Behind the Fire Line

• Main Author: Petzwinkler, Thomas
• Format: Others
• Published: VCU Scholars Compass 2004
• Subjects: photography; documentary; working; 9/11; firefighter; Art and Design; Arts and Humanities
• Online Access: http://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd_retro/121; http://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1120&context=etd_retro

BEHIND THE FIRE LINEA thesis submitted in partial fulfillment for the degree of Master of Fine Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University, 2004. Major Director: Jim Long, Department Chair. Behind the Line of Fire is a documentary of the professional lives of a group of firefighters. Inspired by the events of September 11th, it has been an ongoing journey for me as I continue to interact with an photograph these individuals doing the job that they live for. My goal for this project has been to work within the guidelines of a documentary, a genre that has a rich, diverse, and defined history. I did not want to show scenes in which firefighters were depicted in typically iconographic scenarios. I have not made any images to date representing exploding structures with firefighters risking life and limb fighting the fire, nor have I shown the firefighters performing heroic acts such as rescuing a child or an animal. I believe the imagery I have created presents firefighters in a different light. These are men and women working. There are no hidden meanings or agendas involved. The photos are to be taken at face value as images of people whose lives revolve around what they do.