There are annual events—such as birthdays, anniversaries and holidays—many of us are determined to make pictures of.
One of the annual events I am often called on to photograph is fireworks during the Fourth of July. Here is where I confess, even though I have photographed fireworks for more than a half a century, I never seem to capture the picture I want.
Oh, I have made some acceptable pictures through the years but not one that I felt expressed what I saw and felt.
I surveyed the grounds early where the fireworks were to be launched this past year, seeking every possible angle.
Some cities have hilltops or big rivers running through them, like Pittsburgh or Portland, Oregon. But Dyersville, Iowa, is flat with few bumps we might dare to call hills.
Finally, I decided on a low, grassy spot that afforded a relatively clean, uncluttered view of the aerial bursts. However, as parking spaces grew thin, vehicles lunged forward, parking on the grassy spot I had chosen. Camera and tripod in hand, I had to move or get run over.
Just as I was about to seek another last-minute vantage point, a couple of children put down a blanket between two vehicles and sat waiting for the show.
Hmmm?
If I could get low enough, they might make a good foreground, their shapes against a lit-up sky.
I moved up slowly and stealthily behind them and lay on the ground to see if I could get the camera low enough—off the tripod—to see if I had enough sky to see and capture fireworks once they began.
At one point—still 30 minutes before the show—I had to explain to their father, watching me suspiciously, the photo I was hoping to capture.
As most of you who have attempted to photograph fireworks know, there is a lot of luck involved. That acknowledged, the old maxim, “Luck is where opportunity meets preparation,” was on my side this evening.
After a handful of low-bursting blasts, finally a reddish-pink explosion filled the sky low enough to wash over and even reflect on the parked vehicles.
Reader Challenge
Determine to make a beautiful photograph that captures the spirit of celebration meant by filling the sky with beautiful explosions of color and design. Scout areas and choose the spot first. Then consider using a tripod and slower shutter speed. To create depth and context, foreground is key. Above all, experiment with exposure. Each burst is often a different color and intensity.
Email your best image (just one) with caption information, including an explanation of how it affects you, to gph@pioneer.coop. We may share submissions on our website and social media channels.