A Photo Journalism Experience

In 2013, I was working full-time as a photojournalist when a massive warehouse fire broke out in Chicago. It burned through the night, and by the time I arrived the next morning, temperatures had dropped to below zero. The fire department had been battling the blaze for hours, and everything—cars, trucks, barrels, and even the walls of the building—was encased in thick ice.

At first, it seemed like all the action was happening at the front of the building. But my experience as a photojournalist taught me to never settle for the obvious angle. I walked the perimeter and when I got to the back, I was met with a truly surreal scene.

Two firefighters were at the top of a ladder spraying water into the smoldering building, surrounded by a cloud of smoke. A third firefighter was on the ground, walking around, keeping watch on his colleagues above. The icicles clung to every surface. I waited for the moment when the firefighter on the ground looked up—visually connecting him to the others and tying the entire composition together.

I shot the image handheld, as I would in any breaking news situation. The goal was simple: document the story truthfully, carefully, and respectfully.

Recognition

More than a decade later, the photo was selected to represent Team USA in the 2025 World Photographic Cup in the photojournalism category. It received the silver medal, was awarded Best in Nation as the highest-scoring image submitted by the U.S., and contributed to Team USA’s overall first-place finish.

To be honest, I never expected an image created during my news photography career to be recognized on that scale today. It was humbling, especially because the picture wasn’t made for competition.

Looking Back

That photo was taken during a different chapter of my career. Back then, I was shooting for outlets like Reuters, the Associated Press, and The New York Times. A few years later, I began transitioning more into commercial photography and portraiture, and now I spend much of my time teaching lighting and helping other photographers develop their own skills.

Still, Below Zero is a reminder of where I started. It’s easy to get wrapped up in lighting diagrams, modifiers, and all the things we do to sculpt an image—but sometimes, the most powerful photos are the ones where you simply show up, compose carefully, and press the shutter at the right time.

A Note from Mark Weber, Marathon Press – John Gress helped lead Team USA to victory in the World Photographic Cup in 2025! Check out his workshops if you want to learn from one of the absolute best in the industry, and don’t miss out on his incredible Lighting Handbooks.