Happy Birthday America

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This homage is a snapshot of how it feels to live in Batavia, a quintessential small American town on the celebration of our country’s birthday.

It begins with my daughter, soaking in the morning tranquility at a local open-air café. She is surrounded by flower pots blooming vibrantly on the stone-laden patio, and the soothing music of a distant fountain playing in the background.

Then, we immerse ourselves in the jovial atmosphere of a nearby beer garden. Amid the cascading laughter and the resonating notes of live acoustic music, we come together as friends and neighbors, sharing stories and making memories.

Finally, the scene ascends high above the rippling waters of the river, inside a hot air balloon. From this vantage point, we are treated to a stunning view of the Fox's shores bathed in the warm glow of the setting sun. The day's celebration reaches a crescendo with an extravagant, kaleidoscopic display of fireworks, lighting up the evening sky.

These scenes were painted using MidJourney’s new Zoom feature, seeded initially with a photo of my daughter and then built out with prompts resembling memories anchored to this town and the river. This is something anyone can try with the free tools I used and I encourage everyone to play in this new mode of storytelling.

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