So, recently I’ve been fixated on long exposure times and creating images with a burst of light on a virtually black background.  Our friends Jeff and Jan Cleveland, photographers extraordinaire (check out their site The Clevelands), stopped by yesterday to give us a remembrance plant (the wonderful hibiscus on front stoop) in honor of Sarah’s step father, Dale, who passed recently. Anyway, our discussion (as does any discussion amongst photogs) led to photography. They were saying how a photographer they had heard of will shoot a reception hall with a long exposure time and manually blast a flash at important parts of the room thereby creating an image of the room strictly formed by where he chose to fire off the flash. I thought, “that’s cool. I have to try that.” So, after darkness completely enveloped our home I made my way outside to attempt this cool approach to creating an image. A concerned neighbor called out of her door/window (it was dark and all I heard was a voice) asking what I was doing. I guess seeing flash after flash pop out in the distance one might have thought it was from the muzzle of a gun and some gov’t commandos were having a bin Laden raid here at ole 730 W. Washington. As you can see I still have much to learn – check out the ghost near the door and the visible origins of light. A little more planning, time to spare (thirty second exposures really add up when you’re experimenting) and some interesting gels on the flash could add that certain element lacking in this first foray. Well, that and letting the neighbors know what’s going on before hand.