Advice: First time photographing fireworks...

[BuS_RiDeR]

July 1st is coming soon and I an planning my first attempt at fireworks photography.

I've got a tripod and a wireless shutter release... I am planning to use my 50mm lens...

I am planning to start with an aperture of f11 and adjust accordingly...

I'll be using a shutter speed of 2-5 seconds (adjusting to conditions as they present themselves).

Am I missing any other basics? Anything important I should be considering? Any suggestions?

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[JustinL]

I would shoot wider then 50mm and shoot raw. I usually shoot 6-10 sec with a black card covering the lens in between and a hood on. Try to get up high its much more interesting to get the whole shot, sometimes including ground light to give more to it then just a flash surrounded by black. Also try to get your shots in early the longer they go on the more smoke that will build up.

[manaheim]

I've also found that the smaller aperture is detrimental, making the light paths too small/narrow. This was only one time I experience this so I can't say for sure, but I'm pretty sure it's correct.

Don't worry about depth of field. At the distance you will be shooting from the fireworks you'll have more than ample DOF for your needs. You may not want to go all-open, but probably F3-4ish.

I agree on the wider (if you can)... 50mm might be a LITTLE narrow. You never know exactly where they'll show up, and having it wider so you can crop down later is a good policy.

Great suggestion on the black card/hood. That never occurred to me.

[SCraig]

It is easy to overexpose fireworks and then the paths of the fire are thick and ugly, like this one:

It doesn't take a lot of exposure because you aren't shooting reflected light, you are shooting the actual light source. This was shot at 3.4 sec @ f/18 and ISO 400.

[o hey tyler]

I've also found that the smaller aperture is detrimental, making the light paths too small/narrow. This was only one time I experience this so I can't say for sure, but I'm pretty sure it's correct.

I'm pretty sure it's not correct. At least in my experiences. I shoot fireworks on f/8 or so, and it does a great deal for the sharpness of the light trails you see.

Now I know this is not a photo of fireworks, but the same concept. I used f/4 on this and you can see how the trails are less sharp, and they also bleed together more.



This is a similar shot on f/8



To my eyes, I can see more definition. The same concept applies for doing light trails of cars at night with a long exposure.

This has just been my personal experiences though, I suppose it may vary.

[480sparky]

I shoot at 18mm. Set the camera to Bulb, and use a wired release. I tighten the handles on my tripod head just enough so a little force will move the camera, but letting go keeps the camera in place. I watch / listen for the launch, try to predict where it's going, swing the camera to the (hopefully) correct spot, and press the release.

I also shoot raw. f/9, ISO 100.

I've also found that the smaller aperture is detrimental, making the light paths too small/narrow. This was only one time I experience this so I can't say for sure, but I'm pretty sure it's correct............

Why would the aperture affect the 'size' of the subject?

[manaheim]

Ugh, now I'm going to have to try it again this year. Damnit. Lol

[jwbryson1]

Shoot Raw. Don't get too close to them as the fallout can be bad if you are too close. Shoot in BULB mode.

[Buckster]

Shoot a scene that has fireworks as a part of it, rather than a picture of fireworks alone in a black sky.


Empire State Fireworks by Buck Cash, on Flickr


Lumberjack Festival Fireworks 5924 by Buck Cash, on Flickr


DC_Fireworks_4903 by Buck Cash, on Flickr

[JessMarie]

How far away will you be from the fireworks? Unless you are trying to get foreground objects the 50mm might be too short.

For exposure I'd try more like aperture 16 to start unless the shells are really faint. (good stuff at: Advanced Fireworks Photography Lesson)

Oh, and timing is a big thing. If you press the release as soon as you hear the shell you'll miss most of the explosion. Click the shutter just before the in air explosion if you want to get the most of the bloom (unless you want the light trail going up as well of course - then you'd increase your time the shutter is open).

Good luck!

[TCampbell]

My best fireworks shots are ISO 100, f/16, 4 second exposures... this allows the shutter to be open long enough to trace the rocket that propels the shell up as well as the bloom it creates as it explodes in the air.

I've toyed around with other exposures... for example ISO 100, f/11 and 4 seconds looks ok on the camera, but once I get it back into the computer I can see that the light trails are over-exposed.

This is just what works for me.

[Dao]

This link talks about shooting raw rather than jpeg for fireworks

Fireworks and Epiphanies - Tamron Blog: Angle of View

[JustinL]

I agree with the small apertures f/11 seems to be my sweet spot

[jwbryson1]

Click the shutter just before the in air explosion if you want to get the most of the bloom (unless you want the light trail going up as well of course - then you'd increase your time the shutter is open).

Wrong.

BULB.

[Forkie]

I usually use an ISO of 200 or less, a wide angle lens, an aperture of f/8 - f/11, a shutter speed of 2 - 4 seconds and a tripod. With a shutter speed of 2 -4 seconds, hit the shutter when you here the "thud" of the rocket lifting off and you should catch its trail all the way up and the explosion - at this shutter speed, the shutter should close before the explosion loses its shape.


DSCF0809 by Forkie, on Flickr


DSCF0817 by Forkie, on Flickr

DSCF0824 by Forkie, on Flickr