It was the end of a busy day with the judges for the 4th annual Saint Louis Photography Club photo contest, as we went through over 200 images submitted by our members. We worked from 9 to 5 on the viewing and judging of the images, with me showing the images and our judges, studio photographers Don Love and McArthur Smith and photojournalist Wiley Price entering their judgements while Donna Burch, our IT professional, collated the data (now I need to notify the winners so they can make prints for our annual show).
So it was after dark that I set off for Forest Park, with the idea of light painting in mind. Stopping on the side of Skinker Boulevard I hustled up the embankment that leads to the Kennedy Forest Savanna to visit some of my favorite trees and aim my 10k candlepower beam at them. I was there for a bit before moving to Kumbaya Glade for a few shots and then moving north to the edge of the golf course for some Lone Tree photos.
I was satisfied with just one spot, so I wandered all over the park, stopping briefly by the Grand Basin to accost a bandit (photo) and spending some time at the Vandeventer Gates before trying the McDonnell Planetarium. It was there that I discovered the First Friday celebration, the steampunkers (I handed my cards out), got some great traffic shots, wandered around outside the building, and lost one of my new mittens.
The Art Museum was my last stop for night photos. It was as I was hustling towards the back of the building that I realized one of my mittens was missing (the left one), but I continued with my mission of photo art before going back to the Planetarium where I found in in the guard station at the far end of forever. All in all, it was a good night.
Did I mention the ghost?
Matilda! It’s cold outside, get in here and put some clothes on!!