Hey Everyone. I just wanted to take a moment to relate my experience of going into Boston for their incredible 4th celebration and to thank everyone who made it such a wonderful, exciting and safe adventure.
First of all, I drove up from Cape Cod to Braintree, Mass around noon. I was caught in a incredible thunder and lightning storm. I stopped at the Braintree mall and hung out there for a couple hours, waiting to see if the rain would stop. It didn't. I decided to bag it for the day, thinking I didn't want to get caught in those downpours carrying my camera equipment. Plus, I figured the fireworks would be called off due to the storms. I drove back home.
No sooner than I got in the house and turned the TV on to a local channel covering the celebration in Boston, the reporter announced, "Looks like we are going to have clear weather for the fireworks and another wonderful 4th of July celebration here in Boston". I couldn't believe it. I grabbed all my gear, loaded up the truck and headed back off Cape to Boston. I opted to leave my truck in Braintree and take the T-Train into the city. Well, I haven't taken the public transportation in years, normally driving myself into the city but since some of the roads were closed, I thought this would be the best way to get to the heart of things.
When I got to the train station, they had modernized the ticket sales so now you get your tickets through a vending machine. I had no idea what choice to make as far as what type of ticket since there were several choices. Luckily, (and I do feel lucky), there were a group of local high school kids also going to the fireworks. There were 8 of them. I asked if they knew how to work the machines and they showed me. I got my tickets but had no clue where I should get off. They said, "just follow us". On the train they joked around and had a good time but they were all well mannered and incredibly responsible for their ages. What a excellent group of kids.
Once we got into Boston, it was a matter of walking a half mile down to the waterfront by the Charles River, through the crowds of people. There was an army of Boston Police and State Police. I stopped and asked where I could get some good photos of the fireworks and was told, several places that would be good but almost impossible due to the amount of people crowding along the banks of the river and also the trees lining the river. As I walked along the road, next to the Esplanade, I heard a familiar voice over the loudspeakers. It was Steven Tyler of Aerosmith. He and Joe Perry were joining the Boston Pops in the Hatch shell for the opening songs before the fireworks. I couldn't see them as I was walking down the road but I could hear them loud and clear. Tyler was belting out, "I don't want to miss a thing", and "Sweet Emotion". It was awesome and the Boston Symphony was backing him up. Even better.
Finally, after walking for about a half hour, I arrived at the waterfront location that the Police officer recommended to shoot from. It was wall to wall people. I was so disheartened. I thought I wasn't even going to be able to see the fireworks. All of a sudden, the first blast of the fireworks started and the crowd shifted locations. I found myself at the bank of the river, front and center in front of the barges, where the fireworks were being ignited. I couldn't have gotten a better seat if I paid for it. I didn't think I was going to have time, or room, to set up my tripod but was able to get it so one leg was in the water and the other two on land, which made it stable enough to do some long exposures. When I first turned my camera on and tried to shoot, I kept getting a error. On looking closer, I realized I left my CF card in my computer at home. LUCKILY, I brought extra ones. !Whew! I was VERY close to the display and it was unbelieveably incredible. I wasn't sure if any of the shots came out at the time and would have to wait till I got home to really see.
At the end of it all, I walked the half mile back to the train station and got back to the Cape at 2AM. Having to work in the AM, I just wanted to dump the shots to my PC and take a quick look. I waited patiently while the card dumped and as soon as it stopped I opened Nikon View and browsed the images. I got some great shots. I have to process them later tonight but mostly, I wanted to share what a incredible experience it was to be at the Boston celebration AND how great the people were. From the 8 kids on the train to the Police and Fire departments. Everyone pulled together to make this a memorable and safe 4th of July in the city of Boston.
A BIG thanks to everyone involved.
I hope you didn't mind my little epilogue but I really wanted to share this with the Cafe. Will get some pics up as soon as possible.
Many regards,
First of all, I drove up from Cape Cod to Braintree, Mass around noon. I was caught in a incredible thunder and lightning storm. I stopped at the Braintree mall and hung out there for a couple hours, waiting to see if the rain would stop. It didn't. I decided to bag it for the day, thinking I didn't want to get caught in those downpours carrying my camera equipment. Plus, I figured the fireworks would be called off due to the storms. I drove back home.
No sooner than I got in the house and turned the TV on to a local channel covering the celebration in Boston, the reporter announced, "Looks like we are going to have clear weather for the fireworks and another wonderful 4th of July celebration here in Boston". I couldn't believe it. I grabbed all my gear, loaded up the truck and headed back off Cape to Boston. I opted to leave my truck in Braintree and take the T-Train into the city. Well, I haven't taken the public transportation in years, normally driving myself into the city but since some of the roads were closed, I thought this would be the best way to get to the heart of things.
When I got to the train station, they had modernized the ticket sales so now you get your tickets through a vending machine. I had no idea what choice to make as far as what type of ticket since there were several choices. Luckily, (and I do feel lucky), there were a group of local high school kids also going to the fireworks. There were 8 of them. I asked if they knew how to work the machines and they showed me. I got my tickets but had no clue where I should get off. They said, "just follow us". On the train they joked around and had a good time but they were all well mannered and incredibly responsible for their ages. What a excellent group of kids.
Once we got into Boston, it was a matter of walking a half mile down to the waterfront by the Charles River, through the crowds of people. There was an army of Boston Police and State Police. I stopped and asked where I could get some good photos of the fireworks and was told, several places that would be good but almost impossible due to the amount of people crowding along the banks of the river and also the trees lining the river. As I walked along the road, next to the Esplanade, I heard a familiar voice over the loudspeakers. It was Steven Tyler of Aerosmith. He and Joe Perry were joining the Boston Pops in the Hatch shell for the opening songs before the fireworks. I couldn't see them as I was walking down the road but I could hear them loud and clear. Tyler was belting out, "I don't want to miss a thing", and "Sweet Emotion". It was awesome and the Boston Symphony was backing him up. Even better.
Finally, after walking for about a half hour, I arrived at the waterfront location that the Police officer recommended to shoot from. It was wall to wall people. I was so disheartened. I thought I wasn't even going to be able to see the fireworks. All of a sudden, the first blast of the fireworks started and the crowd shifted locations. I found myself at the bank of the river, front and center in front of the barges, where the fireworks were being ignited. I couldn't have gotten a better seat if I paid for it. I didn't think I was going to have time, or room, to set up my tripod but was able to get it so one leg was in the water and the other two on land, which made it stable enough to do some long exposures. When I first turned my camera on and tried to shoot, I kept getting a error. On looking closer, I realized I left my CF card in my computer at home. LUCKILY, I brought extra ones. !Whew! I was VERY close to the display and it was unbelieveably incredible. I wasn't sure if any of the shots came out at the time and would have to wait till I got home to really see.
At the end of it all, I walked the half mile back to the train station and got back to the Cape at 2AM. Having to work in the AM, I just wanted to dump the shots to my PC and take a quick look. I waited patiently while the card dumped and as soon as it stopped I opened Nikon View and browsed the images. I got some great shots. I have to process them later tonight but mostly, I wanted to share what a incredible experience it was to be at the Boston celebration AND how great the people were. From the 8 kids on the train to the Police and Fire departments. Everyone pulled together to make this a memorable and safe 4th of July in the city of Boston.
A BIG thanks to everyone involved.
I hope you didn't mind my little epilogue but I really wanted to share this with the Cafe. Will get some pics up as soon as possible.
Many regards,