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For my second firework sequence at State College, Pennsylvania, I decided on a single lens and longer exposures. Whereas I took as many as 300 photos last year, I came away with 70 this year - but I was very pleased with the results. The longer exposures allow more of a "story."
Following are 10 of my favorites. The thumbnails open to larger photos (varying from 60 to 90K).
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Fire blossoms: Three fireworks started as one color and transformed into another, which is rather atypical but make excellent blossoms.
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Feathers and spirals: Rocket trails and spirals were new this year (that is, I don't remember seeing any last year).
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A merry sky: The longer exposure is terrific for catching extra detail.
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Red bursts: Or pom-poms galore.
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Golden dreams: Delicate - if that's the correct word to apply to a firework sequence.
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Tangle in blue: An outer space beastie with a red heart.
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Red progression: The life of a firework, from bright burst to gentle fade.
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Dazzling sky: And pulsating with life.
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The launch: The prelude to the finale consisted of rapid rocket launches and low fireworks.
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Finale: Every type of firework of the previous hour was thrown into the sky.
Photography note: All the photos were taken with the Pentax *ist D and the Voigtlander 125mm macro lens (with a Pentax 2x multiplier). The Voigtlander is a sharp lens, but what surprised me was that the focus was slightly off infinity (tested in daylight), although the fireworks were over a mile away.
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