Lightning strikes

"A firefighter rescues a small dog, as others extinguish remaining flames, after 816 Sherrill Dr., was stuck by lighting, in Pylesville, Md., Tuesday, June 9, 2009. A neighbor notified firefighters that no one was home and that he had been in contact with the homeowner. Two dogs were safely pulled from the fire."

I was heading up to a friend's house for a cookout and I noticed the sky getting darker and darker.

The temperature was impeccable and so was the light, so I rolled down the windows and creeped down the road shooting from frames from my car.

The further north I went on my 20 minute drive, the more sinister looking it got outside. I was literally driving right into the storm. Alas, the rain started and before I knew it, it was hailing.

It was a long, slow drive and I'll admit I was a bit freaked out. I have never seen hail so big and the wind blowing so fierce. But eventually I made it through and pulled over in a school parking lot to watch the storm that I survived from afar.

That's when I saw a fire truck go whizzing by. It wasn't hard to follow the sound of the truck and the smoke of the fire.

A house had been struck by lighting and I made it there shortly after a handful of surrounding fire stations.

I threw on my rain coat and a ball cap, and ran up and started shooting. It was pouring rain and all I had was my a 35mm and one camera, which I had wrapped in a pair of rain pants to keep dry.

No one was home during the blaze, but the firefighters pulled two dogs from the blaze.

After I left, I realized that not only did I not have all my gear, but I didn't have my computer either.

I ended up e-mailing the paper three raw photos from K's computer, including the above. But I doubt they will crop it or tone it in the same manner as me. I guess I'll see in the morning if they run it.

Alas, I think this photo is OK, but it is what it is considering I shot with a 35mm, had limited access and is what I call a "super-crop."