The idea of juxtaposition photography is a popular one. It inspired the contents of this photo. I asked my 30-year-old friend Scott Young, an industrial safety consultant and former Tampa Electric Lineman, to pose for this picture in his arc flash protection suit, sparking two high-power wires together (in a completely unsafe manner). He and I had worked together on an electrical project several years before, and I remarked on how cool the suit, especially the mirrored hood, looked. The idea for the shoot eventually came together in my head, and this was the result. You get by with a little help (and posing) from your friends. What a great sport.

He brought two thick pieces of cable, and I purchased some extra-large sparklers that we lit and he crisscrossed together.

He is lit with two flagged speed lights behind him, out of the frame on the camera left and right, and a beauty dish above the camera position. We took a couple of shots with a light actually in the helmet to light his face. They came out okay, but I liked the obscured face with the reflection of the spark and his gloves better.

The plate (background photo) with the transformer and fence/signs was taken behind a shopping center and composited in post.

Technical: Gear: Canon EOS 5D MK IV, Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L USM @ 24mm

Exposure: 1/60s @ f/5.6 ISO 6400 Lighting: Practicals (sparklers) 2 speed lights for rim and 1 studio flash for key (beauty dish).