Certain simple words or phrases can invoke a powerful feeling of Americana. Baseball. Hot Dogs. Apple Pie. And of course, The 4th of July. If it’s true that a picture can speak a thousand words, visual representation of the power of the American Spirit is limited only by one’s imagination. This holiday weekend, challenge yourself to capture in pictures what America and this all American holiday means to you and your family. Here are a few ideas and tips to get you started.
Many of us will celebrate the holiday at a backyard BBQ, family picnic or community block party. Regardless of the venue, food plays a starring role in the festivities. Capture the taste and smells of hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill, butter melting on an ear of corn on the cob, a large piece of cold watermelon with seeds, or a slice of mom’s apple pie topped with homemade ice cream. Show these treats on their own, being prepared, or better still, being enjoyed by others.
And while you’re at your party, large or small, capture the interplay of the people there. Families celebrating together. Friends of all age groups gathered with each other. Generations, young and old, enjoying common activities.
Calling baseball America’s favorite pastime is an understatement. What other sport can have a World Series and not invite the rest of the world? So it’s only fitting many of us combine our national sport with our national holiday by attending a Major League or Minor League game, supporting sons and daughters playing in tournaments around the country, or enjoying a pick up game with family and friends. Capture the intensity of competition, the comradeship of pulling for the same team, and the sportsmanship shown in victory or defeat.
Every year the 4th of July falls in - well - July. For most of us that means the heat and humidity of summer are in full swing. Capture the many ways people try to keep their cool. Cold beverages perspiring in the summer heat. Kids running through sprinklers, splashing in outdoor fountains, or diving into a refreshing pool. Adults crowding under the only shade tree around fanning themselves with stars and stripes decorated paper plates.
What would a celebration of American Independence be without a visual tour of her most iconic landmarks?
- Capture Boston’s Tea Party Museum where this wild idea of independence took root - or the North Church, which played such an important role in Paul Reeve’s now infamous ride.
- Travel south to Philadelphia to record Liberty Hall where the Declaration of Independence was signed, see the Liberty Bell, which mysteriously cracked after tolling America’s newfound freedom, and include the house where Betsy Ross stitched our first national flag.
- Baltimore provides the Star Spangled Banner museum memorializing the penning of Francis Scott Keyes immortal words while observing the Defense of Fort McHenry.
- For many immigrants, America started for them with their first view of New York’s Statue of Liberty on Ellis Island.
- The Battle of Gettysburg was fought over Independence Day during America’s Civil War when the nation was fighting to remain a sovereign state. Every year that battle is reenacted over the holiday weekend providing many glimpses into early America.
- Or visit the nation’s capitol, Washington, DC, to capture the many monuments and museums dedicated to the founding of this nation.
If you can’t travel to one of the birthplaces of this democracy, show how your hometown celebrates. Bunting draped across the county courthouse, or the annual Pride parades that occupy Main Street in many small towns, are just as representative of our nation’s birth.
Any scene can turn patriotic when you add the iconic Stars and Stripes of our national flag. Show the American Spirit of people young and old waving the flag. Capture American Pride with rows of houses displaying the flag on their front porches. Display the feeling of National Remorse captured in a graveyard doted with American Flags on the graves of lost veterans. Relay the whimsy of this nation by showing people draped in, painted on and otherwise wearing the Red, White and Blue.
Forth of July firework displays are as ubiquitous as summer mosquitos. Capturing these fabulous pyrotechnical wonders can be both challenging and rewarding. Following these few tips will help maximize your results:
- Find an interesting foreground and make sure it is adequately lit. Fireworks on their own are pretty but not very interesting. Including an iconic building, or the faces of people as they react to the display, makes the image much more compelling. The key is to properly expose for the foreground images.
- Go with fully charged batteries and a spare memory card or two. Some of the most interesting shots will be made through experimenting with techniques.
- Shooting on a tripod is a must due to the extended exposure times required. Firing with a remote trigger is helpful to avoid adding unwanted camera shake.
- Shooting on bulb, or with extra long exposure, can add the interesting effects caused by streaking lights. Use a piece of black construction paper to cover and uncover the lens randomly during exposure time will produce a sharper image containing multiple explosions.
- Go with realistic expectations. If the evening is exceptionally muggy, you will end up with pictures of heavy smoke no matter how you compose or expose the image. Just remember that there will always be more fireworks to shoot next year.
And least we forget that freedom isn’t free, remember to include a tribute to the fighting men and women of ourArmed Forces and thank them for protecting all that we hold so dear in these United States of America.
We truly are a melting pot. So while I’ve given a few of my favorite holiday photo ideas, I’m sure there are many more creative ways to include your unique perspective of this great American Holiday. No matter how you enjoy it, don’t forget to grab your camera and record it!
All Images Copyright: Dreamstime | Karen Foley
HI FOLKS. This is a post contributed by a lovely guest poster, Karen Foley, since I know you're all bored without me updating the blog (I'm sorry for being a nursing student, y'all). Let's spread some love and liberty this 4th of July! God Bless America! Woot woot!
Karen Foley is a freelance photographer and writer located in the mid-Atlantic region of the US. Learn more about her work at karenfoleyphotograpy.com.
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