Fireworks

Last May 4, while I was in the train going to my apartment from work, I was reading that day's edition of the free newspaper Mx (like "Libre" of MRT). I chanced upon the advertisement of Crown Casino for the fireworks display for that night at 7:30pm. I looked at my mobile to see the time, it's about 5:20pm. I run my routine for that night through my head to see if I can make it on time to see the fireworks. My routine includes a transfer to another train to go to the suburb where I live, walk for about ten minutes from the train station to my apartment, prepare dinner, eat, freshen up, gather my equipment, then go to Crown Casino. Realizing that I will not have enough time if I have to prepare my dinner, I just decided to get my dinner from my friendly Thai Restaurant (Smile Thai). That would save me 30 minutes. By the time I finished thinking of my routine train arrived at my stop where I need to catch another train. Train arrives, get in and start thinking of the list of equipment I need for my photoshoot - body, lens, tripod, and remote.

At around 5:55pm the train arrives at my stop, get off the train, then headed to Smile Thai to get my dinner for that night - Green Chilli Chicken. Then I headed to my apartment walking thru Toorak Road then to Murphy Road. Thinking where can I have a good view of that fireworks display while hearing the crackling sound of dried leaves as I walked by. At the apartment, first thing I did is to gather all my dirty clothes throw them in the washing machine. Eat my dinner, freshen up, gather all the equipment I listed above then off I go to Crown Casino.

I arrived at the Toorak train station just in time for the Flinders Street train. While on the train I'm thinking of what lens to use. I brought with me 10-22mm and 24-70mm. Then I thought it will all depend on where I can get a good view/location. Get off at flinders street station walked towards Crown Casino along the Yarra River. When I arrived at my intended place to set up my gear there are already a couple of photographers all ready to fire. I got my equipment and set it up. I set up my exposure settings (aperture - 11, shutter speed - bulb), set my focus to hyperfocal, and attached my remote to my camera. I composed my shot seeing the Crown Casino building and take a couple of shots. I looked at my mobile to check the time and it's about 7:30pm then I heard the countdown 8...7....6...5...4...3...2...1...booom! Crap! My composition will not get the fireworks (see first photo) so I have to recompose my shot - move my framing to the right and make it landscape instead of portrait. So I recompose my shot, looked at the viewfinder and at the right side I can see a light source shining through it's the light from the light post in front of me...I analyze the situation and I said to myself this is better than to get another position, I'll just crop the pictures after I downloaded them to my laptop. Took the first shoot counting 1-elephant 2-elephant 3-elephant 4-elephant 5-elephant. Then take another shot, then another, then another varying my count from 4 to 6 seconds. Then after about 8 minutes of fireworks it's over. I gather my equipment, then decided to see if I can find a better location for next Fridays (May 11) fireworks. Found one but unfortunately I was not able to go there.

Here are some of my shots during the May 4 fireworks display at Crown Casino.