Firework displays

[Ian]

Here in the UK it's almost November 5th, Guy Fawkes night and that can only mean - fireworks and bonfires! I suspect much the same can be said for Independence Day night in the US and new years in the far east - there is always an excuse to indulge in some fireworks somewhere at some time of the year

I did a tutorial on how to photograph fireworks a couple of years ago but my archive is not that well served with new fireworks shots. I'd like to rework the article with some new and better pictures - so do you have any of your own you'd like to see included in a DPNow article?

Or simply show us some of your bonfire/fireworks shots here in this thread

Ian

[spl]

Re: Firework displays

Thanks Ian for these very useful tips. I intend to have a go on Saturday night. I will be taking my tripod but not sure whether to take my long lens or just stick with the smaller one which goes up to aprox 70mm.

[Ian]

Re: Firework displays

Thanks Ian for these very useful tips. I intend to have a go on Saturday night. I will be taking my tripod but not sure whether to take my long lens or just stick with the smaller one which goes up to aprox 70mm.

I don't think you will need a long lens as it's difficult enough with a normal lens to line up randomly bursting fireworks. Fireworks aren't high-resolution subjects either, so cropping from a wide field shot can be very successful.

Don't forget to show us some results!

Ian

[bigbob]

Re: Firework displays

Good tutorial Ian , only thing that strikes me as missing is the aperture .
I normally use one between F8-16 .
I have used in the past the 'bulb' setting with cable release and either a card or lense cap to expose during a shutter speed of up to a minute , this way you can get multiple exposures on one frame .
But you do need a tripod (and no rain , unlike last year)
I was away last year but the army have a huge display on waste ground near me on Saturday and providing the dogs settled i'll go down and try to get some half decent shots .

B..

[Ian]

Re: Firework displays

Here in the UK it's almost November 5th, Guy Fawkes night and that can only mean - fireworks and bonfires! I suspect much the same can be said for Independence Day night in the US and new years in the far east - there is always an excuse to indulge in some fireworks somewhere at some time of the year

I did a tutorial on how to photograph fireworks a couple of years ago but my archive is not that well served with new fireworks shots. I'd like to rework the article with some new and better pictures - so do you have any of your own you'd like to see included in a DPNow article?

Or simply show us some of your bonfire/fireworks shots here in this thread

Ian

No offers of some decent fireworks shots so far

Ian

[coupekid]

Re: Firework displays

Or simply show us some of your bonfire/fireworks shots here in this thread

Ian

go on then!
one from last year, I think I showed this on the old forum, so apologies to the regulars from that one.

[coupekid]

Re: Firework displays

Good tutorial Ian , only thing that strikes me as missing is the aperture .
I normally use one between F8-16 .
I have used in the past the 'bulb' setting with cable release and either a card or lense cap to expose during a shutter speed of up to a minute , this way you can get multiple exposures on one frame .
But you do need a tripod (and no rain , unlike last year)
I was away last year but the army have a huge display on waste ground near me on Saturday and providing the dogs settled i'll go down and try to get some half decent shots .

B..

what dogs do you have Big Bob?

[bigbob]

Re: Firework displays

what dogs do you have Big Bob?

Sorry for the delay been working
I've a 2 yr old Staffie''Ben'' , my last staff was petrified of fireworks and i had to take him for a drive most of the night to keep him away from the worst .
This one is not frightened , but he does tend to get a little 'interested ' when the bangs go off So with the wife working Sat night i won't leave him alone unless i'm sure he's ok .

B..

[Pops]

Re: Firework displays

No offers of some decent fireworks shots so far

Ian

Alas I can't even attempt them.
Have 2 dogs and I dare not leave them at this time of year. Both Yorkshire terriers, mum and daughter, mum is terrified...daughter couldn't care a monkeys.

[Ian]

Re: Firework displays

Super, Ben - in fact you could enter this in the 'blowing in the wind' salon competition; I can see the trails being blown back

Ian

[coupekid]

Re: Firework displays

Super, Ben - in fact you could enter this in the 'blowing in the wind' salon competition; I can see the trails being blown back

Ian

very true!
but, I am happy with my current entry.

[spl]

Re: Firework displays

I went to Ally Pally on Saturday and have to say it was quite traumatic - crowds, noise and just me trying to work my camera. I have put my results in my gallery including some of the crowds to give you a taste of the atmosphere.

This I think is my favourite.



The only long exposure I took was the one showing the crowds in front of the fireworks which you will see got completely blown out. I was a bit alarmed at how long it took my camera to recover afterwards so I didn't attempt it again.

[Ian]

Re: Firework displays

Yep, the trick is to get the aperture right to ensure the brightness is correct - too bright and you wash the colours out and too dark and it doesn't have definition and impact.

I made the mistake of too short an exposure - you really need around a second; I was shooting at between 1/6th and half a second and only went longer a bit late in the display.

The shutter speed has little impact on the brightness of fireworks, only the length of the trails.

Ian

[coupekid]

Re: Firework displays

I went to Ally Pally on Saturday and have to say it was quite traumatic - crowds, noise and just me trying to work my camera. I have put my results in my gallery including some of the crowds to give you a taste of the atmosphere.

This I think is my favourite.



The only long exposure I took was the one showing the crowds in front of the fireworks which you will see got completely blown out. I was a bit alarmed at how long it took my camera to recover afterwards so I didn't attempt it again.

This is a great shot with the moon!

Ally Pally! now there is a memory jerker! I used to go up there when I was younger.

I will have to check out your gallery this evening.

[spl]

Re: Firework displays

Thanks CKid - I was thrilled that the moon was full and in the "right" position vis a vis the display - actually I am thinking of trying to edit the moon to (i) exclude its halo and (ii) perhaps try and enlarge it even although I am not sure if that would work.