A belated fourth

Happy belated 4th to everyone. A little late, I admit. But I had to work.




All I really had to do was take a shot of the fireworks. It was suppose to be simple. I arrived extra early so I could plan the perfect shot so it would make front page. But nothing ever goes according to plan. About 30 minutes before the fireworks was to start, I had chosen my angle, framed it to perfection, got to know the people in front of me really well. Also had a very nice storyline. And then the guy over the speaker says: "Everyone please seek shelter. There is a storm coming."

And so I lost my angle and my story. Waited in the car for an hour. I was hoping it would get cancelled so I wouldn't have to scramble to get something on the spot.

But of course, the fireworks were still on. People flooded back into the stadium and before everyone even settles down and just like 30 seconds after I set up my camera... the fireworks started. My silhouette plan totally did not work and the people faded into the darkness. I needed a face so I turned to my right and shot the first person I saw. She was holding an umbrella. Thank goodness for unplanned compostional elements... and then 3 shots of her and it starts pouring and the fireworks rushed to an end. Everyone runs away, I chase down the lady for a name, get very wet, rush back to edit, all just so I could get a very tiny pic on the jump in black and white. Of the lady and not the fireworks. woot.