I was recently gifted a picture I took a while back, except this time it was enlarged and framed. I love photography, and for a little while had access to a DSLR and was able to create some amazing shots. You don't necessarily have to have a DSLR to make or take great pictures, because I have taken so pretty good shots with an Iphone, but ultimately the DSLRs do take better quality shots, and can allow for better trick photography such as this shot.

This picture was actually taken several minutes after the rain had stopped. In the background, which isn't really visible, there is a roaring, and I mean raging, Los Angeles River no more than several steps behind the my friend who is in the middle of the shot. I give him much thanks because the ramp was wet and a little slippery, so it took quite a bit of courage to do what he did.

Fortunately, everything was wet, and I had planned out what I wanted to do very well ahead of time. I had my game plan well figured out, so that my camera settings, the distance and all the needed equipment that was needed to make this trick photography shot happen was ready and accounted for. My friend and I had even rehearsed his part of spinning around the burning steel wool (which really isn't burning as much as smoldering) before going out late into a cold and wet night.

When we arrived at the location, under the 6th St. Bridge in Downtown Los Angeles (which no longer exists), we had to go through a long, dark, graffitied and stinking tunnel to reach the ramp that leads down into the river channel. We also had to contend with some of the homeless that live down there, but they left us alone for the most part. It took no more than 3 attempts to get the shots that I needed, of which two pictures came out really nice looking in my opinion. As I stated earlier, it had just stopped raining, everything was really wet, and we didn't bring a fire extinguisher, but yet I still had to put out some fires that ignited due to the flying embers.

Now that the first pictured has been framed, I think it is time for the second one to be framed as well, but I think it should be framed exactly as I have it above, with a split down the middle with a white border around each piece. I just think it looks better that way.

Comments, suggestions or questions let me know.