My small town's independence day celebration

[nerwin]

These are not perfect and I don't care. I had fun shooting them and tried to capture them somewhat creatively. I had a rough morning with my grandfather taking to the hospital by ambulance and it being 100 degrees so my mind wasn't in the right place at the time but shooting the parade got my mind of things and the heat for a little bit.

All photos below were taken with the Fujifilm XT2 + XF 35mm f/2 WR. I wasn't a BIG fan of the focal length for this parade. I was finding it harder to compose as I really preferred a long focal length but I didn't have one yet. However, I did have my 60 2.4 but since the AF is not super fast, it's not something I wanted to use for this type of event. The XF 50 f/2 would've been ideal I think. There is always next year!!

 

[nerwin]

A few more.

Fireworks from last night! (just a few of my faves) I haven't taken any for a few years but this year I wanted to do it because I haven't with the XT2 and I just wanted the experience to how shooting fireworks with the XT2 compared to using my DSLR. I quite liked shooting the fireworks with my XT2, I loved being able to see the screen and being able to use focus peaking to get the focus nearly perfect. I could actually time my shots better. Quite a enjoyable experience.

Taken using the XF 18-55.

 

[smoke665]

I think they are EXCELLENT. A glimpse of small town America!

 

[nerwin]

I think they are EXCELLENT. A glimpse of small town America!

Kind of what I was trying to go for. I'm not a HUGE fan of parade photos but I'm learning a little. I prefer taking photos of the people in the parade rather than floats or other material things. I think people in parades tell the story better. But I don't know. Haha. Thank you!

 

[SquarePeg]

Great set of photos! My favs are the clown in the tie dye popping a wheelie and that last fireworks shot - having some visibility to what's on the ground makes it very interesting.

 

[nerwin]

Great set of photos! My favs are the clown in the tie dye popping a wheelie and that last fireworks shot - having some visibility to what's on the ground makes it very interesting.

Thanks! Yeah the clown that's popping a wheelie is a family friend, so I always make sure I get a shot of him haha.

 

[Jeff15]

Nice set of shots....

 

[nerwin]

Nice set of shots....

Thanks Jeff!

 

[CaboWabo]

My kinda town , not the mess I live in great shots reminds me of back in Indiana

 

[Derrel]

You captured a lot of "feel" in these. I like the close-in feeling from the shortish lens and actually being close. Some good stuff. Makes me think of my local-area hometown parade in Monmouth and Independence. With a name like Independence, Oregon, you can just image what the 4th of July parade means to locals. Seems a lot like your town's parade, far away, across this great country.

 

[jcdeboever]

Fantastic set. The best lens is the one you got with you, you nailed it's focal length. As far as using the 60, go with manual focus, it's faster than you think if you got the peaking highlights turned on.

 

[nerwin]

Fantastic set. The best lens is the one you got with you, you nailed it's focal length. As far as using the 60, go with manual focus, it's faster than you think if you got the peaking highlights turned on.

Possibly. It's a good thing I didn't use it though because it would've gotten soaked haha.

 

[Fujidave]

IMO this set of shots are fantastic, you took them all very nicely on a scorcher of a day and still had time to take great fireworks shots at the end, the fireworks are truely great imo.

 

[Gary A.]

Good stuff! It is all about the people.

 

[vintagesnaps]

These were a lot of fun to look at, nice set. Those guys in formation look like they're trying to take out the telephone pole! lol The clown ones are great, and I love the one of the water being squirted at you. That's what can be fun doing events, I'd usually try to stay in the background but often enough I've gotten people waving at me, etc.

The one of the firefighters in their truck is nice, that one makes you think a little. But the others look like you had fun so you portrayed what it was like.