Some fireworks shows are worth planning your Fourth of July around.
For me, the Boling Volunteer Fire Department's Independence Day fireworks display has become one of those traditions.
This was my second year photographing their show, and once again they didn't disappoint. From the first shell to the grand finale, the sky stayed filled with brilliant reds, blues, golds, and greens that seemed to stretch from one side of the field to the other. It's absolutely worth the drive if you're looking for a spectacular hometown fireworks show.
One of my favorite parts of photographing this event isn't just the fireworks—it's where I choose to photograph them.
I set up in the outfield of the baseball field, using the silhouette of the bleachers along the horizon. Every time I look through my viewfinder, those dark bleachers remind me of The Sandlot. There's something nostalgic about watching fireworks over a baseball field. It feels like summer the way many of us remember it—long evenings, little league games, and celebrating America's birthday under a sky full of color.
The location also offers another advantage: it's incredibly dark. Without city lights competing for attention, every burst seems richer and more vibrant. The darkness allows the colors to truly glow against the night sky.
To capture the display, I mounted my camera on a tripod with the legs fully extended and used a cable release to control the shutter manually. Since every shell explodes with a different intensity, I prefer using Bulb mode instead of relying on a fixed exposure. By opening and closing the shutter as each sequence unfolds, I can build each photograph with just the right amount of light while avoiding overexposure.
One creative choice that has become a favorite of mine is photographing fireworks through a black mist filter. Instead of rendering every point of light razor sharp, the filter gently blooms the brightest highlights, giving the images a subtle cinematic quality. It softens the edges just enough that the colors seem to glow, creating photographs that feel a little more like the way fireworks live in our memories than how they appear through a perfectly clinical lens.
As our nation celebrates 250 years of independence, it feels fitting to pause and appreciate the communities that make these celebrations possible. The volunteers of the Boling Fire Department put on an incredible show, bringing families together for an evening of celebration, laughter, and unforgettable memories beneath a Texas sky.
Sometimes the best photographs aren't just about what's happening overhead.
They're about the feeling of standing in a baseball outfield on a warm summer night, surrounded by the sounds of cheering families, while the sky erupts in color above you.
Those are the moments worth remembering.
Want to see more from the evening?
You can view the complete fireworks gallery and download your favorite images by clicking here.