The 4th of July in Boston Ma

I think i spent 22 hours out shooting in a 48 hour period. This will be a long post with photos from the 3rd as well as the 4th.

All Photos Copyright Patch.com

First, some photos form the Dress Rehearsal on the 3rd. More photos can be seen herehttp://patch.com/A-jSz3

 

 Crowds still came out for the dress rehearsal despite the rain early in the evening.

 This years host and Massachusetts native, Michael Chiklis, performs with his band 'The Michael Chiklis Band'

Now Some photos form the 4th. I got down to The Hatch Shell at 8:30am for the 9am opening of the oval.  More photos can be seen here http://patch.com/A-jSF5 

 

At 9 a.m. the line of people that had been waiting for hours outside the gate were let in to claim their spots in front of the Hatch Shell. People came sprinting in, wielding tarps to save their places for the 8:30 p.m. Boston Pops show.

Judy Robbins saves a spot as others run down to do the same. She and her family waited in line since 4:30 a.m. and came all the way from Tennessee just to see the Pops show.

Kim Smith sets up her tent in the Hatch Shell oval as many do the same in order to hide from the sun until 6:30 p.m. when they will all be asked to take them down before the Pops show starts.

Next are some photos i took threw out the day. More photos at http://patch.com/A-jTNl

Lorin Blodgett, of Peabody, gets her face painted with stars and stripes. 

  Gram Kitchin, 5, of Hanover N.H. cools off in a sprinkler set up by Boston EMS

 Ted Adkins of Russell Springs, Ky. has watched the Boston Fireworks Spectacular on T.V for 10 years. This year he finally made the trip to see it live.

Next are my photos form The Boston Pops Show at the Hatch Shell. More photos here at http://patch.com/A-jTBF

The first photos are of Martina McBride, I took these photos when a Globe staffer let me use his Canon 400mm 2.8 for McBride's last song. I must say this is one of the best lenses i have ever used. I would sell my soul to own one. 

  Boston Pops conductor, Keith Lockhart, put on a Red Sox jersey during commercial break

 More of host Michael Chiklis' performance

Fireworks light up the Hatch Shell Oval during the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular.

And lastly, some fireworks shots. Unfortunately, I didn't get very many. It's next to impossible to cover the Pops show, then get fireworks photos, and if you don't have a media credential for the show you're not even going to be able to see the display.

And I almost forgot, earlier this week i was able to go out to the fireworks barge and see what happens behind the scenes. More photos here http://patch.com/A-jQzw

Over 15,000 mortar tubs will be filled in a 48 hour period by pyrotechnicians. The fireworks barge is actually comprised of 4 separate barges tied together--the 2 largest are 250ft long.

Pyrotechnician, Donnie Goldman, of New Orleans, Louisianna.

For two days, pyrotechnicians set up over 15,000 charges on the barge. Each one of the charges will be fired off by a computer that controls each effect down to one-tenth of a second for the July 4th finale.