Where is the best place to watch the fireworks?
This question is commonly asked in the days leading up to the 4th of July. While I saw several people ask this over social media, I keep my answer quiet.
As an employee of the MU Department of Residential Life, I have 24/7 door access to most of the residence halls on campus. For several weeks I’ve had my eye on the top floor of Jones Hall (the tallest dorm on campus.) The balcony on that floor has spectacular views of Greek Town and downtown Columbia.
The night of the forth, I setup a tripod on my perch at Jones. I attached a remote shutter to my camera and set it for Bulb mode. I then held down the shutter at the moment that a firework exploded in the sky and released when the sulfur faded.
The framing on these shots definitely could have been better. It would be cool if the fireworks were shot off in a location closer to Jesse Hall. But then again, it’s hard to complain about fireworks on the 4th of July.
Here are a few other photos from earlier in the day.
