5D Mk IV – EF 24-70 F/2.8L – SpeedLite 580 EX II – Pocket Wizard – 30 sec, F/4, ISO 100, Eval Meter

Let me start out by saying this PotD ranks right up there as one of the stupidest shots yet. What started out as an easy shot became one of the more complex shots I’ve taken. But look at it! What is it supposed to represent?

Here’s the backstory:

I went to a few stores today. On the way there, I went to open my sunroof a little but I hit the button for the sliding back window by mistake. When I went to close the window, it wouldn’t budge. Now, I’d had the Ford Service Center look at this once before and they cleaned the tracks. I always thought it was the motor because it did it intermittently after they ‘fixed’ it.So now I have to go to the stores with the rear window half open – something I NEVER do (any window for that matter). Any way, I get home and decide this might make an ok PotD – a documentary shot of the day’s events so to speak.

I took initial shots and didn’t like the glare from the outside hitting the window. I pulled the truck as far into the garage as possible and put down the bed. I then got the tripod and put hit on the bed, and got the flash. However, I didn’t like the hot spot I was getting, even bouncing it off the ceiling. So then I got the Pocket Wizard and set it up for off camera flash. That was better, but no, I have to improve it. So I get the flashlight and decide I’m going to light paint. That changed everything because I needed almost complete darkness. Setting the exposure was trial and error. I needed enough flash to illuminate the back of the truck. Then I needed enough darkness to light paint. I had the remote attached to the camera and I set a 10 second delay. After checking the previous pic, I’d get in the truck, wait for the internal and external lights to go out, and hit the remote. After the flash, I turn on the flashlight, put my thumb over it, and twirl around. Many iterations later, this is what you get. I still don’t know what I was trying for.

Oh, and Ford Service can’t get me in until October 4! 11 Days!

Oh well, is this a stupid pic, or a potential Beauty of Nothing?