Electrophotography, as pioneered by Semyon and Valentina Kirlian, uses electricity to excite and then photograph conductive objects. The results can be truly amazing, or a serious blow to one’s self-esteem.

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In other words, this style of photography is a minefield of hard problems. Each must be solved for individually, then geared to operate as a whole. The tricky part is firing this deranged device several hundred times each minute and not electrocuting yourself. Important to remember.

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They say Kirlian photography is like doing astrophotography, except in miniature, with enough caffeine in your belly to drop an elephant. This is an understatement.

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First, there is barely any light. It’s only emitted from the object itself, in the form of a corona, as you electrify it. This means you must grab every photon you can from this glow and block out any ray of light that feels differently. Dark room, therefore, another understatement.

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And, since photons are so precious in the Kirlian method, the camera needs to be as close as possible to the object. So good luck focusing AND finding an aperture that can still make a black hole blush.

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Oh, and since every camera is now semi-digital, all that EMF spraying out of your high voltage power source will eventually do a number on any silicon delicacies in its immediate vicinity. Fix this before it’s too late, and remember don’t die in the process.

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Once past these uglies, don’t worry there are plenty more. Ample ammo for the inner artist to feed on, crack open the skull, see beyond.

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A task this formidable is its own reward.

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KIRLIAN and the secret life of bio-electric beings

8x10, full color, 69 original photographs