 Charlene Bayerle |
Photographing Fireworks Does anyone know the best way to capture fire works? (Digital camera) Any advice would really be helpful. ... tripod, flash, etc. Thanks!
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Andrew Laverghetta |
The results from this will probably be better from a film camera, but you can definitly do it with digitals as well - SLRs in particular. I see you're using a digital SLR? I think the best thing to do would be to use a remote and a tripod. You will want to set the shutter speed to 'bulb' for self-timed exposures (however long you hold the button down). The remote is so you don't shake the camera when pushing the shutter button that's on the camera. You may want to experiment with different ISOs and different f/values, but your shutter speed can be around 8 seconds or more or less. Try out some long exposures with your digital camera at night to see how it handles the noise levels. When I took some pictures of fireworks with my film camera, I used the wired remote and the camera on a tripod. I think I used f/4 with ISO 400 film and I held the remote shutter down until I had seen enough fireworks in the approximate field of view that I wanted. Hope this helps!
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Bob Cammarata |
Try to get there early and secure a great position without any trees or sky clutter ... as close as possible to ground zero. (The top of a hill is ideal.) A bulb setting with a tripod is a must. You can avoid using a mechanical or wired release by "masking" the lens when you depress and release the shutter. Hold a black card (or anything dark) in front of the lens, press the shutter, and while holding it down, remove the card and start counting off seconds. After the burst, cover the lens opening with the card and release the shutter. With a sturdy tripod, no camera movement will register using this technique. If digital is like slide film, an ISO setting of 100 will produce better colors on the longer exposure times. A three- or four-second exposure at ASA 400 might turn those brilliant colors to yellow or white. I noticed last year that at 100 ASA at f-5.6 or f-8, the shorter exposure times of two to four seconds yielded the most accurate colors. All of the longer exposures of eight seconds or more came out white or yellow. You can, of course, stop down your lens for those long exposures, but you will be sacrificing a little sharpness and clarity in doing so.
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Charlene Bayerle |
Thanks so much Andrew and Bob ... I forgot to say that I would be on the 26th floor of my friend's condo and the fireworks are right across the way ... by Navy Pier.
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Bob Cammarata |
... Sounds like a great vantage point! Just remember that if it's windy, your building may "sway" enough to make your shots a little fuzzy. (This happened to me once while trying to photograph the Strip at Las Vegas from a tall building on a windy night.)
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Larry A. Hales |
I shot fireworks for the first time last week. It was especially difficult becuase they were shot off in downtown Portland, OR and the city lights were the backdrop. I used Nikon D70 on a tripod, with a wireless remote. The settings I used were ISO 200, F10, and a shutter speed between 2.5 and 6 seconds. Be aware that smoke will be a factor. Make sure you are out of the smoke path. I shot about 100 shots, about 10-15 came out well. It was a lot of fun shooting fireworks. I'm looking forward to doing it again on the 4th. -LH
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Steven P. Hambrick |
Dont trust your auto-focus, you may miss some of the best shots wait for your camera to pick a focal point. Pre-focus if you can or use the first couple of fireworks as a test focus.
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