NEW YORK (AP) — Seth Wenig is based in New York City, and has been with the AP just over 20 years.
Here’s what he had to say about this extraordinary photo.
Why this photo?
This photo came about as a pivot from my original idea, which did not work out. I had scouted locations to shoot the fireworks from an interesting angle a few days prior, as we already had people assigned to the more usual spots. I was looking for something that included the skyline and the Statue of Liberty, with the fireworks going off behind them. The barges on the Hudson were not where I expected and the fireworks were not behind the statue as I had intended, so this angle did not make for a very dramatic fireworks photo (in my opinion). However, I was in a good spot to see the weather and lightning that was very worrying for all the people waiting to watch the show, and it eventually forced the city to move up the start time. The threatening weather became a part of the story.
How I made this photo
While I still tried to make some decent fireworks photos, I focused on trying to get some of the lightning and weather in the picture. While I continued to shoot fireworks with a handheld camera, this photo was made with a second camera mounted on a tripod that covered the whole skyline and was firing every second, with a slower shutter speed, 1/3 second, to try to catch the lightning. I caught a few bolts and this was the best.
Why this photo works
It’s a nice panorama of the city, with many of the famous landmarks visible. While we have seen fireworks over the city before, the lightning added another unique element that we don’t see that often. It also lit the clouds and helped to silhouette the skyline, making the buildings really stand out.
—
For more extraordinary AP photography, click here.