I’ve always wondered how people get wonderful photos of fireworks. And now I know. That doesn’t mean I got wonderful photos of fireworks last night, but I did get photos of them! 
We made our way to the largest rock formation in Point of Rocks RV park to watch the fireworks across the valley. Pioneer Park, the site where I participated in the Hike, Bike, Ride fund raiser, is easy to see from a high spot in the Granite Dells.
The evening was perfect. Temperatures in the 60’s, and a nice light breeze (at first). After sunset the winds picked up, and they really picked up.
Finally, while I was taking photos of a constellation (need to look up which it was), my friend Sadira told me the fireworks had started.
I spun the camera around on it’s tripod and got ready to shoot the fireworks. My first photos of fireworks ever.
Two things stood out to me when I started taking photos. The first, the book was right, I should have used my big zoom lens. 
I was hoping to get the mountains in the background. But the second problem had nothing to do with me being a novice. See, the fireworks were super low from my vantage point!
I’m figuring the fireworks were kept low for a good reason. The winds! It’s really dry here, and if any spark drifted too far, who knows? And it was windy, look at the photos and see the direction that the lights are drifting…..that was due to the wind.
The entire display went off well, and seems to have been conducted very safely. I’m glad to have seen it, and it was fun to watch the fireworks from the Granite Dells.
For my first fireworks photo shoot I’ve learned a few things. Bring the big zoom like the book suggested. Should have set it to about 200mm, but the zoom was in the trailer. My second lesson, try to be below the fireworks instead of being eye level with them.
I still like the photos, but this was my first learning experience. Oh, I even shot some video and it might be popping up as a podcast too.
Recently I got a Flickr Account. You can go there to see more of last evening’s photos. Rather than posting them all here, my favorites are now getting posted over there.
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Wonderful Rich! It was too fun to watch them in “real life” and then run (ok, hike carefully down the mountain) and see them all over again…I think you got some great shots. And, they’re certainly less blurry than mine (got to read that book you were waving around in front of my face last nigh I’d guess!)
Wow!! What awesome pictures the two of you got! I give you guys a LOT of credit out there in the dark rock climbing!! Thanks for shaing the Prescott 4th!
Hey, thanks VB! Did you check the flickr photos? Put some nice ones in there as well.
Hey — not bad at all for a “beginnger”!
Thanks Granny J. First time and all. But we’ll see improvements with the next fireworks display…. oh wait, that’ll be a while!