there's alot to be said in photography for putting thought into the photograph you're taking - each individual photograph. knowing in your mind what you will see in the final print. taking your time to create each image. i admit, i'm something of a rapid-fire photographer. but i do think ahead about each image. i just think quickly - even if that means not thinking it all the way through - so that i can shoot even more quickly. and with kids, you have to move fast anyway.

with fireworks, much of that gets thrown out the window. like kids, you don't know what to expect from the fireworks, and you have a limited amount of time to catch them. but unlike kids, you are forced to use super slow shutter speeds (to the tune of 2.5 or 3 seconds each) which means that you have no choice but to slow down. but you can't think each shot through either.

maybe that's why fireworks are one of my favorite things to photograph. that, and the fact that i can only do it once a year, so i hardly have the chance to get sick of it. (though i may very well be sick of proofing them when i'm through all 100 images from wednesday night.)

and on another note, i have a very productive weekend ahead of me. or at least that's the end toward which i'm striving... tomorrow, a Field Day event for our K-3rd grade boys and sunday, church and some quality scrapbooking time (in theory) with my bff. and somewhere in there, i gotta clean my house, tidy my office and finish these {blessed} firework photos.

more next week.