Draw and Mag Change Challenge

[Triad]

I keep my gun higher than that during a normal reload. I can see both the gun and the target at the same time.

Thanks for that info AB - he was having a hard time lowering his gun for this photo.
I wanted everything tight and compressed for the photo. Not so easy to get everything just right without a little artistic license and some direction.
I had him do the drill at least 30-40 times, in a row, wrong way, just for the photo.
Hope it didn't screw up his kung-fu after that for a while.

I'd like to photograph you doing drills some day out at the range.

[NJC]

insert high speed camera joke here.

[AB]

I'm in for that, Triad. The camera is a great way to critique things!

[0utlaw]

This is assuming keeping eyes on the target while reloading, as this officer did while demonstrating combat reload for my camera?

Great picture! I was going to comment that his hearing protection wasn't going to do any good dangling from his neck but if you're swapping an empty mag for another empty mag I guess it's not that loud.

[Jafar]

Is he dropping a mag by using his bird finger?

[0utlaw]

Trigger finger

[0utlaw]

South Paws

[Rumbler]

Is he dropping a mag by using his bird finger?

Yes he is.

And in the FWIW department I can definitely corroborate Triad's "this is a photo composition as opposed to genuine action" statement. I've worked with this guy. Morgan (his name) is one bad motor scooter for real.


. . . even if he shoots with the wrong primary hand.

[Triad]

This was a working photo and was during the process of getting a "real" one, which I can't show. As discussed, many takes in order to get the final image. Morgan was a real sport and it was an honor to work with him (also Kevin). I agree with Mike - he is totally tricked out. In other "real-fire" photos, I had to trust him fully, and in his case (as well as other trained professionals during this photo shoot), it was easy. Completely professional and highly skilled. Again a real honor to work with him.

You don't get this close without complete trust - trust they won't accidentally shoot you, and trust that their close-quarters training won't fail. In order to get the action shots I wanted, the camera lens angle had to be just right, in order to capture barrel flash, I had to be almost in the line of fire:



These are some serious highly trained professionals. Once I explained what I was after, they answered my questions about safety to my satisfaction and we went ahead, without a hitch. It really is an honor to get an inside glimpse of their world, one that is not often seen.

The training AB is talking about is so critical, and I was impressed at how good these guys are.

Looking forward to working with you, one day too, AB.



Consider that one is right-handed, one is left-handed - it meant that their normal "front foot forward" had to be changed in order to get this photo. A few drills and good to go - right in step and in sync.



What training aspect so ingrained, is evident in this photo, above? (Bearing in mind this is a split-second image capture).
Answer relates to the OP.

[Jafar]

There goes that whole ball of the foot thing. Good quality photos though.