A few weeks back, I (along with reporter Lori Weiss) had the privilege of riding along with Elm Grove Police Officer Phillip Doney. While Lori spent an entire shift with Officer Doney, I decided about 4 hours would be enough camera-clicking for one officer to endure. I’m not sure what I enjoyed more: The view from the backseat of a police cruiser, or fending off degrading looks from passers-by, almost as if they were saying, “And what did YOU do?!”
Without going into too much detail about the ride along itself, I can tell you two things: Don’t speed on Pilgrim Parkway, and yes, the officer IS running radar.
I decided to post a few photos from the night with one theme in common: Darkness. Some photographers hate darkness, but I gladly accept the challenge. There’s always light, somewhere. You just have to find it, work it and love it.
I’m not exactly sure where my flash is these days, but even if I knew, it wouldn’t have come out of my bag for this shoot. Don’t get me wrong — the camera I used for these photos is a Nikon D3, and not all cameras can handle these types of lighting circumstances. You can see for yourself how far I pushed the limits by looking at the ISO settings I’ve posted underneath the photos.
Nikon D3, 17 mm, 5000 ISO, f2.8, 1/100, Manual
Phillip Doney, a police officer with the Elm Grove Police Department, returns to his car after stopping a motorist Thursday, April 23, 2009. Wisconsin has a "Move Over Law," Doney said, which requires drivers to shift lanes or slow down in order to provide a safety zone for a squad car, ambulance, fire truck, tow truck or highway maintenance vehicle that is stopped on the side of a road with its warning lights flashing. Motorists who do not slow down can be issued a ticket, Doney said.
Nikon D3, 17 mm, 2500 ISO, f2.8, 1/160, Manual
Phillip Doney, a police officer with the Elm Grove Police Department, tests his radar using tuning forks to ensure its accuracy Thursday, April 23, 2009. One of the most common places motorists speed in Elm Grove is along Pilgrim Parkway, Doney said.
Nikon D3, 17 mm, 5000 ISO, f2.8, 1/160, Manual
Phillip Doney, a police officer with the Elm Grove Police Department, watches a car pass shortly after he issued a citation for speeding Thursday, April 23, 2009. Wisconsin has a "Move Over Law," Doney said, which requires drivers to shift lanes or slow down in order to provide a safety zone for a squad car, ambulance, fire truck, tow truck or highway maintenance vehicle that is stopped on the side of a road with its warning lights flashing. Motorists who do not slow down can be issued a ticket, Doney said.
