Every year in New Castle, Pa., the first Saturday following the 4th of July, a Fireworks Festival is held. It does depend on when the 4th hits. Since the Fourth hit on Friday this year the Festival was held on the 12th. There are two large pyrotechnic companies that call New Castle their home. Pyrotecnico and Zambelli Internationale. This being the case, New Castle calls itself the Fireworks Capital of America. The reason I used my cell phone for this, was that this year they made this a two day event and they moved the venue to the main street in town rather than the beltway. There were stories that they were moving the fireworks site as well. Not knowing what I was going to get into or how close we could get, I left my camera home. So we moved to a new location from where we have watched these over the years and chose a parking lot behind the businesses in town. As it turned out, the fireworks were shot from the same location and we were almost right under them. I am surprised they let us get that close. All of our cars had debris on them from the fallout of the exploding shells! Also there was no wind and the smoke just hung there as you can see. I feel sorry for the pyrotechnicians who had to breath in all that smoke.
@amandal - Thank you Amanda! I added some more to my commentary. We were right under these. Just the width of a four-lane road and a little more. I have a feeling people won't be allowed in there next year. Unless you have nerves of steel a tripod is a must.
@skipt07 I used to cry at fireworks when I was a kid because of the noise. Perhaps it still makes me shake. One would think so anyway. Sometimes I can do night shots handheld, mostly not.
@amandal - My wife and I used to be pyrotecnicians for Pyrotecnico. We shot fireworks for 13 years. So the closer I can get the better ツ. Smelling that gunpowder was a fix!
@judithdeacon - Thank you Judith! These phones are pretty impressive as cameras.
@kwind - Thank you Kim!
@gilbertwood - Thank you Denise!
@joansmor - There was plenty of that!
@tabarlett - Thank you for the awesome comment Tammy!