We headed over to the street festival around 4pm yesterday afternoon. They closed off one of the main roads in Bettendorf and put a band on either end, the street between was lined with vendors. There were t-shirts, handmade jewelry stands, airbrushed tattoos, face painting, and of course – food.
Normally, we have about $20 to spend for a family of four. Needless to say, there were no frivolities in previous years. One lemonade, two funnel cakes, two glow sticks. This year, we were prepared, and we even had an extra guest. For the first time in a long time, I didn’t have to share my funnel cake. I even had my own hand squeezed lemonade and a corn dog! We splurged on airbrushed tattoos and hand made friendship bracelets, and spent a few dollars in the kids carnival area for the girls to bounce and play on air rides. (What do you call those things? Blow up toys? That just doesn’t sound right.)
The glow sticks this year were super cool – this is Chickeymonkey’s, she kept twirling it and I was already set to Fireworks mode on my camera – so this is how it looks when it’s blinking and being twirled.
Here are some of my favorite fireworks shots from our 2008 Fireworks display in Bettendorf, Iowa. (the best fireworks display in the Quad Cities!) Keep in mind when you’re looking at these photos that I had my camera (a Panasonic Lumix FZ50) in my lap, had it on Fireworks and infinity burst – and held it as still as possible. I wanted to watch the fireworks this year instead of see them through my camera – so they are literally “Point, Click and Pray” shots. I didn’t edit these shots but to crop them and give you a closer view.
Ready? Set? Boom!
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
#10
#11 EDITOR’S PICK : My favorite shot – Looks like a Dandelion, doesn’t it?
#12
#13
#14 I call this one “The Chickeymonkey Jitter”
#15
#16
#17
#18
#19
#20
#21
#22
#23 As always, a very grand finale.
Explosions you could feel all the way down to your tippy toes.
#24 Topped off with a great red white & blue combo, of course.
#25 The last shot on my camera for the night.
“The End”.
{14 Comments}
Amazing fireworks shots! I love the dandelion one too!
Stunning! I see why you like this camera so much.
amazing pics – my fav is the one you picked out, but they are all great!
I don’t think my camera has a fireworks mode – it has a few but I don’t think fireworks is one of them. I think I really need to get to know my camera better. lol.
Love the airbrush tattoos too. :thumbsup:
In your lap???? Really???? These are about the best fireworks photos I’ve ever seen!!!! :beret: I might just go dust off my Panny…
Okay…trying to figure our who the body parts belong to. There are 4 of you, right? Looks like all females…or does Marc have toenail polish on too? :giggle:
Amazing shots!!!!
Great shots! I was wondering what one of those waterfall bursts would look like on “film.” Who needs to take your own fireworks shots when we have yours…LOL! Awesome pictures!
Great photos! I like the dandelion one too. My favorites are always the ones at the end that make your jeans shake.
Great Photos! “The End” is cool!
Pretty!
I took about 400-500 and kept about 10%, too. Funny how that works.
Curious about your settings for shooting. I ended going with ISO 400, auto white balance, and around 1/8 sec.
Looks like a good time was had by all. If you scroll up or down quikly the fire works seem to be bursting.
My favorite, as strange as it may seem is the last one, though I love them all.
I have a Panasonic Lumix, different model, but it is broken, and even though I read “how” you did it: How did you do it? :clapping: Amazing.
Ooh, the tattoos are pretty! And it sounds like you had a great time! I miss funnel cake…they have oliebollen here, which are similar, but just not as good.
They are stunning. Wish I could have seen them.
Chickeymonkey Jitter is my favorite…but dang those are all good! Next thang ya know, I’m going to be e-mailing you asking questions about photography! Aren’t you sorry you got me interested?? :rofl:
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