affect their habits. As I started shooting, I adjusted
my exposures constantly to account for the fading
light. In order to get the composition that I wanted,
I placed my tripod on a steep, rocky path and had to
steady it during the long exposures. Normally this
wouldn’t be a big deal, but the fireflies were very
interested in the camera and, by extension, in me.
I stood completely still while they crawled all over
me—my arms, my hair, my face—and tickled my
nose and cheeks. From what I observed, peak firefly
presence happens for only about 20 minutes each
night, so I had time for just a few tries.
On the last night everything came together. The
weather cooperated. I had improved my method
for focusing and composing in the dark with quick
flashes from a powerful flashlight—and I’d grown
accustomed to insects on my face.
I was rewarded with the image you see here. Each
speck of light is one of several bursts that a firefly
makes as it travels within a 30-second exposure. You
can trace the insects’ paths: Some make small loops,
like those in the bottom center of the frame, while
others move steadily in one direction or another.
The first time I visited the fireflies, I didn’t have
the pressure of trying to capture and convey this
wondrous scene. I was just immersed and completely
enchanted. That will always be my favorite experi-
ence with these luminous creatures. j
Kirsten Luce most recently photographed wildlife tourism for
the June 2019 issue of the magazine.
JULY 2019 39