Fireworks - How to Photograph them

iSellJerseyShore · Jun 30, 2005

Since 4th of July is this weekend (well Monday) .. I am just looking to gather some tips/techniques on how to capture fireworks... What works best??...

Any Tips & Suggestions greatly appreciated...

-iSellJerseyShore

MiKaLa119 · Jun 30, 2005

glad you asked this question because this is what i signed on the computer for...

thebeginning · Jul 1, 2005

it applies basically for everything else, you can treat it like a tree or something similar, because that is generally the shape it will make if you use a long exposure (i have seen several photos that were taken with about a 10 or 15 second exposure, you can see the light going up and then the explosion at the top, like a tree and branches). besides that i dont know much else, except to shoot color

Jareth · Jul 1, 2005

Use a tripod. I took pictures of fire works without a tripod and it looked like a spirograph. Also, the grand finale overexposed becuase it was too much for the long exposure time. You might want to shorten the exposure time for that.

hobbes28 · Jul 1, 2005

Yup tripod is a must as well as taking longer exposures. It's usually better to shoot manually so you have more control over the outcome.

The Positive · Jul 1, 2005

I did a quick search on photographing fireworks, and i got the follwoing tips:
1. use a tripod
2. use the "right" film - ISO 50, 60, or 100 speed
3. a good vantage point
4. timing and shutter speed is essential. The person suggested to wait until you see the missile fly up into the air on f/8. The website said that he/she left the shutter open from 4-20 seconds, variying exposures. A good rule of thumb could be waiting until the firework goes dark.

Thats what I found, hope it helps.

iSellJerseyShore · Jul 1, 2005

The Positive said:
I did a quick search on photographing fireworks, and i got the follwoing tips:
1. use a tripod
2. use the "right" film - ISO 50, 60, or 100 speed
3. a good vantage point
4. timing and shutter speed is essential. The person suggested to wait until you see the missile fly up into the air on f/8. The website said that he/she left the shutter open from 4-20 seconds, variying exposures. A good rule of thumb could be waiting until the firework goes dark.

Thats what I found, hope it helps.

Awesome - Writing this down in my notebook right now

-iSellJerseyShore

ThatCameraThingy · Jul 2, 2005

Two of my shots - and how I did it.

VERY sturdy tripod. I used 200ISO Fuji print film. Camera set to F8

exposures were typically about 30s to 2mins. Use a cable release.
Try to get an idea of how high the firworks go so you can compose properly. Professional fireworx can go up to 350ft. For these i Used a 28-105 lens focused on the launch point. Zoomed to about 35mm.

Hanno

PS - more questions - I'll gladly ty to answer.

The Positive · Jul 2, 2005

Hmm I have a problem. I'm planning to photograph the fireworks at this party for my own pleasure but I'm sure I can get the adequate distance from them to get the firework from the launch point to up in the sky (seen in ThatCameraThingy's pictures). Any suggestions of what I could try?

photogoddess · Jul 2, 2005

You will either need to get back far enough or have a wide angle lens that is wide enough then.

The Positive · Jul 2, 2005

do u think a 28mm lens would be wide enough? Because thats the widest i got lol.

ThatCameraThingy · Jul 3, 2005

The shots i'v posted were taken with a 28-105 lens zoomed to about 35mm.

I was about 400m away from the launch point. You should be able to cope nicely with the 28mm lens if you can at least get 50m distance beteween you and launch point. That would probably not give you enough distance to cover everything from launch to explosions , but should allow you to at least capture the explosions.

The fireworx I shot was created by the South African team as their trial run for their entry into "Symphony of Fire" that means that it was well placed - well designed , and concentrated to a single area.

Shop bought fireworx are normally very unacurate and oft fired few and far between. This makes it far more difficult to capture.

Hope you get some good shots. Good luck

Hanno

mrsid99 · Jul 3, 2005

Starting point for fireworks is: ISO 100, F8, 1.5 seconds and focus at infinity.
HTH.

iSellJerseyShore · Jul 4, 2005

ThatCameraThingy said:
Two of my shots - and how I did it.

VERY sturdy tripod. I used 200ISO Fuji print film. Camera set to F8

exposures were typically about 30s to 2mins. Use a cable release.
Try to get an idea of how high the firworks go so you can compose properly. Professional fireworx can go up to 350ft. For these i Used a 28-105 lens focused on the launch point. Zoomed to about 35mm

Thanks for posting the shots! They look awesome!!

I will give these tips a shot tonight

Thanks Again Everyone!!

-iSellJerseyShore

omeletteman · Jul 25, 2005

Great advice

I was gonna make a thread for this since there is a HUGE fireworks show in Vancouver on wednesday and I want to try and get some good pics, gonna go buy myself a cable release today. To add to the advice here is a website I went to before checking here:

http://olympusdigitalschool.com/photo_lessons/EVOLT_E-300_Shooting_Firework_Shows/index.html