I arrived in good time and had time to prepare to photograph the fireworks. I brought everything I needed in my large backpack, yet as I was setting things up, I realized that when I transferred some gear from my larger backpack to a small backpack that I didn't bring my camera tripod plate to securely fasten the camera to my tripod with the camera plate. I also realized that I had an older cable release, so it was going to work with this particular camera that I brought. I even read posts from Scott Kelby and Joe McNally about photographing fireworks, so I knew what to expect. Time is of the essence and at times photographers are in a rush and can forget things. It's important to lay gear out and ensure everything is packed for a shoot. Originally I was going to bring both my larger and smaller backpacks, even while riding my bike, but I opted for traveling light and intended to bring the essentials of what I needed. I was disappointed, especially as it was too late to go back to my larger backpack in my car, but I was going to do what I could with what I had at the moment.
So I waited till the first launching of the fireworks and then kept clicking away to capture the glorious fireworks. I could hear music in the background and the oohs and ahhs of the crowd gathered to behold the fireworks and celebrate the Independence of the United States of America.
I think the photos came out pretty well, considering I was resting my camera on my tripod and using the camera's timer and a slow shutter speed. The pictures looked okay from the back of my camera, but the real test was in downloading my pictures and seeing them on my monitor. I was rather pleased with the results and learned some lessons for next time. Without some risk and pressing on when things seem hopeless, there may not be a reward in the end, and I'm glad I decided to press on to do what I can in getting the best shots I could, considering everything. Happy Birthday America!
