[Image911]

As a firefighter, I have seen some rather spectacular images dancing in the flames. Dragons and their kind DO exist where I work.

In my duties, I am often called upon to photograph the scene... and, occasionally get rather "up close and personal" with my subject! Thus was the case with a house fire that got a bit too warm - very fast... when the super-heated gases in a back bedroom unexpectedly exploded out the only exit it had... the window just a few yards away from me.... throwing me nearly a dozen feet away. As I was in the air, I continued to shoot. This image was part of that series. In this photo (now used as my PDA's screen background) you can clearly make out a Phoenix rising out of the ashes... complete with wings!

The afternoon sun was often blocked by the thick, black smoke that poured from the house... but, with the bust of hot air that was followed by the rolling flames - the sun looked like it, too, was melting in the sky. Oddly enough, it's placement on my screen lined up perfectly to accomodate the HTC Home layout's email number location!

We use the larger version of this photo as our monitor background on all of our office screens.