pretty bummed it's a slow season.

(hurts my pay too

).

Oh darn, didn't know that... well then slow season sucks

I thought base salary was adequate, we barely get any overtime here so we don't count on it at all.

The only good thing about a slow season is that it keeps everyone safe.

Pat

heliphoto · 07-11-2009, 09:59 AM

Yeah Pat, a lot of these guys are GS-3s and 4s which looks like between $10 and $11 an hour, forty hours a week base from mid May through August (for those who are returning to college after the season - september for those not heading to school). They hope to have 600 or 700 hours of overtime at a minimum. Certain crews like Hot Shots can get over 1000 hours of overtime in an average season, but this season they're likely still in the low hundreds - brutal! My base pay is adequate, but considering I only worked ten days from early October last year through May this year, I too need to build up the savings during the fire season.

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07-10-2009, 05:04 PM	#4
Igilligan Guest	Love the last one Josh Bored boys with clippers... It can get downright dangerous!

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07-10-2009, 04:06 PM	#2
Marc Langille Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: NW Arkansas, USA Posts: 4,710	Nice.... !!! Did you participate???

07-10-2009, 04:56 PM	#3
heliphoto Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Region 5 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,539 Original Poster	Originally posted by Marc Langille Nice.... !!! Did you participate??? - I would have, but I had just had my hair clipped pretty short, so it wouldn't be much of a mohawk... who knows what the future may hold though ...

07-10-2009, 05:37 PM	#5
fractal Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Melbourne Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,547	Last shot is awesome. What lens did you have mounted for that shot?

07-10-2009, 07:24 PM	#6
heliphoto Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Region 5 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,539 Original Poster	Originally posted by Igilligan Bored boys with clippers... It can get downright dangerous! Quite true Gus - at least everything was voluntary in this case (well there may be a bit of peer pressure involved ). Originally posted by fractal Last shot is awesome. What lens did you have mounted for that shot? Thanks fractal! It's my favorite of the series too. That was with the DA 10-17mm Fisheye.

07-10-2009, 07:37 PM	#7
Damn Brit Guest	Next week you can all give each other Brazilian waxes. I don't want to see the pictures though.

07-10-2009, 07:56 PM	#8
Niki Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 244	its the Mohawk Madness! you all are due some fun for all the hard work you do great shots heliphoto! LOL @ Gary....Brazilians....

07-10-2009, 09:05 PM	#9
heliphoto Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Region 5 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,539 Original Poster	Originally posted by Damn Brit Next week you can all give each other Brazilian waxes. I don't want to see the pictures though. Gary - with thinking like that you could easily become an honorary member of the crew ... Trust me that joke has already been made here, and I'm hoping they were just kidding Originally posted by Niki its the Mohawk Madness! you all are due some fun for all the hard work you do great shots heliphoto! LOL @ Gary....Brazilians.... Thanks Niki - it's the hard work they're missing, but they sure are capable of doing some hard work when the times comes.

07-10-2009, 11:11 PM	#10
ve2vfd Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Montreal, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,433	Cool pics! Glad to hear it's a slow season, my buddy is back down your ways for the summer season (he's in Paramedic school in Montreal in the off season). Pat

07-11-2009, 04:18 AM	#11
dazman Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 1,949	Men and boredom...damn, we come up with fun & smart things to do! I could write a book. A fun series of images Josh. The hair cuts suit the boys...did you get a hawk?...or a Pentax logo

07-11-2009, 06:22 AM	#12
Sailor Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Coastal Texas Photos: Gallery Posts: 26,205	Terrific series, Josh. Well shot and well presented. Jer

07-11-2009, 09:23 AM	#13
heliphoto Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Region 5 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,539 Original Poster	Originally posted by ve2vfd Cool pics! Glad to hear it's a slow season, my buddy is back down your ways for the summer season (he's in Paramedic school in Montreal in the off season). Pat Thanks Pat - These guys rely on a busy season to make any money... without overtime they're hurtin' for pay, so they're pretty bummed it's a slow season. (hurts my pay too ). Originally posted by dazman Men and boredom...damn, we come up with fun & smart things to do! I could write a book. A fun series of images Josh. The hair cuts suit the boys...did you get a hawk?...or a Pentax logo Men and boredom - my life in the fires service (there's your book title daz. ). My hair's cut too short for a hawk right now, but maybe later - you never know. Originally posted by Sailor Terrific series, Josh. Well shot and well presented. Jer Thanks Jer.

07-11-2009, 09:42 AM	#14
ve2vfd Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Montreal, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,433	Originally posted by heliphoto Thanks Pat - These guys rely on a busy season to make any money... without overtime they're hurtin' for pay, so they're pretty bummed it's a slow season. (hurts my pay too ). Oh darn, didn't know that... well then slow season sucks I thought base salary was adequate, we barely get any overtime here so we don't count on it at all. The only good thing about a slow season is that it keeps everyone safe. Pat

07-11-2009, 09:59 AM	#15
heliphoto Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Region 5 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,539 Original Poster	Yeah Pat, a lot of these guys are GS-3s and 4s which looks like between $10 and $11 an hour, forty hours a week base from mid May through August (for those who are returning to college after the season - september for those not heading to school). They hope to have 600 or 700 hours of overtime at a minimum. Certain crews like Hot Shots can get over 1000 hours of overtime in an average season, but this season they're likely still in the low hundreds - brutal! My base pay is adequate, but considering I only worked ten days from early October last year through May this year, I too need to build up the savings during the fire season.