2013 TAIPEI 101 NEW YEAR FIREWORKS
Shooting the TAIPEI 101 new year fireworks has always been a must-do item in my bucket list, this year, I had the pleasure of spending my new year in Taiwan instead of the usual new years celebration at home in Philippines, so, i had to grab this opportunity to shoot the new year's eve fireworks of the Taipei 101.
On the afternoon of December 31, 2013, I packed up my heavy 2 camera set-up gears and set out for Elephant Mountain in Xinyi District of Taipei City. Not wanting to waste this chance, I intend to use 1 camera for still shots and another camera for videos. I decided to take a different route in getting to the top of the Elephant Mountain and not take the usual and more famous route where you can get to the viewdeck with the big boulders, as thats where the usual viewers would go. I arrive at the top of the Elephant Mountain at just past noon, too early you might say as the fireworks won't be starting till midnight, but imagine that much to my chagrin to find out that all the favorable spots had already been taken when i get there. Rumours had it that some DSLR enthusiasts like me had already staked out and chainlocked their tripods, chairs, ladders as early as a week before, so 12 hours in advance can already be considered late in comparison to the standard of the other DSLR enthusiasts in Taiwan.
After scouting the area for a vacant, open space. I finally found a spot, though not the best spot, but passable enough for me to setup my 2 DSLR. the next part is the waiting game. I came prepared with food, water and a flask of coffee to last me 12 hours of waiting, what i had not anticipated is the need for the call of nature. I had to endure 12 hours of waiting without taking a single break. By the 9:00pm, I can already feel my bladder bursting, but sadly, there is nothing I can do as I cannot possibly just take off and leave my gears behind nor can I bring my gears along with me to take a piss as the spot that i claimed will be gone when i get back. So, I really had no choice but to grit my teeth and endure.
the Elephant Mountain began to fill up with people as night time arrives, by 11:00pm, it was so crowded that I had to stand in front of my camera with my feet spread and kept giving the dirty look to keep off the crowd from bumping into my camera. finally, 10 seconds from midnight, the countdown began, 10, 9. 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and a HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone.
the fireworks last for just a little over 4 minutes. Nevertheless, those 4 minutes of fireworks were really spectacular, intense, grandiose and worth enduring the 12 hours wait. Till another year, Taipei 101.
