Evolution of a Flashaholic.
Each of us starts off as children, whether figuratively or literally, in our journey as flashaholics. That first squeal of glee as a handheld device emits a bright light has been uttered by everyone here, children all for a brief battery-powered moment.
The dominance over darkness, and thus the unknown, has a potent appeal. Possessing such influence over the very thing that propelled our Paleolithic quest for fire is something that transcends the sum of its parts, reaching back to touch something in our prehistoric collective consciousness. Modern Man, surrounded by all of the trappings of technology and society, is nonetheless still impressed.
The LED era has brought even more of us into the fold, allowing for hitherto unfathomable quantities of illumination to be wrapped in ever-shrinking packages. This truly is the Golden Age of Lighting.
There is a path to be followed, and while not all of us make our way down the same trail, a well-lit route is guaranteed to all.
Stage One:
This is the sometimes overwhelming process of discovery and education, where nascent flashaholics are molded and shaped. Forums are discovered, and packages seem to appear magically on the doorstep from lands afar, filled with the new wonders and quite a bit of pre-popped bubble wrap. These formative years can put strain on relationships and bank accounts alike, so great care must be taken here to avoid overindulgence. Lumen count is often the most important metric to a Stage One flashaholic.
Stage Two:
This is a period of further research and investigation, where strange new words like “flood-to-throw” and “recoil” are added to the vocabulary. Being a time of evolving taste and need, some end up spending more time here than others. This is also when a bit of chemical experimentation usually occurs, typically with some form of lithium-based products.
Stage Three:
Having sampled many things in stage two, the flashaholic’s palate gravitates toward more refined offerings, finding that several specialized tools are better than one full of compromises. This is the era of the Flooder, the Thrower, and all things EDC. Lux numbers seem to carry more importance to a Stage Three flashaholic than ever before.
Stage Four:
Here we find the flashaholic entering the era of tint-snobbery and sub-lumen appreciation. Lights that were once acceptable are now discarded in favor of those with a more pleasing CRI, Kelvin, or spectral distribution. The recognition that sometimes “less is more,” often brought about by children or a significant other, leads the stage four flashaholic to seek out lights with such diminutive output that they are often dismissed by those in the earlier stages.
Stage Five:
This is the stage of dissatisfaction, engendered by the realization that there is nothing commercially available to truly suit one’s needs. The modification of existing offerings, or sometimes wholesale conception/creation is the only way to achieve satisfaction at this point. Tools are acquired and machinery is purchased, all with the desired end result of achieving the elusive goal of handheld illumination Nirvana.
Stage Six:
Full circle. The hope that the next generation of flashaholics will have it better than this one. Darkness.
Am much more pleased with several of my lights due to this discovery.