I took a light painting class last night, which was a lot of fun. I have loved messing around with long exposures since I first learned how to use a SLR in the 9th grade or so, when I’d take “ghost” pictures. I still take a lot of long exposures; most of the pictures I take of water, including those I’ve posted over the last couple of weeks, are long exposures taken through a 9-stop neutral density filter, which I do to make the water “flow”. Light painting was something I knew I’d be really into, so I’d probably have signed up for the class anyway, but when I saw it was taking place at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, I jumped at the chance to run around that place after dark (I’ve also shown up for Meadowlark’s biannual “photographer’s days” when they let you in before sunrise – Meadowlark is at its most awesome outside their normal operating hours!). And last night was the PERFECT night to be set loose there after dark: it rained quite heavily during the lecture part of the class (which took place in the old log cabin that is usually all locked up!), then stopped before we went out to photograph, leaving behind a thick and delightful fog, the full moon obscured by moving clouds. Even when I was standing around waiting for others to take their pictures, I was happy just to take in the beautiful atmosphere. I’m ALL ABOUT getting more into light painting…now I just need to find a buddy who finds it as fun as I do so I don’t have to go gallivanting around by myself in the middle of the night.