BetterPhoto Q&A
Category: Holidays & Special Event Photography

Photography Question 

Heather Inich
 

Shooting Fireworks


OK, I am a newbie to this site. I have a silly question ... I was reading some of the articles on here about shooting fireworks. I guess I am just confused on what you mean on multiple exposures on one frame??!! Also about covering the lens before you advance. Sorry it's a silly question ... Thanks for any help. :)


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June 30, 2005

 

Christopher A. Vedros
  It's not a silly question, Heather. We weren't really talking about multiple exposures in the traditional sense. In this case, the camera is mounted on a tripod, and aimed at a spot in the sky. If you use a long shutter speed (several seconds) or just hold the shutter open on the Bulb setting, you will probably get several different bursts of fireworks over time in your frame. The rest of the sky is mostly dark, but if you cover the lens in between bursts, you will reduce the amount of light (other than the fireworks) that enters the camera.


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June 30, 2005

 

Heather Inich
  OOOOOK thank you very much. :)


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June 30, 2005

 

Maria Melnyk
  And the other part of your question - multiple exposures - means that you set your camera so that you can take several pictures on the same frame of film before it advances to the next frame. Most cameras can be set for 1-9 exposures.
However, with the BULB mode, you have more control, since you can close the shutter any time you like, whereas if you have the camera set for 6 exposures, you're stuck with having to take 6 pictures on that frame unless you turn your controls to override it.
Just check first to see what part of the sky will show in your viewfinder, and try to fill the whole frame with fireworks rather than having them go on top of one another.
This past weekend I shot 4 rolls of fireworks using the bulb technique, and I got some great images.


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July 05, 2005

 
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