Hamburg on New Years Eve and the early New Year

[LaFoto]

OK, they come a bit late, but I just couldn't make myself post any of these any sooner... and I am disappointed to see how they lost sharpness though the upload to Flickr...

The first few were taken at some point in time between 10:50 p.m. and midnight, when I had just set up on that balcony on the other side of River Elbe, looking towards the quays ("Landungsbrücken"), and later pics were taken at or after midnight. People were shooting off their own fireworks all the time, but there is a clear difference in the before 12 and the after 12 pics .

1.

2.

It was a very hazy night, which didn't help "sharpness" all THAT much ...

3.

Same scene, zoomed out (I had changed from the Sigma 70-300mm to the kit lens)

4.

5.

As midnight drew closer, more and more boats arrived at this very area of Hamburg Port, stopped there, anchored, until by midnight that very part of River Elbe was totally filled with boats, which then all hooted once the New Year had arrived. A totally inadequate 47 video of the boats at midnight is here ... ... and remember: I don't have a video camera. Only my Powershot with its video function, and I just tried to shoot this video at total nighttime with it, mostly so to also capture the SOUND of it all.

6. And then, at midnight, all hell broke loose (and the hazy night filled with all the smoke from the fireworks )

7.

8.

And soon enough, even where at first you could still see buildings, albeit softened by the mist, there was nothing more to be seen.

 

[LaFoto]

Well, I knew why I was so hesitant in posting these ... or any of my photos at all...

 

[xtort-]

Wow, very nice! You've got the slow-shutter effects down really well without your photos coming through with the things you usually see with slow shutter shots- burned out areas, unintentional motion in the picture. Good work.

 

[stsinner]

Well, I knew why I was so hesitant in posting these ... or any of my photos at all...

Corinna, I think they're great, but I was just going to bug you about your camera settings so didn't bother...

So, since I'm bothering you anyway, what were your camera settings.. I'd love to be able to capture shots like that-I was just thinking that the other day, and specifically about fireworks.. My Canon P&S has a fireworks setting, but I don't have any faith in its ability to capture fireworks well..

I'm guess you used high ISO and long exposure? Number 7 is amazing!! I'd have that one framed.

Thanks.

 

[LaFoto]

Low ISO. 100. No more.
And the first few were 30 second exposures at f16.

Later I went down to f13 and about 13 seconds exposure.

At some point during this 1 1/2 hour photo session there on that balcony on the banks of the River Elbe, my daughter suggested I take some shorter shutter speed photos for her so I would NOT get the streaks you normally get with fire works (and you normally WANT with fireworks), so just for her I cranked up the ISO to 1600, stopped up, and took short(er) shutter speed pics. But I tell you what: that is not how you want firework photos to be taken! It may look more like the eyes see fireworks (we don't see streaks, we see dots and points and stars), but in photos it isn't really right.

And thank you to the two of you for commenting. I was getting a little disheartened here, given that I posted these photos on Tuesday...

ETA... just if you're interested: these_photos and these,_too were taken the same night, but they really were just "messing around with the camera", which is why they're in "Just For Fun" ... though even in there I wouldn't mind if people also for once talked to me, for a change, and not always and only the other way round ...

 

[sleepingdragon]

Spectacular shots. I've never had much luck with fireworks. Usually just one night a year to practice with them.

 

[Antarctican]

Oh, these are yours too! Seriously, the first time I saw them was yesterday over on that site where they were stealing posts from here!

Having been to the Hamburg harbour this summer at the big Germany meetup ( :hugs: ), I really love seeing the now-familiar waterfront all lit up by the fireworks. My fave shots are 1, 2, 3 and 5. And it's fascinating in 7-8 to see how many boats were out enjoying the fireworks display. :thumbup: