I decided I had achieved my goal, when someone said this photo has an air of mystery. . . Who is she? Who is that man she is walking towards? What kind of building is that in the background? I made up my own story about a Handsome Prince waiting for his Fair Lady to arrive, while contemplating the repairs he needs to make on his dilapidated old castle. In reality it is a candid shot of my daughter-in-law walking up to where my son is standing, on the grounds of the Garfield Park Conservatory in Chicago. The building is just an old abandoned factory of some sort.

I was out practicing my night photography on Sanibel Island over the Christmas holidays, where this view along the side of Baileys General Store caught my eye. During the daytime, this area would be bustling with people. There would be hot glaring sun in the parking lots to the left and behind me. I probably would have been run over by a car where I was standing. This night scene evokes a more peaceful and solitary feeling, so different from daytime.

Baileys General Store has been serving the needs of the residents of Sanibel Island for over 100 years. I believe it is still owned by the latest generations of the Bailey family. When it first opened in 1899, Sanibel was a farming community, now it is a tourist mecca. As the needs of the island changed so did the wares for sale, which is undoubtedly why it is still a thriving business.