THIS PAST SUMMER I enrolled in an introductory photography course with a focus on infrared and high speed films. I was hesitant at first, since I'd struggled with mechanics and process during my last photo class back in my sophomore year in high school. But this university class was much different. It gave me a fresh perspective on photography. I was excited and involved, turning inspiration and experience into unique and interesting art.
The photo class had me crawling through sewers, climbing buildings, meeting all types of people, and experimenting with all sorts of subject matter. I would often experiment at night, using flashlights or even fireworks as my subjects. I would hop fences or crawl through mud to get to a specific location if it fascinated me. I loved going on these excursions, searching for different perspectives on the typical or mundane.
A couple of months ago, during one of these excursions, I was injured while attempting to obtain a particularly tricky photograph at a friend's house. I had planned to capture the light from a rifle shot, but when I pulled the trigger, the metal scope kicked back, striking me hard in the forehead. One of the guys who was with me immediately suggested that I get stitches to close the wound.
