I am almost (not quite) feverishly preparing for a joint show (muestra in Argentine Spanish) that I am going to have with Argentine painter Nora Patrich at the Vermeer Gallery in Buenos Aires in mid-September of this year.

While doing this I have been trying to convince Patrich to get us a sitting with the former Argentine president Cristina Kirchner.

I would never just face the woman and click a few times with my Fuji X-E3. I would want to do this in my own personal style using a softbox and flash attached to it. So I took out my venerable Norman 200B (read what this is in the above pair of links). Then I thought what would happen at the Toronto Airport security when they found the Norman pack in my carry on or in my luggage. On the right you see a very large wedge-shaped nicad. Would they object? Then there is the fact that the battery (it is brand new) might give me 50 flashes. What if I plan (I am) in taking portraits of my Argentine family? This would mean taking the heavy charger. But. Electricity in Buenos Aires is 220.The charger is built for 110. This could easily be solved by any of the many transformers that Patrich has in her house.

Then on a trip to Kerrisdale I went into Kerrisdale Cameras and spotted a small, light green plastic flash unit, a Metz, that has no battery but must be plugged in. It does not look like a bomb. It would fit easily in my luggage and in Buenos Aires I could use Patrich’s transformer.

I ordered the unit at Leo’s Camera. Jeff Gin instantly answered to tell me that it was ordered and that (yes!) the unit can be plugged into anything from 90 volts to 220.

I feel a bit guilty in leaving my trusty Norman behind but this solution seems to be the best.