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4th of July Fireworks
Over the Hudson River, looking towards Manhattan. My favorite gold-sparkly ones!Happy Birthday America! Wow. Over 40,000 shells in an array of colors ranging from the predictable red, white and blue to the dazzling gold and silver shimmers and even green, orange, turquoise and purple, juxtaposed with the black inky waters of the Hudson and the steel and concrete skyline of Manhattan. These pyrotechnics were certainly part of the largest fireworks we’ve
ever seen. Andras even stated (unprompted, mind you) that a day spent sitting on a New Jersey sidewalk was well worth it, and that he was very glad we didn't decide to call it quits when it started getting hot and we were looking to run out of a water. That should tell you how amazing this was.
Because we found ourselves in a major metropolitan area this 4th of July, we decided to fore-go the traditional cook-out/picnic/sparkler route and do what those in the nation's most populated areas do on the fourth - sit around in massive crowds enduring sweltering heat while waiting to watch things explode. Whoo! U-S-A! U-S-A! Anyhow, kidding aside, we
did decide to put in the time and effort to grab a front-row seat to the largest fireworks display in the country, the Macy's
Waiting for the Fireworks
Stephanie, center, with our newly made 4th of July friends 4th of July Fireworks Show launching from six barges in the middle of Hudson River. I knew there were going to be massive amounts of people lining up at the designated Manhattan access points, so to avoid the crowds I suggested we take the ferry over to the Jersey side, figuring we’d also have the benefit of the New York skyline in the background providing geographic context. This idea, if I do say so myself, was brilliant. And because it made perfect sense, I assumed that hundreds of others would have come to the same logical conclusion. Thus, we left
well in advance to secure a good spot. That idea … wasn’t so great. And in fact led to a very, very long wait in a parking lot of a residential housing complex.
When we arrived at the ferry terminal in Weehawken, we headed down the river boardwalk in search of a park that I had vaguely gleaned existed through a quick internet search. The further we walked, the more security guards and temporary fences we encountered blocking off access to the best parts of the waterfront. At one point I actually asked a guard if they were cordoning
So Many Colors!
Out of focus, a bit, but it just captures the essence so well. off areas to establish check-points, only to be told that we were walking through a private residential community and that we, the “public,” should go to the park at the opposite end. Well that park, turns out, was closed. Who closes a waterfront park, one with a baseball diamond no less, on the 4th of July?! That’s downright un-American. Anyhow.
Returning to the boardwalk we found a decent bench and prepared ourselves for what was now going to be something of an eight hour wait. Another guard came up and told us “residents only” but after inquiring, politely and quite earnestly, where else he would suggest we go he decided to let us stay, reasoning we had “come all this way” (from Manhattan? Really?! Alright...) and just to say we lived in the building behind us if one of his coworkers came to kick us out. Phew! Even though we were getting extremely hot, low on water, and, only an hour in, had already run out of interesting things to do, that we had been granted permission to stay in an otherwise private area I took as a sign that this was where we should stay. But then, shortly
Towards the finale...
Loved watching the light reflect and shimmer off the side of the buildings. thereafter, the same guard returned and informed us that - resident or no – the mayor had instructed them to remove
everyone from the boardwalk for security reasons. So up to the parking lot we went.
The view was still unparalleled, but laying blanket down on the concrete didn’t seem that comfortable. Now we had to decide – do we look somewhere else and risk losing the spot? Do we stay and tough it out? I walked back to the ferry station to pick up what extra provisions I could find and by the time I returned the temperature had cooled somewhat tolerably. Re-hydrated we figured it was a pretty amazing spot, all considered, so settled in. By now there were maybe a dozen other individuals, including an Italian freelance photographer whom we struck up a conversation with. I, without a tripod hoping to take shots of fireworks in the dark, was now feeling more than a little foolish (but I dare-say I certainly managed!).
Six hours later, after watching the most stunning urban sunset imaginable and befriending an older couple from New Jersey, the five of us stared in awe, listening to the radio telecast of the
Streaks of Light
Again, even though it's not perfectly in focus, I think that's what gives it it's charm. live musical accompaniment, cameras clicking away for the thirty minute show. It was certainly one of those events you have to partake in at least one, given the opportunity. Spectacular!
And we have video (finally)! I happened to capture the tail end of the part set to John Philip Sousa's 1896
Stars & Stripes Forever, the National March of the United States as decreed by Congress. Can't hear most of it because of the explosions, but ... fun to know of all the pieces of the musical score that's when I switched over to momentarily take some video. Think I struck a good balance between SLR, video and just watching the show! Also took a sequence I'm calling "Evolution of a Skyline" capturing the changing colors as the sun set. Pretty excited I'm finally figuring out how to shoot in low-light. Enjoy!
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