Chris,
Ahhh . . . a common topic as we approach the 4th of July (assmuing you're in the U.S.)! July 5th is a nightmare for photofinishers everywhere.For aerial displays against a dark sky, which are the most commonly photographed, the following has been used to photograph them for decades: The "standard" method is done by manually controlling focus, lens aperture and shutter. It doesn't worry much about shutter "speed." Basic exposure is set by lens aperture alone based on film speed. (a) You will need a sturdy tripod and a cable release that allows you to hold the shutter open for long periods without shaking the camera. (b) Focal lengths between a modest wide-angle and a modest telephoto work best, about 35mm to 70mm. My preferred lens is a 35-105 as it helps to precisely crop out things like street lights without having to move the tripod. It usually ends up near the 35mm end of its range. I've also used a 50mm prime. (c) Turn *all* the automagic stuff *off* and put the camera in complete manual control of focus, lens aperture and shutter speed. (d) Manually set the shutter speed to "B" (B = bulb; as long as you hold the shutter release down, the shutter stays open) (e) Manually set lens focus to infinity. (f) Mount the camera on the tripod and attach the cable release. (g) Whether you aim upward to rid yourself of bright ground lighting is up to you. I generally aim to eliminate bright ground lighting, especially close ones (street lights, neon signs, etc.). I preset aim to the general area where the skyrockets will detonate and fine tune it with the first two or three, which are usually at the very beginning of a display. (h) Set lens aperture based on film speed:
ISO Aperture
50 f/5.6
64-100 f/8
125-200 f/11
250-400 f/16
I don't recommend anything faster than ISO 200. ISO 64-100 has always worked best for me. (i) Hold the shutter open during no more than several bursts, and no longer than about 8-10 seconds. If you get too many in a single frame it will be cluttered. There is an element of luck in this as sky rockets are somewhat unpredictable, even if you know in advance what they will use. Be prepared to burn an entire roll of film. -- John
June 15, 2002
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