Cool Class, Photographer On Fire

Our Wake Tech digital photo class is going to be a sideshow at the NC State fair. It always happens.

Take a dozen beautiful and smart people, cameras in hand and tripods in tow and it is a scene. That is the case even before the tuna and pineapple cans come out.

People will wonder if this is the papparazzi that knows something they don't. Some will stop and look at what is the main subject.

Others will just remain bewildered as they are over fried Coke, roasted corn and the sow that had given birth to a dozen or more pink little piggies. They'll look and think that we are just a club or cult, but certainly not “normal”.

We are used to it. It's hard not to go public when you're trying to get a photo image of the “feel” of the fair.

Monday's class was busy and covered multiple and timed exposures and even writing with light onto media.

Then, too soon, class was over and I packed my little rolling cart.

I approached the exit, managed to get the door open despite my burden and stepped outside.

Just then another sense kicked into gear. I wondered just who would burn a tire and why. I didn't see a fire and the smell turned from rubber to electronics.

THEN, I felt sharp pain in my right thigh and saw a jet of flame push through my twice-worn slacks, a rare pair – not black. I liked those pants.

I was the source of the fire.

During the class I had taken my WT ID badge off and it made its way to the coin and key slot in the pockets – very handy and cool, normally.

Now though, there were 2 bright pennies making contact with a very healthy power cord attached to a 12 volt battery pack I forgot I was wearing.

Volts don't hurt, amps do and I was just ground enough to juice the amps, burn the cable and ruin the new pants after doing a number of my thumb and index finger – the chain, pennies and battery were HOT.

I got a personal charge from the discharge and won't repeat that trip-saving action.

Rarely do I make an ALWAYS or NEVER rule. In this case I can quickly say that if you are putting conductive material in your pocket, don't place a hot power supply on top of it.

I am not smarter now, though it does smart and I have 3 blisters from the chain on my thumb, but I am a tiny bit wiser. And I will miss those pants.

© tim www.timjohnsonphoto.com