This is part of the Finale at the New Jersey Air Show in Greenwood Lake in June. One of the main concerns was preventing blown out whites in the flames and of course, freezing the action. I lowered the ISO to 160 and cloned out the few blown out areas that remained. I performed basic lighting in Lightroom and in particular, lowered the contrast slightly to bring out more smoke and more detail in the smoke. I ran the photo through Topaz AI for denoising and sharpening. I also used a layer in Photoshop to lighten the asphalt and bring out more detail. I cropped from the right to get rid of most of a car sitting on the asphalt and I cloned to get rid of the rest. I added a three pixel white line around the photo through the stroke feature in PhotoShop edit to delineate the area since so much of the photo is dark. One note is I tried to use the Remove tool in Topaz and what it did was get rid of the red cast on all areas of the car and the result was a very sharp, nice shining silver car dominating the photo. Never had it fail to do what I intended so completely.
8 comments posted
Ricarda Dudek
Bob: This photo certainly does capture a person's attention. The yellow and red colors add to the drama of what is taking place in the photo. The softening of the foreground, not unlike a bokeh effect, allows the details in the smoke to take center stage and create an even move dramatic effect. Kudos to you! The photo seems to come alive due to your skills in the developing stage of creating the final outcome. I would however suggest that you eliminate the two white dots that are to the left of the person standing alone. And, just out of curiosity, is that a tripod in front of the man standing by himself? Posted: 07/17/2025 01:47:50
Bob Scott
thanks Did not even see those dots. Now I do Posted: 07/17/2025 14:12:42
Kathy Hradecky
Very arresting image! The effects of the explosions are amplified by having the bystanders included basically as silhouettes for both contrast and scale. Reflections and color contrast also add to the effect. Very cool! I guess I should say HOT! Posted: 07/17/2025 12:55:53
Yamuni Perera
Bob, This is a masterfully executed capture - technically challenging and visually arresting. The exposure control is especially impressive given the extreme dynamic range of fire at night. Preventing blown highlights in the flame while still retaining detail in the smoke and foreground silhouettes is no small feat. Your choice to lower the ISO and manage contrast in post-processing brought out beautiful texture in the fire plumes and gave the image a cinematic intensity. The silhouetted figures add scale and human presence, grounding the explosive energy in a relatable context. Excellent use of post-processing tools, particularly the subtle correction of lighting on the asphalt and intelligent cropping to maintain focus. The sharpness and structure achieved with Topaz AI complement the drama perfectly - though the note about the Remove tool's surprise result is a relatable reminder of how software "help" can sometimes take an unintended creative turn! Overall, this image powerfully balances technical skill and storytelling impact. Posted: 07/19/2025 06:28:32
Joseph Rahav
It is a very powerful image, with an immediate and striking visual impact. It conveys feelings of wonder, tension, and drama, and well communicates the power of fire against human silhouettes. It manages to create an unforgettable and fascinating visual experience. As a photograph, it manages to combine elements of documentation and art, and certainly stands out in the landscape. Posted: 07/19/2025 08:46:47
Bob Scott
Thanks all. It is funny that when I was shooting the fireworks finale, I was upset the people were blocking my view. But they make the shot. I did not expect this to work as well as it did but I did have the suspicion it could be interesting, just not the shot at an air show that would be my best. Posted: 07/19/2025 23:09:13
Howard Frank
Wow, great image Bob. The colors and detail are really magnificent. I've never seen fireworks look like this. It looks like explosions from fire bombs. Posted: 07/20/2025 21:06:00
Peter Cheung
Great capture. This photo is vivid and realistic, capturing the fiery scene at the air show. The huge fireball in the middle ground and the few people standing and sitting in the foreground are visually striking. The red color of the whole photo is rich and dramatic. Excellent use of light and shadow, making the scene highly cinematic. Very well done. Posted: 07/28/2025 03:51:49
