Fire is one of the oldest tools utilized by humankind as a species. Throughout history, the flame has been worshipped, harnessed, or set free to cause great destruction. It has been employed to light our homes, cook our food, forge our tools, and smite our enemies.

I chose to show an example of fire, harnessed. This image depicts a glassmaker in Venice, using flame to soften a bar of glass for shaping. Centered in the isle of Murano in the Venice lagoon, the Venetian glass trade has thrived for centuries, due to its relationship with fire. While the generation and application of fire has changed over time, this elemental form of energy has driven the development of this society and formed the building blocks of their industry for generations.

This image was shot in 35mm black and white film, using my old Olympus OM2, during a photoworkshop I attended in Venice, Italy. I found the process of glassmaking to be particularly interesting, given it's long history and the mutability of the materials involved.