Here Comes the Christmas 2012 Grand Finale!
If the Christmas season were a fireworks show, we’d be nearing the grand finale. The presents are wrapped, the food is prepared, and one of our smaller family gatherings just concluded, leaving the house empty and quiet for the rest of the night. Of course, tomorrow morning the “grand finale” will occur, in the form of Christmas morning. I no longer have the sense of anticipation for Christmas morning that I did as a child–Sarah and I don’t do much in the way of gifts for one another and we don’t yet have kids to vicariously experience the joy of Christmas gifting–but it’s still a great day for spending time with family and enjoying festivities.
It might be a tortured analogy, but I think firework shows have some parallels. Just before the grand finale is the “late Christmas eve” portion of the show, where everything quiets down to build anticipation and make the grand finale all the more poignant. The grand finale is like a series of glorious, explosive presents. Fireworks themselves are festivities. As for the family part of the analogy…well, uhh…like I said, it’s a tortured analogy.
In real life, I love this quiet time. It’s a great time to just sit around, eat a couple a few dozen cookies, and watch Christmas movies with the family. In the world of fireworks…well, who likes a “tranquil” fireworks show? Only communists. To that end, here’s a photo from the grand finale of Holiday Wishes, when the perimeter bursts, incredibly bright streaming fireworks, and Cinderella Castle Dreamlights all erase the tranquility from the night sky over Walt Disney World.
Merry Christmas, everyone.
Please click the photo above to view it large.
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Technical details: shot with a Nikon D600 with a Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 Lens. See our guide for more photography equipment recommendations.
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Your photographs are absolutely wonderful!.Where were you actually located for this shot? I usually go to the Polynesian Resort but it doesn’t look like this is where you were. We are planning to be there for the Princess 1/2 Marathon weekend in Feb. Thank you for the great tips.
Simply stunning! Clearly I need a new camera and some photography classes!
Really good work. Great choice of location and great timing. I enjoy your fireworks photos (and ebook on that subject), but this may be my favorite. Did you use a neutral density filter for this shot?
Hope you have a great Christmas!
Thanks! No neutral density filter on this one. Just a really small aperture!