A Guide to Capturing the British Firework Championship
I carefully set up my shot, framing the tower in my viewfinder and waiting for the show to begin. With each boom and flash, I held my breath, hoping to capture the perfect moment. The result? A new photograph, one that's uniquely mine and not just another postcard cliché. It's a reminder that sometimes, the best view is the one you create for yourself, even if it means venturing to a place with a devilish name.
There are certain events in this country that simply cannot be avoided. One of them, if you happen to live in these parts, is the British Firework Championship. It's a time honored tradition that, like an over enthusiastic houseguest, shows up once a year and promptly takes over your entire social media feed with a thunderous barrage of bangs and flashes. It would be churlish, and perhaps a bit antisocial, to resist. And so, I too found myself drawn to the siren call of loud noises and pretty lights.
Years ago, I’d already bagged the classic shot, the one every camera club member from here to the Scottish borders has in their portfolio, of the fireworks exploding in a shower of sparks behind the lighthouse. This time, I decided to be more ambitious. I set myself a new challenge: find a different composition entirely. My grand idea was to zoom in with a long lens and frame Mount Batten tower under a relentless barrage of light.
A quick glance at a map told me that the prime viewing location for this particular bit of photographic genius was from a spot called Devil’s Point, which sounds less like a place to enjoy a convivial evening and more like the kind of place where one might sign away one’s soul. But don’t let the name put you off. It’s actually a perfectly pleasant spot, handily located just across the way from the Royal William Yard, a place teeming with opportunities for a bit of liquid refreshment before the pyrotechnic assault begins. So much so, that I consider it an personal triumph that i managed to actually put the tripod up at all.
I carefully set up my shot, framing the tower in my viewfinder and waiting for the show to begin. With each boom and flash, I held my breath, hoping to capture the perfect moment. The result? A new photograph, one that's uniquely mine and not just another postcard cliché. It's a reminder that sometimes, the best view is the one you create for yourself, even if it means venturing to a place with a devilish name.
Fireworks over Mount Batten Tower