Fire, especially at night, has a distinct allure to it. This one, with a well-lit body of fuel, the wonderful roofline, the weighty beams bending up to the sky and the smoke and steam bending and curling around the eaves- it was all a visual feast borne out of much devastation. Tragically unnecessary, but beautiful in some dark way at the same time.

It was sad and beautiful at the same time, waiting for the last crack and groan of the central beam to collapse. A cultural campfire like the world had never seen before, as helicopters fanned the smoke and firemen doused the swooning roofs helplessly. Namdaemun was collapsing finally after more than 600 years, and Brian was just one of many standing there to watch in an awestruck emotional cocktail of fear, lament, and fascination.

“Is it sick that I’m taking pictures of this…and can’t wait to get home to cut and crop and brighten the flames?” he asked Miko, whose breath could be seen in the air as she shivered in her pink fake fur lined coat.

“I don’t know…” was her distant reply. Next to her an old woman was weeping silently, holding her grandson’s hand, who looked confused and curious at the same time.

“This is the saddest place in the world right now. This circle in the middle of the road.”

It’s interesting how closing things down a stop or a stop and a half can completely change the light on the sides of the gate. I particularly like the sharper line of the slightly darker pics with the more even lighting on the front.

This one would have been really, really cool if they had stopped it down a bit- the tunnel of light is very interesting.

I hope the links come out and the spam catcher doesn’t chew this up.