My Home Town Fireworks

[astroNikon]

I haven't really shot fireworks before. But I thought about it and gave it a shot.
I used my nikon d600, 18-35mm @18 lens and a MS-DC2 wired remote.
I did notice something really quickly. As you watch, you can time whether you want the initial "boom" - the initial explosion light, or get it after the initial "boom", or wait a few to get it as it expands more. I found myself getting "shots" versus just setting a timer. I had alot of fun

includes initial boom, just after, wait a bit more after:



The only problem is in my home town they shoot the fireworks off from the inside of the baseball stadium. Thus there are light poles all the way around. I live right across the street so it was hard as I also had to avoid telephone poles lines all over the place without putting myself into the street.

I ended up taking over 400 shots. Uploaded my favorite 120+ to Flickr. That was a fun experience. I'll be better prepared next year with a better idea of what to do this time.

And here are a few of my favorites - enjoy. Any C&C info on how to make better is always welcomed.

 

[robbins.photo]

Wow, fantastic stuff there astro. I'll have to take some notes and maybe try this myself next year.

 

[astroNikon]

Also, I noticed the fireworks climb quickly. And then slow down as the propulsion is stopped .. then just before they start pausing in the air they blow up. So I was able to time my shutter release based on the firework shells themselves. If you notice at the bottom of a couple of the photos you can see the initial liftoff spots. They had at least 4 areas of fireworks in the baseball outfield. So camera placement is critical because I'm so close (I could throw a baseball into the fireworks area if I had a good arm). I could literally see them light the fireworks, and them shoot off and climb.

last year the wind was pushing west, which meant all the firework coconut shells leftover junk landed in my yard.

 

[IzzieK]

When I was using my 4/3rd camera for one firework session, we were with a neighbour. He ended up buying a camera better than mine but also 4/3rds. His wife was livid. er: she wears the pants in the family.)

 

[tirediron]

Nice!!

 

[FITBMX]

Those are great!
I didn't use the shutter timer, I set my camera to "Bulb" so I could just hold the shutter open as long as I wonted depending on the shot. It worked great!
To bad we have to wait a year to do it again!

 

[Life]

What ISO did you use, and AP, and speed? Where I live the went off on sat, the 5th. I took my camera and got some nice ones, but even at iso 100 with the d3100 the noise is so terrible... Tips?

 

[astroNikon]

What ISO did you use, and AP, and speed? Where I live the went off on sat, the 5th. I took my camera and got some nice ones, but even at iso 100 with the d3100 the noise is so terrible... Tips?

If you look at all the individual shots (scroll down to see basic EXIF data) I was at ISO 100 the entire time, as the fireworks are bright, just like moon shots. And I didn't see any reason after the first few to change ISO.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/100677477@N08/sets/72157645523367354/

I was in Manual
aperture I think I set it to f/7.1
ManualFocus, Focus was set to infinity
ISO 100

after that it was how ever long I held the remote shutter release in to get the total shot that I wanted (it's like light painting).
The only time I would lose colors was when I left the shutter open for too long - maybe that is what you are mistaking for noise?
I don't have any on my Flickr Album, but I have a few I can probably find for examples.

 

[astroNikon]

Those are great!
I didn't use the shutter timer, I set my camera to "Bulb" so I could just hold the shutter open as long as I wonted depending on the shot. It worked great!
To bad we have to wait a year to do it again!

BULB mode is fun
Luckily I didn't even have to touch the camera. I just stood off to the side with my arms crossed and my finger pushing the button. I would watch and push exactly when I wanted to start, hold in the button, then release exactly when I wanted it to stop.
My lens let me get the shot from ground all the way up to the highest fireworks .. thanks to Ultra Wide Angle

 

[Life]

What ISO did you use, and AP, and speed? Where I live the went off on sat, the 5th. I took my camera and got some nice ones, but even at iso 100 with the d3100 the noise is so terrible... Tips?

If you look at all the individual shots (scroll down to see basic EXIF data) I was at ISO 100 the entire time, as the fireworks are bright, just like moon shots. And I didn't see any reason after the first few to change ISO.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/100677477@N08/sets/72157645523367354/

I was in Manual
aperture I think I set it to f/7.1
ISO 100

after that it was how ever long I held the remote shutter release in to get the total shot that I wanted (it's like light painting).
The only time I would lose colors was when I left the shutter open for too long - maybe that is what you are mistaking for noise?
I don't have any on my Flickr Album, but I have a few I can probably find for examples.

Nah noise is noise . I'll post a couple of them later. But they are nothing special because the fireworks here in North eastern MI are.. well nothing close to what bigger cities have lol.

 

[astroNikon]

What ISO did you use, and AP, and speed? Where I live the went off on sat, the 5th. I took my camera and got some nice ones, but even at iso 100 with the d3100 the noise is so terrible... Tips?

If you look at all the individual shots (scroll down to see basic EXIF data) I was at ISO 100 the entire time, as the fireworks are bright, just like moon shots. And I didn't see any reason after the first few to change ISO.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/100677477@N08/sets/72157645523367354/

I was in Manual
aperture I think I set it to f/7.1
ISO 100

after that it was how ever long I held the remote shutter release in to get the total shot that I wanted (it's like light painting).
The only time I would lose colors was when I left the shutter open for too long - maybe that is what you are mistaking for noise?
I don't have any on my Flickr Album, but I have a few I can probably find for examples.

Nah noise is noise . I'll post a couple of them later. But they are nothing special because the fireworks here in North eastern MI are.. well nothing close to what bigger cities have lol.

My city is 2.2 square miles ..
not exactly a bigger city .. but probably a bigger population (but surrounded by bigger cities).

 

[Life]

If you look at all the individual shots (scroll down to see basic EXIF data) I was at ISO 100 the entire time, as the fireworks are bright, just like moon shots. And I didn't see any reason after the first few to change ISO.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/100677477@N08/sets/72157645523367354/

I was in Manual
aperture I think I set it to f/7.1
ISO 100

after that it was how ever long I held the remote shutter release in to get the total shot that I wanted (it's like light painting).
The only time I would lose colors was when I left the shutter open for too long - maybe that is what you are mistaking for noise?
I don't have any on my Flickr Album, but I have a few I can probably find for examples.

Nah noise is noise . I'll post a couple of them later. But they are nothing special because the fireworks here in North eastern MI are.. well nothing close to what bigger cities have lol.

My city is 2.2 square miles ..
not exactly a bigger city .. but probably a bigger population (but surrounded by bigger cities).

You can google earth : Harrisville MI, USA. Small town/city surrounded by even smaller None the less, I also have the same noise problem when shooting stars :/