That's my grill I'm playing with. Honestly, I came up with the concept minutes before attempting it, and because I have had a little success with fire in the past, it did not take long for me to know what aperture, what ISO, what shutter speed--in fact, this time, I did it without thinking; I took three shots and this was the first take! Focus, yes, could be better, but in a matter of seconds, I threw my camera on a tripod, kept the backdoor light on so I could do an "approximate" focus (my food was on there cooking and I didn't want brick steaks), then cut the light, hit the button, and boom, a night fire shot.
Now, how come the flames are there? Was I TRYING to ruin dinner? Nope. Because the shutter was open, I had some leeway to get in the shot (quickly as not to really BE IN THE SHOT). I took spray olive oil, ran over to the grill just after hitting the shutter, and shot a spritz. Flames went up, and then boom, boom, DONE.
And so was dinner--one of our favorite meals: steak, rice, and kale chips.
(feel free to stop reading--for personal retrieval later)
Today, I have some celebrations:
1. My uncle who was all last week in the ICU for bacterial meningitis AND pneumonia has just entered a rehab clinic, and it looks like he will recover (it's been a very rough week for my family up there--he was unresponsive for at least 2 days). He's a miracle man. I'm so thankful he's going to pull through. He's been such a powerful influence on my life!
2. I officially finished all "work" items -- education consulting contracts, done. Tutoring, done. School Governance stuff, done.
3. My children are almost done with school and my freshman looks like she will finish her first semester with all A's. That's phenomenal considering her schedule--I was never, and still never will be, a brain like both of my children. I'm the flighty, never-makes-money, but Jill-of-all-Trades kind of gal.
4. My cousin's birthday is today (daughter of my uncle) and she's such a gem. My uncle's birthday is tomorrow, so what a gift.
Something I mourn:
My aunt's mother died Tuesday and I found out today. So while I'm excited my uncle is going to be ok, and my cousin is turning another fabulous year, I'm sad for my aunt because honestly, she's a rock. You should meet her--she's what I call an all-time woman idol. I think I've worshipped her from the first moment I met her. She's so smart, so talented, so fun, so wicked capable. I can't go into it here (you just have to trust all my multiple "so's"), but I mourn the loss of her mother, especially during such a rough time emotionally and physically with these weeks running into each other. Her mother would have been 100 in a few days.
Sorry for the long narrative fusing together photography technique with the news of my family. Last year, on the 21st of December, just before our holiday party, we received notice that my mother-in-law fell in Mexico--she didn't survive ultimately, but there were days of not knowing where the wind would turn. My December seems overshadowed with that experience. I'm on edge, waiting for something to come my way that will send me reeling again, and I know that's illogical. But my body reacts like olive oil on flame. Boom.
Wishing you a much better December than last year! It is kind of straddling the fence right now.