July 4th

Fireworks over the Harbor

With this year's fireworks set to start at low tide, I had a few ideas in mind all centered around Front Street. I explored various spots including the rocks at Fort Beach but made a last minute decision to start shooting from Lovis Cave next to the Barnacle. The first volleys began as the flares from the harbor illumination were still burning brightly so I composed a wider shot to include the flares at Fort Sewall as well as those at Chandler Hovey Park. I lucked out with this image capturing the red explosion and the leading tail of the [...]

By |2022-07-04T22:32:14-04:00July 4th, 2022|Categories: Fireworks|Tags: , , , |0 Comments

July Fourth Harbor Illumination

I've said it before but it bears repeating, my favorite part of the annual Independence Day celebration in Marblehead is the July fourth harbor illumination. In 2015, I had set up along Corinthian Lane and captured this 160 megapixel panorama of the entirety of Marblehead harbor lit with flares. The resolution on this image is incredible with 1:1 views showing people at Crocker Park! Hope you have a good spot picked out to celebrate the Fourth of July in Marblehead.

By |2019-06-23T14:06:41-04:00July 3rd, 2019|Categories: Traditions, Fireworks|Tags: , , |7 Comments

Abbot over the Flares – Annual Harbor Illumination

Fireworks are used to celebrate Independence Day in just about every town in the United States but the annual harbor illumination makes Marblehead a truly unique spot to celebrate the birth of this country. I had decided to shoot the show from the causeway this year in large part because it offered some new vantage points for capturing the red flares encircling the harbor. At 8:45pm the red lights began to glow and hit their peak at 9:00pm. I was able to capture images of Marblehead Light, Fort Sewall, and this one of Abbot Hall standing tall over the flares [...]

By |2018-07-05T20:46:15-04:00July 6th, 2018|Categories: Fireworks|Tags: , , |0 Comments

Marblehead Fireworks from the Causeway

I had grand plans for this year's Marblehead fireworks show and spent a week planning and prepping for the show. I had received a waiver from the FAA for flying at night and planned to try to shoot the show from the air with a backup plan to have my real camera on the ground.  Good thing I had a backup plan... So to prep for using the drone, I visited the causeway at night to practice flying and focusing as well as figure out settings. I also practiced launching and catching the drone by hand to make I could [...]

By |2018-07-04T22:41:44-04:00July 4th, 2018|Categories: Fireworks|Tags: , , , |1 Comment

Independence Day in Marblehead

I hope no one is tired of images from Independence Day in Marblehead.  Having decided to shoot from the Pleon pier this year, I had almost too many vantage points from which to capture the incredible display.  I shared my favorite shot of fireworks and an image of the harbor illumination but in this image, I was able to capture both (plus an illuminated Marblehead Light as a bonus). As this shot was taken early in the festivities (9:06pm), the flares were still going strong.  You can easily see the bright red glow along the edge of the pier but [...]

By |2017-07-16T20:55:29-04:00July 19th, 2017|Categories: Fireworks|Tags: , , |6 Comments

Lighting up the Eastern Yacht Club during the Harbor Illumination

While the Marblehead fireworks display is an impressive show (and this year's seemed especially awesome), I'm a much bigger fan of the harbor illumination that immediately precedes it.  One of the reasons I decided to shoot from the Pleon this year was its multiple vantage points for capturing the red flares encircling and illuminating Marblehead harbor. As the flares began to glow at 8:45pm, I shot toward Abbot Hall and then worked my way around.  Before long, there appeared a nearly endless display of glowing flares around the Eastern Yacht Club.  With the flares along the pier in the foreground, [...]

By |2017-07-05T20:08:16-04:00July 6th, 2017|Categories: Fireworks|Tags: , , |14 Comments

Marblehead Concerts at Crocker Park

One of the best parts of the annual Marblehead Festival of Arts is the concert series that takes place each day in Crocker Park.  Beginning Friday before sunset, this year's Concerts at Crocker Park kicks off with jazz.  The music continues day and night throughout the Fourth of July weekend. Last year, I was fortunate to be at Crocker Park enjoying the music with my family when the sky exploded in a brilliant pink and purple sunset.  I captured familiar compositions including the view of Abbot Hall from the park but also climbed up behind the stage to photograph the band during [...]

By |2016-06-27T22:04:14-04:00June 30th, 2016|Categories: Park|Tags: , , |0 Comments

Marblehead Fireworks – The Grand Finale

There's a danger in looking at images and sharing them too quickly after an event.  On the Fourth of July, I raced home from Marblehead Neck on my bicycle passing bumper to bumper traffic on the causeway.  As soon as I walked in the door, I plugged my camera's memory card in and hoped that some of the Marblehead fireworks images came out as nice as I remembered them. I scanned the images quickly and selected three different views of the evening's great show.  It was only this weekend, when I had time to carefully review the images from the [...]

By |2016-11-06T12:04:02-05:00July 15th, 2015|Categories: Fireworks|Tags: , , , |2 Comments

Harbor Illumination on the Fourth of July

This year's Fourth of July celebration was a whirlwind event during which I participated in my first Artisans Marketplace and learned that I had won Peoples Choice Award in the Festival of Arts Photography exhibit.  With both those events having just taken place, I rode my bicycle onto Marblehead Neck in the hopes of capturing images of the annual harbor illumination as well as the Marblehead fireworks display.  I've shared a few images from this night already but finally had the chance to review other images captured that evening and found a few more I would like to share with [...]

By |2016-11-06T12:04:02-05:00July 13th, 2015|Categories: Fireworks|Tags: , , , , , , |0 Comments

Lighting up the Harbor

Before a single firework is shot into the sky, Marblehead showcases its unique tradition of lighting up the harbor with flares.  I've photographed the view of red flares encircling Marblehead Harbor from the mainland each of the past few years but haven't had the chance to capture them from Marblehead Neck. On this Fourth of July, we had been invited out to the Neck for an Independence Day party and, as sunset passed, I excused myself and headed down to Corinthian Lane.  I found a familiar patch of hydrangea bushes and composed this scene.  Just before 8:45pm, the red flares [...]

By |2015-07-05T21:22:57-04:00July 6th, 2015|Categories: Fireworks|Tags: , , , , , |0 Comments