Lawrence Haftl's Place

LarryHaftl.com
Information for Editors

Home	Wildland Fire Section

WHAT I DO	IF YOU NEED SOMETHING
I've worked full-time as a freelance journalist, photographer and videographer for the last five years. I've had more than two hundred articles and numerous photos published in national and international publications. One of my video products won a regional Emmy. I take my work seriously and hope the content of this website will convince you that I do it very well.	...about any aspect of boating or other matters maritime... ...about any aspect of wildland fire... ...or about nature, natural gardening, and edible landscapes... ...CALL ME. I can provide you with well researched, informative and interesting media products on these subjects. Email: Lawrence Haftl
GOT A TIGHT DEADLINE?	This website is self-edited
Many of the articles I've posted on this website were done under tight deadlines. Several were delivered the day after they were assigned. One feature length article was delivered only six hours after the original assignment. I can't promise that kind of quick response all of the time, but if you've got a hole to fill and only a short time to fill it in give me a call. Maybe we can work something out.	What you see is what you can expect to get if you hire me. I don't claim to produce absolutely perfect copy, but I hope you'll agree that my copy is not a complete nightmare to work with.

Suggested articles and photos...

You are certainly welcome to read anything posted on this website, but I would recommend you read the following first:

The Miller's Reach Fire (or download the Text Only version) -- This was the first story I wrote for Wildland Firefighter Magazine. Prior to writing it I had never seen a wildfire and have never been anywhere near where this fire occurred. Nor have I ever met in person any of the people quoted in the article.

I am a journalist first and foremost. I don't need to be an experienced firefighter to write an article about firefighting that is accepted as valid by firefighters. I don't even need to do interviews in person to get critical information and great quotes (but it helps). I can't catch fish in a rain barrel but I can write a good fishing article. Gave up hunting with firearms and archery equipment more than a decade ago but I can still "take you there and get you to smell the wood smoke." The point is, just because I've never written about a particular topic doesn't mean I can't produce a great article about that topic.

A small demonstration of this is the brief New Forest Service Parachute product review with its accompanying letter to the editor. And no, I've never jumped out of an airplane with, or without, a parachute.

The closest I've come to doing a first-person article is Anatomy of a Forest Fire (or its Text Only version).