Firework Palm

Upham Beach, St. Pete Beach, Florida; July 4, 2024

A vibrant sunset over the ocean, with deep blue transitioning to fiery orange and yellow near the horizon. Silhouetted against the sky is a single firework bursting in bright white and gold, creating a striking contrast. In the foreground, dark outlines of palm trees and shrubs add depth. The calm sea reflects the colorful sky, enhancing the serene yet festive atmosphere. — A firework explodes over Upham Beach in St. Pete Beach, Florida, leaving a trail of light that resembles a palm tree in front of the sunset over the Gulf of Mexico. — J. Matthew Buchanan

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¶This photo always reminds me that all photo outings are "like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get."

¶I captured a few dozen photos during this particular outing on the Fourth of July on St. Pete Beach. Capturing fireworks is always a challenge, but I was fairly happy with what I saw on the back of the camera when I started to put my gear away. This one caught my eye right away when I started culling and editing the next day. It wasn't one I had mentally flagged in my back-of-camera review the night before, but I noticed the palm tree shape of the firework and quickly knew I had a favorite shot from the outing.

¶That, along with the spectacular St. Pete Beach sunset in the background, makes this one of my favorite fireworks photos.

Metadata

EXIF & IPTC
Published: July 4, 2026
Identifier: JMB-20240704A-0004
Camera Make: Canon
Camera: Canon EOS R5
Lens: RF70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM
Focal Length: 70mm
Aperture: f/11
Shutter Speed: 2.0s
ISO: ISO 200
Captured: July 4, 2024, 8:01 PM
Exposure Program: Manual
Metering Mode: Multi-segment
Flash: No Flash
White Balance: Auto
Creator: J. Matthew Buchanan
Keywords: beach, clouds, fireworks, florida, sky, st. pete beach, sunset, upham beach
Sublocation: Upham Beach
City: St. Pete Beach
State: Florida
Country: United States
Rights Usage Terms: All use of this image requires a license from the copyright holder.
Copyright URL: Web Statement of Rights
Content Credentials
Software: Lightroom Classic 15.4.1
Source: JMB-20240704A-0004.cr3
Edits: 3 edits
Color adjustments (Blacks, BlueHue, BlueSaturation, Clarity, ColorGradeBlending, ColorGradeMidtoneHue, ColorGradeMidtoneSat, ColorNoiseReduction, ColorNoiseReductionDetail, ColorNoiseReductionSmoothness, Contrast, Dehaze, Exposure, GreenHue, GreenSaturation, Highlights, HueAdjustmentBlue, HueAdjustmentOrange, HueAdjustmentYellow, LuminanceAdjustmentBlue, LuminanceAdjustmentOrange, LuminanceAdjustmentYellow, Masking, ParametricDarks, ParametricHighlights, ParametricLights, ParametricShadows, RedHue, RedSaturation, Saturation, SaturationAdjustmentBlue, SaturationAdjustmentOrange, SaturationAdjustmentRed, SaturationAdjustmentYellow, ShadowTint, Shadows, SharpenDetail, SharpenEdgeMasking, SharpenRadius, SplitToningHighlightHue, SplitToningHighlightSaturation, SplitToningShadowHue, Texture, Vibrance, White Balance) · Cropped · Creative look applied
Signed by: Adobe Inc., July 4, 2026
Status: Verified · Inspect