The photograph was captured on a hot, steamy night in July of 2000. The storm had been quite a display of energy and lightning. Once the main part of the storm had passed, it was safe and reasonable to try to capture lightning (during the storm, the rain was too heavy).

I had taken night shots of the Trade Center on previous nights. However, this night seemed like the perfect time for a lightning capture. The storm has passed, the skies had less humidity (less fog), the rain had stopped, but the clouds were still filled with residual energy. I set up my camera and snapped away. I came away with 3 World Trade Center lightning photographs, but 2 of them were too dull. This one was different...

I was tired and down to my last frame (24). I was looking away at my computer screen with my finger on the external trigger. On the wall behind me, I saw a flash and pressed the trigger. I turned to see the lightning flickering for another half second. I gently released the trigger to close the shutter. I had hoped that I had captured the shot I wanted.

I received the photographs back a few days after film development. Oh my, what a shot! It had come out great.

I went to my local camera store to have prints made. Hudson Camera in Jersey City is the place to go. I had some 8x12s made. They looked fantastic. I had some 20"x30" prints made... What quality! I could see the furniture inside the closest lit buildings. Every lit window in the Trade Center was viewable. I was floored...