I feel like I’m always out trying to photograph fireworks in Hong Kong. Often it’s not easy, especially not tonight! After climbing up to the Peak (o.k., I walked up a cement path,) and jostling my way through the crowd, I finally staked out a position to take a few hundred shots, of which I usually select only a fraction to post.
Just before the fireworks began, the wind started blowing at typhoon force gusts. I was nearly getting blown over just standing there. I started to regret not having one of those little straps that keeps you from dropping your camera – especially since I was propping mine against a narrow railing high above a three-story drop. Next, hair from the girl standing next to me started to whip me in the face. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse, it started to rain, the drops painfully landing underneath my eyes, making my task of taking the perfect firework pics all the more difficult.
[photopress:Fireworks0.jpg,full,pp_image]In Hong Kong people say ‘waaaaaaaahhh’ when reacting to fireworks and other marvels. This is like the ‘ooohh’ and ‘aaaahhh’ sounds that people make elsewhere. Well tonight, in addition to this soundtrack, a guy standing near me started announcing the color of each firework that went off in Cantonese. This was more entertaining than annoying though because he had such a strong lisp.
October first is a public holiday in Hong Kong. It’s National Day, celebrating the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. Firework shows over Victoria harbor are also orchestrated for other major holidays including Chinese New Year and the Handover celebration. Fireworks are illegal in Hong Kong except for these special sanctioned events, and then only in the hands of government hired professionals.
The show tonight lasted for nearly thirty minutes. Luckily, it only rained for about three minutes, so I wasn’t standing there getting soaked. I took a few photos after the fireworks were over trying to capture the huge cloud of smoke billowing up around Central’s skyscrapers. I’ve probably taken over a thousand shots from this one location yet I’m still mesmerized by the view.
[photopress:Fireworks6.jpg,full,pp_image]Here are some additional photos! Unfortunately due to the small size, the view of the fireworks is somewhat diminished.
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