Perhaps to commemorate the USA, perhaps to celebrate the launch of my site, or perhaps just because I like fire…
Fireworks have always been a thing of awe for me. So carefully crafted using centuries of knowledge and tradition. And on such a massive scale. And whenever they decorate the skies I find myself thinking of the pleasant and utter simplicity of their storied invention. It is said that the original inventor of gunpowder could think for it no better purpose than a pyrotechnic display. And while the substance behind them has worked wonders and horrors ever since, the art of showing off the beauty of organized combustion is something that always brings to mind the best of celebrations.
As a photo subject fireworks represent just the basics, light, motion and time. In this frame we see the motion of the explosion sure, but also the motion of the wind. And with those influences this is what the light did over exactly one second. After taking stills of fireworks for the first time I have never been able to look at them the same. So many details, like the wind effect, the exact play of colors, the trail of slight misfires, etc. are just lost in the bulk of a proper display. But even when I’m caught without a camera to freeze each blast I would still agree with the ancients who thought this was the best purpose for black powder.
Incidentally, not long after this exposure was taken, I very nearly set the small cruise ship under my command alight while attempting my own celebration under the guise of “deckhand parachute flare training.” Luckily, parachute flares are designed to extinguish before they can fall back onto your ship…
It sounds like fireworks consumption will be uncommonly high this 4th of July, which I think sounds pretty excellent, but remember, with great fireworks comes great responsibility. Stay safe out there ;-)
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