Remember Remember the 5th of November

The 5th of November is Bonfire/Guy Fawkes night in the UK, where people set of a heap of fireworks. Being from Queensland, where it is illegal to buy/sell/set them off (or something like that)I decided I would like to set some fireworks off! Mainly because I could. The last time I set any fireworks off was on new year’s 2003/4 in Cologne. I bought a 10 shot ‘cake, which according to the box reaches a height of 30m, and lasts 28 secs. I also got an selection box of 18 mixed effect fireworks, as it was buy one get one free

My plan was to light the fireworks and then take a picture of them, but two days earlier I realised that 1) It’s going to be difficult to light a fuse, and run back to the camera to press the shutter. 2) I don’t have a tripod to keep the camera steady. 3) I have limited fireworks, so will be difficult to set the shot up, and know where exactly the firework would be in the frame. The solution to problems 1 and 2 was to buy a remote controller, and tripod. As for problem 3, I think luck would play a big part in getting the ‘perfect’ shot! Unfortunately I couldn’t get the remote shutter release in time, so had thought of just have to using the self timer, and hoping for the best! (I did buy one though, ready to get some [hopefully] nice night shots when I go on holidays and for new year’s in Paris!!)

While it was still light I buried the 10 shot cake, and loosened some soil ready to ‘plant’ the others one at a time – I didn’t want to bury them all at once in case one lit another and there was a huge explosion of fireworks all going off at once! I also got my camera ready, and decided it would be better to just run for the camera after lighting the fuse and use the bulb shutter speed setting. Here are some pics from the night. They aren’t that great, but I still had fun  Although, I think the most exhilarating part was lighting the fuse and then sprinting towards the camera to get the picture. And even though I was nervous in the beginning, the good news is I didn’t burn any body parts or set anything on fire – BONUS!

                                          

All the burnt out fireworks

In hindsight I may have gotten the order of the fireworks the wrong way around. The first photo up the top is from the 10 shot cake, and I think it is the best pic. The last picture is the 'grand finale'. I thought it was a sparkler. From the photo you can see it is not sparkling. From the smell of it, it was an incense stick. Why there was an incense stick in with a bunch of fireworks I do not know!?