Independence Day, better known today as the 4th of July holiday, as all Americans know, is a grand and great celebration in the United States. It is often a favorite holiday of kids who especially love the fireworks activities with the loud noises and colorful displays. The fireworks, however, are but a symbol of the meaning behind the 4th of July holiday as we observe this celebration of independence. The meaning behind our celebration of independence on the 4th of July came about as the result of the valiant efforts and strong commitment and determination of our American forefathers not so very long ago.

Incredible changes have taken place since July 4, 1776, however, very important events preceded the birth of this Independence Day for the United States. Brave and restless people had uprooted their lives, left everything behind, and bravely crossed the Atlantic Ocean to come to this land where they sought to establish freedoms and rights not available to them in their homeland. They formed settlements here and organized into various groups of towns and colonies with their own local laws and rules, while still under the authority of the King of England. The United States of America was being born and the ideals of just how and what those freedoms would entail were ironed out through controversy and cooperative efforts of the differing opinions and current events of the day. This was a time of turmoil in which our forefathers and foremothers learned to work together to settle their differences that ultimately allowed the authoring and drafting of the “Declaration of Independence” and the “Constitution of the United States.”

The vote for the United States to become independent of Great Britain actually occurred on July 2, 1776 by the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Congress formally approved the document, the “Declaration of Independence” on July 4, 1776. This declaration was the final break with Great Britain and expressed the united view of all of the colonies to become independent. This historic act was a culmination of dramatic events in which the early Americans faced a great deal of unrest that was accompanied by heartfelt and explosive rebellious incidents in their efforts to be free from tyranny. They were not to be deterred as they sought to identify, solidify, and maintain the profound and precious freedoms and justices they had so yearned for that they were willing to commit their entire lives to the values that they embraced.

This was, however, just a beginning point of establishing freedom in this great land, as at that time in our history, the Revolutionary War to complete the severing of our dependence from Great Britain was yet to take place, plus the horrific practice of slavery was not yet abolished, women were not privileged to enjoy most of these independent rights, and, sadly, Native Americans were being displaced and uprooted as they lost their native homelands to the onward movement of the American settlers. Since the momentous Declaration of Independence was signed and approved, our struggles to truly bring equality and equal rights to everyone has triumphed with many victories. American citizens today continue to press forward exercising their free speech rights to make changes, and once again, we are about to observe the celebration of independence on the 4th of July holiday.

Even though July 4, 1776 seems like such a long time ago, if you put it into the perspective of using a conservative lifetime of only 60 years, those 232 years since 1776 are less than 4 lifespans away from our present 2008. As we approach another 4th of July celebration of independence, it comes to mind that our American peoples from all heritages and ethnic backgrounds can truly celebrate the enormous progress that has been made over the span of these short 4 lifespans of time. It is unfortunate that we still struggle with injustices, prejudices and inequities in our culture. However, our history, values, and ideals are far too precious to become lost through these fears and struggles we are experiencing today.

Our American forefathers successfully worked through strife, fears, and the bullies of their time to prevail in establishing this great country. We, as recipients and inheritors of their magnificent efforts, must hold our heads up high as we express our thanks and jubilation in the celebration of independence of the United States. We live in a great country, and we should be encouraged to work together, hand in hand, to resolve our problems and differences in order to maintain the integrity and values that the great and famous document, the Declaration of Independence was founded upon.

A significant point of evidence to remind us that all these differences can be overcome is the cooperative and friendly relationship and camaraderie that the United States and Great Britain have been enjoying ever since we can remember. Those differences were so important to early Americans and Great Britain in the 1776 time period that many risked and lost their lives over the disputed matters at that time in history. Today it seems a very strange and unlikely idea that the United States and Great Britain would be embroiled in such a major controversy, and yet it really happened. There is an important lesson here that we, too, can resolve all of our differences, and as we enjoy the celebration of independence on the 4th of July holiday with the magnificent fireworks, tasty barbecues, traditional hot dogs and hamburgers, fun parades and other symbolic events that mark the freedom and birth of our great country, we share a common goal and belief that all people are created truly equal and that this country is founded on the belief of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all.

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Charlyne Yi at the screening of Overture Films’ “Paper Heart”- Arrivals held at the Vista Theatre in Los Angeles, CA July 28, 2009. Photo by: Joe Martinez / PictureLux www.picturelux.com / PictureLux – The Celebrity and Entertainment Photo Agency Specializing in Celebrity Photos, Events and Hollywood Premieres on the Red Carpet and Beyond.

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On the 4th of July, people all over the nation come together to celebrate Independence and freedom. That makes it a great day to take a lot of photos. After all, there’s so much going on – parades, picnics, water sports, camping, barbecues, baseball games, and fireworks, of course.

It’s also a great holiday for easy photo sharing online. Any time you combine large gatherings of people, food and fun activities – well, those are good times everyone wants to remember and share.

So here are five ways you can make this 4th of July extra special, and extra memorable.

Tip number one: Be confident about taking pictures. Keep your camera in your hands, ready to go. You never know when a moment might occur between a child and a pet, or when that truly unique parade float will roll by. You don’t have to be in everyone’s face with your camera, but you don’t have to be shy about it either. You’re there to record the fun.

Tip number two: Get email addresses from the people you know. And if you don’t know someone, get an introduction from a friend so everyone can enjoy the photos you’ll share. People want reminders of the fun events they take part in over the course of a year – the 4th of July isn’t any different.

Tip number three: Treat your celebration like a birthday party for our nation’s Independence. Take as many photos with patriotic themes as possible – a child or young person with red, white and blue face paint … people dressed as Uncle Sam … other symbols of America, such as shots of hamburgers, hot dogs, apple pie.

Then, when you share your photos, intersperse these patriotic photos with regular photos of people have fun. It’ll keep the flavor and spirit of day alive however you share your photos, whether it’s in a slideshow, a photo album, or even in just a collection of prints.

Tip number four: Get close to the action. If you’re at a baseball game, get as close to the batter as possible. If it’s a parade, you might want to walk along side for short while and get shots of the crowd from the perspective of the people in the parade. If you come across people eating watermelon, sit across from them and get in on the fun.

Tip number five: Don’t forget the fireworks. Some people don’t want to take pictures of fireworks because they don’t think they’ll turn out. And while every shot may not turn out, you might be surprised at the great pictures you do get.

Just be sure to hold the camera as still as possible while getting a mix of close up and faraway shots. Also be careful about your surroundings – you don’t want to get burned, and you don’t want a bunch of tree limbs or phone wires blocking an otherwise wonderful picture.

One other thing you’ll want to keep in mind – make sure you find a reliable photo sharing site that allows you to share by sending emails and printed keepsakes such as photo albums, calendars and cards.

After all, you’ll be documenting a memorable day for a lot of people – one they’ll want to cherish for many years to come. Consider building a nice online photo album and email that to your family and friends. That way, they can order printed copies of your album if they so choose.

Of course, if you do a really good job, you’ll be asked to document next year’s 4th of July celebrations. And what photographer wouldn’t want a job like that every year!

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