This year the Macy’s fireworks were moved from their usual spot over the East River to the Westside to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the Hudson River. The fireworks at the southern tip of Manhattan at South Street Seaport were also canceled I think due to budget costs. But this was just to piss off Brooklyn, right? I had thought that maybe this year we’d try to go down to the river and catch the fireworks since Mia wanted to see them, but having them way over on the other side of Manhattan threw a wrench in our plans. After dinner in the East Village, however, we just decided to walk west and see how far we can go. Mind you, walking over from the Eastside to the other end of Manhattan was a good 9 long avenue city blocks from where we were, but it was such a lovely evening, the city was settling gracefully into dusk and it was exhilarating to break from normal routine and be out in the world with so many other people. The girls flirted with anyone we passed and were so excited to be up past bedtime, in the dark. Can I tell you how pathetic it is that we are hardly ever out at night? With the kids and work, mark and I are almost in every night so I’m not sure who enjoyed being out more that evening, me or them. As you can guess when the sun goes down, the city shifts into something wonderful and Mia marveled as all the lights started coming on. We didn’t have the best view of the fireworks where we were since we were too far south, but it was fun nonetheless and the kids were happy even though the time was creeping past 10pm.
Funny side story: on the train ride home back to Brooklyn around 10:30, I saw Claudine playing with her dress sitting in the stroller from across the train where I was sitting with Mia. I was amused to see that she had lifted her dress way above her head, but then I saw her pull it down, pull her dress out and look into her dress from the top. I heard a little voice say “it’s a bug!”. Apparently there was some sort of HUGE beetle on her stomach. Mark flicked it off, but yikes!
Wonderful night shots! Looks like a great evening. What setting did you have your camera on? The lighting is lovely.
Your photographs are always so beautiful. It was such a perfect weekend wasn’t it? I’m so glad the dreaded rain stayed away.
I think since the sun is setting is so late, too, it’s even harder to be out at “night”! Glad you and the family got to be out.
The pictures you took are really clear, especially of the people! What setting is your camera on/do you have a special trick to capture with such clarity?
Oh, and you also had a better view than I did, and I would have laughed out loud on the subway had I seen the bug fiasco. 🙂
where did you get claudine’s darling orange sandals?!
i love you pictures!
Sarah and Stella, thanks. I just used that new 50mm lens. I think I had the ISO on 1600 and the lens wide open.
Raquel, her sandals are UMI and I bought them on sale online last year.
awesome photos! am impressed kids stayed up late! ours were out by 9 and early.
Absolutely wonderful, festive shots!
We’d thought about pictures of the fireworks. I recently am getting a better grip on my aperature settings but good show on the night time shots ^_~ Did you use a tripod by chance?
Tumus, no tripod. Don’t have one! Could use one though. I just try and hold the camera very very still, lol.
Love the photos!
We were pretty peeved that we had to trek to the West Side, and then from 29th down to 23rd when they kept closing off the roads. But they were pretty!
Claudine is braver than me. If I had a bug on me I think the whole train would have known.
WOW! What awesome fireworks photos. And cute kids too!
The photos of the girls are amazing. Is that just street lighting? I’m curious about the lens you used and the camera settings, if you remember (I’m trying to learn more about such things for my own photos).
Jackie, that is just street lighting. I rarely use flash. Maybe I don’t know how to use flash properly, and I don’t have an external kit anyway, but flash makes everything look so unnatural. I wrote about the lens and camera settings above.
do you mind me asking where you got claudine’s dress? good luck with potty training, we are in the same boat. sigh.
I love your images, especially the reaction shots with the kids.