Independence Day

Acknowledgements

"Retro" for the invite to the sailing center.

“I guess we all like to be recognized not for one piece of fireworks, but for the ledger of our daily work.”

- Neil Armstrong
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. Independence Day is commonly associated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball games, family reunions, political speeches and ceremonies, and various other public and private events celebrating the history, government, and traditions of the United States.¹

On July 4, 2010, some friends and I met up at the MIT sailing center for a barbecue and view of the fireworks. We had the absolute best view in the entire city. Actually sitting on a dock, we were lucky the water was calm because the long exposure shots would not have turned out if the platform I was standing on was bobbing with the water. What you’ll see is a series of shots that turned out spectacularly, mostly due to luck.