the ghost in the staircase

i like trying different things with the camera to see what different looks i can create. the following pics are from the same...photo shoot?? yeah i actually conduct photo shoots with myself from time to time.

at any rate, this first pic is the intial pic i had in mind when i decided to be the subject of my own shoot. in a nutshell, i turned the flash off, the camera picked up on the light in the background and is able to snap the pic with the silhouette look. i also obviously put the camera in timer mode, pushed the button to take the pic, then trotted back upstairs to my 'deep thought' pose. apparently going shirtless makes one seem more 'deep'.






now the second pose was significantly later in the evening and after i had loaded them to my computer library. after reviewing the pics, i figured i would try a shot with the background off and the only lighting would be from the lighter/cigar combo. the only problem was, because i was the only person present, i couldnt exactly light the cigar AND snap the pic simultaneously. so i improvised and walked right up to the camera, lit the lighter directly in front of lens, then turned around and again trotted to my posing position. im guessing that because there were a few seconds of darkness and maybe i was moving some, the picture came out this way where im actually partially invisible! i got some what mad because i tried and tried to duplicate the pic yet came up short. i still got some pretty cool shots but nothing like the 'ghost in the staircase'.