Bright lights in a dark skyArva, ON
July 2010
About this photo: It's Thematic Photographic's night-themed week. All week long, we're sharing photos from the darker side of the day. You can, too, by heading here.I've shot fireworks before - most recently this past Canada Day - and I've got to admit it'll probably never get old.
I think that's because it's so unpredictable. Shooting these barely controlled explosions is such a crapshoot, which is what I think makes it as much fun as it is. There are no guarantees. You just set the camera as best you can - all manual, baby; green-zone full-auto shooting just won't work - and hope you get it right for this particular kind of rocketry.
Most of 'em end up riding the curved edge of the virtual round file, but some of them end up surprising you. And that's the joy of it all: Capturing a moment of complete surprise, and drinking in the fact that you managed to snag an absolutely random painting in the sky.
Even neater: It lasts barely a couple of seconds before disappearing forever. You get one shot.
Your turn: Do fireworks hold lessons for our everyday lives?
