I took one of my tutorial students to photograph in the old state capitol building in Phoenix. While there, we had a chance to make some images of local high school students getting a first-hand look at Arizona’s history in the 100 year old House of Representatives chamber. The room is set up exactly as it looked when Arizona lawmakers created the state’s constitution in 1910. Each desk bears the name of a legislator. The students are listening to a guide, who tells them the tale as a story. I made this image to tell a story as well – the old chandelier, primitive desks, and huge flag draped on the wall offer a sense of both time and place. My high vantage point thrusts the desks into rhythmic diagonals, which blend the rows of students and long-gone legislators into a single entity. Even more important is how I’ve made the light play a significant role in this story. It starts strongly at the back of the room and then fades to darkness at the front, where history still holds its mysteries for these students.