After a less than stellar first attempt at photographing our fireworks this past New Years, I decided to try again with my shorter lens and my tripod. I'm so excited with how some of these turned out!

I struggled to get any good ones of the kids though. "/ We had the twins over, so there were extra kids. And they were moving super fast! I had my shutter speed pretty slow since it was so dim when we got started, and I wanted to capture some of the light trails.

You get the gist.  Lots of fun!  :) — You get the gist. Lots of fun! :)

I failed on the sparklers again.  So, apparently I should get giant metal sparklers.  The morning glories in general suck!  They'd break off, and even though I got the big ones, they still were fairly short-lived.  "/ — I failed on the sparklers again. So, apparently I should get giant metal sparklers. The morning glories in general suck! They'd break off, and even though I got the big ones, they still were fairly short-lived. "/

The kids liked them in spite of the fact that flaming torches would break off of the stick they were holding.

We pulled the Expedition out of the garage so Wallace could sit in it and still enjoy the show with us. On New Years he ran in the house and watched from the windows upstairs which just seemed sad to me. I think he appreciated the new set-up. I did the same thing when I was little. I wouldn't even get out of the car for the tanks or chickens. If it made noise, I was gone. I laid up there in the back window of my Mom's old t-bird for the entire time sparks were flying. By the end of it last night, all 3 of mine were in the Expedition. :) Next year I'll be sure to turn on the AC for them. "/ They were little sweat balls before it was all said and done.

I think this was my favorite picture of the fireworks, but I'm not really sure how impressive it will look on a tiny cell phone screen.  I think I just like the orange against the blue. — I think this was my favorite picture of the fireworks, but I'm not really sure how impressive it will look on a tiny cell phone screen. I think I just like the orange against the blue.

And I decided that the actual burst of the explosion didn't look very pretty, so I deleted most of those.

It was super windy, so everything trailed off to the left.  :) — It was super windy, so everything trailed off to the left. :)

This one reminds me of jellyfish.  :) — This one reminds me of jellyfish. :)

The finale was a bit crazy.  :) — The finale was a bit crazy. :)

Anyway. That was about it. I still think shooting fireworks from below has an element of luck to it. You don't know which direction one might fire off toward, and you almost have to anticipate when to fire the shutter...Anyway. Can't wait to try again in January. :)