Through My Lens: Capturing a Winner as Fireworks Light Up the Night

A Photographer’s Tale of an Unexpected Prize and a Memorable Summer Evening

There’s energy in the air every summer when the city gathers for its annual fireworks show. For me, it’s becoming a tradition—not just to witness the brilliant display, but to capture the smiling faces, the spontaneous laughter, and the sense of community that fills the park long before the first fireworks erupt. That afternoon, as the scent of popcorn mingled with the warm July breeze, I set up my booth near the bandstand, my camera ready to catch the magic in motion.

This Year I offered something extra: a free professional portrait to one lucky winner as the show began. It’s my way of giving back, a chance to create a lasting memory for someone in the crowd. This time, I announced the giveaway as everyone filled into the field, watching as people walked over, smiled, and dropped their names into the bag. I could feel their excitement—mixed with a dash of disbelief that luck might come their way.

Watching the Crowd

As the evening unfolded, I wandered among picnic blankets and groups of friends, snapping candid shots. Children chased fireflies, parents shared stories, and everywhere I turned, there was a new moment poised on the edge of celebration.

Anticipation Mounts

With dusk softening the world to blue-grey and the band wrapping up their set, I could sense anticipation growing. I took a few last-minute portraits, laughter echoing around me, then returned to my booth. Under the twinkling lights, I shook the bag, leaned over to my daughter and asked her to pull a ticket out.

Fireworks and Flashbulbs

I called the winner and got their voice mail. I tried again. Same thing the voice of the automatic operator saying they were not available. I was about to move on to the next person when I sent a text to them. I waited 5 min then this young lady came running up with phone in hand. And showed it to me. I smiled at her and said congrats you have won. I then explained where we were going to set up before the show started. The excitement and talking to her friends were full of happiness and a sense of hurriedness. We all went to the spot to get the shot.

As a photographer, I live for these fleeting moments: happiness passing between friends, the way light bounces off smiles, the unspoken stories in every glance. The giveaway is more than a prize, it’s a chance to immortalize the joy that sometimes takes us by surprise, especially on nights like this.

After the Applause

When the last fireworks fizzled out and the crowd began to disperse, I packed up my gear, still thinking about the winner’s radiant smile.

When I sent the finished portrait, I hope they’ll see what I saw through my lens: the spirit of that summer night, the magic of an unlikely win, and the glow of fireworks lingering in their eyes. For me, that’s what photography is all about—celebrating the beauty in the unexpected and giving people the chance to hold onto it forever.

Capturing the Extraordinary

In the end, the free photo wasn’t just a prize for them—it was a reminder to me, too: that sometimes the most memorable images are made when luck, community, and joy collide beneath a sky set ablaze. I hope to offer this each year, I look forward to seeing who will step forward next, and to capturing the spark in their story, one photograph at a time.