“Mom only said not to play with matches. These were lit with a blowtorch.”

Ah, the joys of Fire Poi on a full moon. The sight of swirling orbs and other objects engulfed in combustion, combining with the rhythmic drumming drumming drumming, and then the smells of grass, white gas, and the slight pungent odor of my camera bag and arm hair being ever so slightly singed as I go in too close for a wide angle shot of freshly lit performers. (full moon not appearing in these images due to celestial angles being in conflict with the event timing.)

Even though there would have been less camera flashes from the plethora of photographers at a red carpet event, this was still a stunning experience to behold with a diverse group of drummers giving a varied metronomic pace to those in the middle of the surrounding observers painting their fiery work of art.

A unique lighting situation to say the least, I had used my flash initially to try to freeze the dancers in the midst of their traced light, but shortly moved to pure fire and ambient light. This I feel highlighted one of the few guidelines I have often heard other photographers also follow - remain flexible but have an idea of what images you want to capture. That evening I certainly had the flexible component, but without an idea for what images I wished to capture, I spent far more time than I would have liked looking for moments that I did knot not yet know.

Oh well, for as much as I was there for the photos, I was equally if not more so there for the entertainment and the experience.