We at the Library are so pleased to present this online gallery of Falmouth fireworks photos by Milt Williamson. Many photos of the Library that you see on our website and publicity materials were taken by Milt. Thank you, Milt, for your continued support of the Library and for sharing your lovely art with the community.
Artist’s Statement
FALMOUTH FIREWORKS
(A Different Look)
It was in 2009, a year after I bought my first digital camera, that I started shooting the annual Falmouth Fireworks celebration set off from a barge off of Falmouth Heights beach.
After several years tired of trekking the long walk to and from the beach l started shooting from a new location. Surf Drive Beach was a lot easier on the aging body as long as you arrived way before dark.
Recently I started editing and re-editing my somewhat usual shots seeking a more graphic and arty look from these images. Playing around with the adjustment sliders in the now obsolete iPhoto program I accidentally discovered some very interesting and exciting images were possible with various adjustments. Soon it became apparent that you could not duplicate again what you came up with. So what you liked best had to be saved at the time of creation or lost forever. That is why you work with a duplicate of the original image.
I was amazed at what the digital camera was recording that the human eye does not see during the moments of those split second explosions. Shown here are some of the saved manipulated images.
When we made arrangements for what was going to be a print exhibition of these images at the West Falmouth Library for June of 2020 little did we know that the actual 2020 fireworks display would be cancelled. I hope you enjoy this virtual 4th of July Falmouth Fireworks Celebration.
Milt Williamson now lives in West Falmouth where he grew up. After graduating from Falmouth’s Lawrence High School he went on to graduate from the Massachusetts College of Art. He first served in the Army and then a long career in commercial art in the Boston area. Photography has been an important facet throughout his life.
A non-manipulated view from Surf Drive Beach.
