DPChallenge: A Digital Photography Contest You are not logged in. (log in or register) 
 

DPChallenge Forums >> Tips, Tricks, and Q&A >> Fireworks
Pages:  
Showing posts 1 - 12 of 12, (reverse)
AuthorThread
 06/30/2006 04:46:02 PM · #1
OK - I am going to attempt to capture fireworks for the first time. Give me your best tips on doing so.

Thanks,

RP
06/30/2006 04:48:36 PM · #2

I am going to try this weekend as well as I blow off half of these. Looking forward to playing with the works and the photos. I do believe there is anotehr post recently with this info provided. Just not sure where.
 06/30/2006 04:53:59 PM · #3
Yep - I just found it. Thanks.
 06/30/2006 04:56:32 PM · #4
Focus on infinity and use your bulb setting. And obivously use a tripod or something sturdy and a remote if you have one.

Message edited by author 2006-06-30 16:57:40.
 06/30/2006 04:57:54 PM · #5
Im doing this too as well this year.. i p[lan on taking these shot just like i would for lighting shots i would say for the Fstop to be kinda high and then you can play with the shutter release like if you have it open for like 5 sec and catch 2 shots at the same time..... ill post in here some of my results good luck =)
 06/30/2006 07:00:47 PM · #6
Here is a good link:

HOW TO ON FIREWORKS
 07/01/2006 08:15:32 AM · #7
I'm looking forward to trying my hand at fireworks, too. I think I did pretty well on sparklers. :)

07/01/2006 08:48:04 AM · #8
Bear in mind that if you are using in-camera noise reduction, it takes a long time to write the image to the card, because for every image the camera makes an equal-length "black frame" exposure and sandwiches the two. I recommend turning noise reduction off for fireworks. At ISO 100, f/8 or f/11 is usually about the right aperture to use, with "bulb" shutter setting. Use a remote release, open the shutter just as the firework is lifting off, and hold it open until the trails are petering out. You can, of course, get many different explosions in one shot if you leave it open long enough.

R.
 07/01/2006 09:00:41 AM · #9
I too am going to attempt to capture some fireworks. I have a very nice place picked out where I will be able to have fireworks in the sky with a carnival lit up below it and a river in the foreground which always provides interesting reflections during the fireworks. I am looking foward to doing some long exposures to get the motion of the carnival etc... hopefully Tuesday I will have some nice shots to post up in my portfolio.

07/01/2006 09:49:37 AM · #10
How to Photograph fireworks with a digital camera
 07/01/2006 10:00:51 AM · #11
Originally posted by robpom:
OK - I am going to attempt to capture fireworks for the first time. Give me your best tips on doing so.

Thanks,

RP

Here is the short step by step method I use which I recently wrote for my meet Up group.

Since the Forth of July is just around the corner I thought I would share some of my lessons learned through trial and error since I was 14 in shooting these colorful fiery flowers in the sky.

Let’s start simple; what do you need to get a great picture.

Tripod is a must; you will be shooting in bulb settings so to not have the image shaky you need a good tripod.

“Hey Mike what’s bulb?” I knew you were going to say that.

Well you have adjustments on your shutter speed on your camera. Most go all the way down to 60 seconds from a fastest speed of maybe a 2000th to a 4000th of a second. Bulb is a setting which opens the shutter until you close it. Most of the time it is done with the use of an electronic cable or a physical shutter release on older 35mm cameras. Which ever it is it needs to have a lock on it so you don’t have to keep holding it open. My Olympus has a locking wired remote.

A baseball cap. No really you need one of these I’ll tell you why in a second.

Oh and a camera wouldn’t hurt either, one that has the ability to shoot “Bulb” exposures is best. If your shutter speed only goes to 60 seconds that will work too but you will need to time your exposures right so you don’t get a bunch of black sky.

If you are using a digital camera, set “Noise Reduction” on. ISO should be as slow as you can make it like 100 and aperture should be from f11 to f22 or so.

Got all that? Ok let’s see where are we going to shoot these shots from? Well you want to have a nicely framed picture, I like to get in a spot where the largest explosion will slightly over fill my view finder, the only way to do this right the first time is if you have seen this show before and can set yourself up perfectly beforehand. Nothing is limited except your ability to move around after the show starts.

Setup your tripod and settings on your camera, attach your cable and focus your camera on infinity. Sometimes infinity isn’t as far as the lens moves but slightly less then that. While it is still light out focus on an object as far away from you as you can and switch to manual focus so it stays there.

Something I didn’t mention is, your view finder can be a problem if there is bright light behind you or you are wearing white while the bright lights are reflecting off your clothes. My camera has a little door which closes the view finder so no light gets in. I use this when doing night photography as well. Whenever you do long exposures with an SLR light will enter the chamber from the view finder. If your camera doesn’t have some sort of cover for this you can use a small piece of masking tape or electrical tape to block it while it is open.

Got everything setup? Now take off your baseball cap and hang it on your lens. You heard me.

Check list:

Camera on tripod,
Shutter set to “bulb”
F stop between F11 and F22
ISO 100 or 200
Camera manually focused on infinity
Cable hooked up to camera
Composed shot
Baseball cap hanging on lens.

That’s it you got it, here is how you now shoot this lovely photograph.

As test shots (fireworks) begin look through your camera to make sure you are centered, if so tape up your viewfinder, or close your door on the view finder. Needless to say to do this move the baseball cap. When done put the cap back on the lens. Cover the view finder.

Now, just as you hear the launch of a firework, hit the plunger, button or whatever you have to open the shutter and lock it put down the cable gently to not shake the camera. As the rocket reaches its apex, lift the base ball cap off the lens and keep it off until the explosion begins to fade then replace it. At this point you have a choice, if you only want to shoot one explosion close the bulb shutter with your cable. You can capture more then one though.

As the launch of the second firework goes off be ready and as it reaches it apex lift the cap again, same thing, wait for the explosion to fade and cover up the lens again. It really is simple.


See how pretty they come out?

Enjoy.



Message edited by author 2006-07-01 10:09:44.
 07/02/2006 02:31:51 PM · #12
I shot a group of fireworks photos last night...

FIREWORKS PHOTOS

I think I had my lens open a little too much. I shot at f/5.6. I think I'll try f/11 or f/16 next time around. The color of the bursts gets a little washed out at f/5.6 so stopping down a bit more could help out.
Pages:  
Current Server Time: 09/06/2025 02:19:46 PM

Please log in or register to post to the forums.


Home - Challenges - Community - League - Photos - Cameras - Lenses - Learn - Help - Terms of Use - Privacy - Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2025 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 09/06/2025 02:19:46 PM EDT.