Free Wallpaper Wednesday - Setting Fire to Rain

Download Standard 4x3

This week's free Wallpaper is a striking flaming umbrella. There are two versions offered, one is a standard 4x3 for monitors (800x600, 1024x768 and 1280x1024) and the other is for 16x9 widescreen monitors (1600x900).

Download 16x9

Playing with Fire - Setting Fire to Rain

Flaming Umbrella

Glowing Orb - Part One

 What an amazing evening. My friend and fellow photographer, Elizabeth Smith and my wife headed into the dark stormy night with one thing on our minds; setting fire to the world and capturing it on film.

We headed to an a rock quarry that Liz works at by day. Using a few household items and some ingenuity we captured some amazing moments. The above flaming umbrella image was one of many stunning images we captured.

Circle of Fire

 So the trick to accomplishing this is:
Find a safe place where you won't set anything on fire accidentally.

You will need fine grain, type 0, steel wool.

You will need a medium sized wire whisk  like those that you would beat eggs with, preferably one with a loop on the end.

You will need to two carabiners and a length of chain that is about two feet long.

You will need one wind proof lighter.

You will need to long pants and long sleeves and closed toe shoes.

Glowing Orb - Part Two

Put one carabiner on each and of the chain.

Attach the whisk to one of the carabiners.

Unroll the steel wool to allow it to breathe as it burns

Stuff the steel wool into the whisk.

Light the steel wool all over.

Begin spinning the steel wool.

Actuate the shutter.

Walking Fire

 One key is to activate the shutter after you have the spinning started and to deactivate the shutter before the end of the spin.

Remember to keep safety first.

When this stuff burns, it becomes molten.

Never swing it towards any person or object that can burn.

Keep away from dry grasses.

Keep water nearby in case an accident does happen.

Have fun, be safe, and go out and make some art.

Closure

I have been pondering this post for some time, but now I think that the time has come. The reason I have been pondering this is that it is deeply personal to me.

David Wesley Wright II, pictured left and below, was originally arrested in August 2012 for using a child for display of sex. That is the official charge. What he really did is pay a 16 year old girl to text him nude photos and videos of herself.

At the time he was arrested, he was a teacher, at the high school I graduated from, which is the same high school my daughter started attending this year. The victim was not a student of the school, but was rather the child of family friends.

What makes this so personal for me is that at the end of my  fourth grade year David, a sixth grader, began an on again off again campaign of bullying against me. I got a break for two years when David moved on to junior high.

The for the entire year of my 7th grade, David, now a 9th grader in junior high, relentlessly, violently and mercilessly bullied me every day. From waiting outside of my classes, when he could, to hunting me down during lunch. I lived in fear of this person and his friends.

He moved on to high school after that year and I my eighth grade year was spent with a dozen other bullies who likely learned I was an easy target from him, but none as dangerous or fierce as David was. But the bullying continued none-the-less. This was the year that junior high school, grades 7-9,  converted to middle school grades 6-8.

My second day in high school as a 9th grader, David made it a point to find me and let me know he wasn't done. Although the bullying tapered a little and was less violent, David hounded me until his graduation two years later.

This person was obviously a lifelong bully, how else does a 45 year old man get a 16 year old girl to text over 200 to 300 nude photos and videos of herself unless there was some form of ongoing coercion.

I am happy to report that his reign of terror is over. He was convicted and sentenced on April 5th. I feel for his family, a wife and kids, he has all but abandoned now. But oddly enough, this brings a sense of closure for me. Knowing that this man will be behind bars for the next six years and will have to register as a sex offender for life, as well as be on supervised release for ten years, I feel justice has been served for me as well.

I just wanted to share.

To learn more about David:

http://www.gazettetimes.com/news/local/former-teacher-sent-to-prison-for-sex-photos-of-teen/article_dfd70ad6-9e7b-11e2-b95f-0019bb2963f4.html