I hope you had a fun 4th of July! Mine was spent with family and friends barbecuing and anticipating our city's Fireworks Display.

Last week, I was researching Fireworks Photography and came across the "Bulb Mode". Truthfully, I didn't even know my camera had a bulb mode, but we'll keep that to ourselves.

The Bulb Mode keeps the shutter open as long as the shutter release button is pushed down. This feature allows the photographer to "catch" the entire rocket burst.

(This photo reminds me of a Palm tree with a falling coconut)

On my "Sony" camera the bulb mode also requires that the viewfinder be covered so I set up the tripod, directed the camera with a trajectory of where the fireworks were bursting and held down the shutter button. No adjusting no focusing, I was flying blind and it was kind of liberating!

(I call this photo the Dandelion...can you see it?)


After a few minutes, and as I was getting comfortable with this new mode, a small fire broke out on the hillside where the fireworks were being shot from....Show Over! :(

I really enjoyed trying this newly found feature on my camera and I hope I can use it again soon!