Sunday, July 03, 2011

Community Photo Challenge - Fireworks

This is my submission for Community Photo Challenge - Fireworks.  I had a bunch to choose from (see my previous post).  What I liked best about this one was the kid pointing up at the fireworks as they went off.  I had some others with boats in the foreground, but this one just felt like summer to me.

Keep Makin' Art!
Carl

12 comments:

Dave King said...

I think you chose the right one, though they're all winners in my book.

Carl said...

Thank You Dave. These were a 'blast ' to take ...
CS

Carl said...

Thanks Adrian.

MariesImages said...

Not sure if my comment went thru...had problems signing on, but I just wanted you to know that i love this image....excellent composition. Glad you joined in the challenge!!

Carl said...

Thanks Marie! Looking forward to next one.

Carl

Victoria Fatum said...

Awesome! All the firework shots are. The colors are wonderful. I love the addition of the people watching the show!

Carl said...

Vicki - Yeah. I felt the same way. I had fun composing with the boats... but my favorites are with the people. the street light gave just enough illumination for me to not have to fill it in with flash and lose the feel of it.

Ellen said...

Hello,
This is a great photo. It tells a story. It's well thought out and absolutely perfect.

Vicki said...

Carl, I love this one. Having the audience in the photo (and, yes, the boy pointing upward) was a great way to shoot it. Great job!

Carl said...

Ellen and Vicki - Thanks so much!

krissy knox said...

Carl, this is the first time I have visited your blog. From what I have seen so far, it's spectacular! I love this photo, and how you took the audience with the fireworks. I love your composition, not only the technological end of what you do w your photography, but also how you "see" a scene, and the way it should be taken. You can see and feel what should be taken by the camera. I have often asked photographers what made a shot "special" in their opinion. They have always give me a technical answer, such as what filter to use, and such, or even how the lighting should be. while these things are very important, none of the photographers have mentioned that the shot should evoke something to the one looking at it, or that it should tell a story. I haven't been told that this is what a picture should do -- explain a story or express a feeling -- it's just something i've come to believe. i've tried to find books on the subject, and as i stated, talk to photographers on this subject, so now i am asking you -- what do you think makes a good photo?

krissy knox :)
my main blog: Sometimes I Think
let's connect on Twitter: http://twitter.com/iamkrissy
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Carl said...

Krissy - Thanks for stopping by.

I have been thinking a lot about your question today. I think the process of making a photo is indeed different for everyone, but I will take a stab at describing first how I got to this point and what it means to me. My Dad spent his career woking in photolabs (I followed in his footsteps for the first 15 years of my working life) and my mom painted oils when I was young and recently picked watercolor. I am a watercolorist as well and think that that has helped me to develop a scene in my head to some degree before I shoot it. Until a few years ago I would have spoken in technical terms about the images I produce as well, but if you shoot a lot and develop your craft you become so comfortable with your camera the technical stuff becomes automatic like breathing. It took a lot of reading and photographing and workshops with some truly great photographers.... but at some point I got there. That is not to say I am not constantly learning new things, but the base has been built up solidly enough that I can go to place I want to shoot and set up to get the best exposures possible and really start to think about what I want my image to look like and what I want it to say. Many of my images are about subjects that just please me in there beauty in some way and I want to share what I find in the scene. For me the road to expressing photography as an art was thru technical mastery first. I have known plenty of folks who prefer not to get bogged down in the technical aspects, but have a wonderful eye and a great sense of design and make wonderful images as well. I hope that helped answer your question and I look forward to more from you.

Carl