Fireworks!

Any tips for some great fireworks photos, especially if one does not have special filters.

Take videos.

1) Tripod with remote release is best

2) Wide angle lense

3) Manual mode: Base ISO ( 200-400 ), 2"-10", F8-F11, focus-manual and at infinity

Wind and firework intensity and backlight will require adjusting 3)

Any tips for some great fireworks photos, especially if one does not have special filters.

Does your camera have a "fireworks" setting?

Mine does and it works great. Put the camera on a tripod, aim it in the general direction of where the fireworks are going to be, and just keep hitting the shutter. You can't wait until you see something - by then it's too late. It's a matter of luck (and some post-photo cropping) as to what you get.

This picture is one I took in NY Harbor, from the crowded upper deck of a Statue Cruises tour boat. Some of the tour boat's canopy structure is visible.

This is hand held with a Panasonic FZ-50

Does your camera have a "fireworks" setting?

 

Mine does and it works great. Put the camera on a tripod, aim it in the general direction of where the fireworks are going to be, and just keep hitting the shutter. You can't wait until you see something - by then it's too late. It's a matter of luck (and some post-photo cropping) as to what you get.

 

But some of us have only ordinary cameras -- not with all the fancy settings. :(

Lovely picture.

This picture is one I took in NY Harbor, from the crowded upper deck of a Statue Cruises tour boat. Some of the tour boat's canopy structure is visible.

 

This is hand held with a Panasonic FZ-50

 

Great picture.

Years ago we were on the Norwegian Crown with the Norway sailing in front of us from Cherberg. We have great pictures of the fireworks set off for both ships. No digital cameras in those days.

- I set my camera on a tripod.

- Set manual focus to infinity, then backoff a bit so you don't compress the DoF.

- Turn noise reduction off.

- Lowest ISO

- set aperture to f/8 to start.

- attach cable release.

- bulb setting.

This is a great setup to isolate a single or small set of firework bursts.

Then, I depress the cable release when I see the rocket launch, and leave the shutter open until the burst is over. By doing this rather than a timed exposure, you have less hit-and-miss. I have had some very dramatic photos using this technique.

So I really don't care what the shutter speed is - the shutter opens at the start of the launch, and closes at the end of the burst. I use the aperture to fine tune the exposure.

Of course, this works for single bursts, but for the grand finale, you will have to reduce the aperture or take short duration photos - otherwise you will over-expose the scene.

Examples:

The Crab

Jerry Garcia

Palm Tree

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbYAAUDi7C8

Video gets it done, and better yet a Cheap camera at that to :D

- I set my camera on a tripod.

- Set manual focus to infinity, then backoff a bit so you don't compress the DoF.

- Turn noise reduction off.

- Lowest ISO

- set aperture to f/8 to start.

- attach cable release.

- bulb setting.

 

This is a great setup to isolate a single or small set of firework bursts.

 

Then, I depress the cable release when I see the rocket launch, and leave the shutter open until the burst is over. By doing this rather than a timed exposure, you have less hit-and-miss. I have had some very dramatic photos using this technique.

 

So I really don't care what the shutter speed is - the shutter opens at the start of the launch, and closes at the end of the burst. I use the aperture to fine tune the exposure.

 

Of course, this works for single bursts, but for the grand finale, you will have to reduce the aperture or take short duration photos - otherwise you will over-expose the scene.

 

====

 

Thanks for the tips. I took over a 100 shots and used a tripod I have never used before but none of mine came out as photos were too dark :( I shot at F8 and 400 ISO but obviously didn't leave the shutter open long enough. My remote that I bought but never used wasn't working so I did manually. It was too dark to look at anything while shooting. What is bulb setting? I will try again next year.

 

I am sure my video came out on my p7700.

1) Tripod with remote release is best

2) Wide angle lense

3) Manual mode: Base ISO ( 200-400 ), 2"-10", F8-F11, focus-manual and at infinity

 

Wind and firework intensity and backlight will require adjusting 3)

I tried that (F8, ISO 400, wide angle set to infinity, tripod) and didn't get anything. I had long exposure NR on.

Not fireworks, but, still patriotic -

Enjoying the photos.

Keith

What is bulb setting?

"Bulb" is an old photo term when remote shutter releases were constructed of a squeezable bulb with an air tube to a piston that attached to the shutter.

I used to actually have one of these for my old film SLR:

But the term goes way back to these cameras:

When you squeezed the bulb, the shutter opened, and remained open until you let go of the bulb. If you squeezed the bulb for 10 seconds, the shutter remained open for 10 seconds, and so on.

These days, DSLRs and some compacts still have a bulb mode, but sometimes it is called Time mode. Usually bulb mode is the last position on the shutter speed dial. So as you crank the shutter speed down so it gets into the seconds area, usually the last position is bulb. Usually "bulb" is indicated in the display in that position.

"Bulb" is normally where the shutter speed readout is located. Bulb is in effect a "manual" shutter speed, determined by how long you hold the remote shutter release down.

When you set the shutter speed to bulb, when using a wired remote, the shutter remains open as long as you keep the switch depressed, just like the old bulb shutter releases. Some remotes have a lock so that you can lock the switch in the depressed position so you don't have to continuously depress the switch. Of course, you have to unlock the switch to close the shutter.

So when I depress the shutter release in my technique, the shutter opens and stays open until the firework burst is over, and I release the switch. This can be 10, 20, or 30 seconds, depending on how long the burst lasts.

Nikon cameras that use the ML-L3 IR remote (rather than the wired remote) work a bit differently. In bulb mode, when you have the remote active - the shutter speed display may indicate "Time" or "- -", depending on the model, to indicate "bulb via IR remote" vs. "bulb via wired remote". Here, when you depress the IR remote the first time, the shutter opens. Then when you depress the IR remote the second time, the shutter closes.

That way, there is no need to keep the IR remote button depressed for the entire time.

"Bulb" is an old photo term when remote shutter releases were constructed of a squeezable bulb with an air tube to a piston that attached to the shutter.

 

I used to actually have one of these for my old film SLR:

 

 

But the term goes way back to these cameras:

 

 

When you squeezed the bulb, the shutter opened, and remained open until you let go of the bulb. If you squeezed the bulb for 10 seconds, the shutter remained open for 10 seconds, and so on.

 

These days, DSLRs and some compacts still have a bulb mode, but sometimes it is called Time mode. Usually bulb mode is the last position on the shutter speed dial. So as you crank the shutter speed down so it gets into the seconds area, usually the last position is bulb. Usually "bulb" is indicated in the display in that position.

 

 

"Bulb" is normally where the shutter speed readout is located. Bulb is in effect a "manual" shutter speed, determined by how long you hold the remote shutter release down.

 

When you set the shutter speed to bulb, when using a wired remote, the shutter remains open as long as you keep the switch depressed, just like the old bulb shutter releases. Some remotes have a lock so that you can lock the switch in the depressed position so you don't have to continuously depress the switch. Of course, you have to unlock the switch to close the shutter.

 

So when I depress the shutter release in my technique, the shutter opens and stays open until the firework burst is over, and I release the switch. This can be 10, 20, or 30 seconds, depending on how long the burst lasts.

 

Nikon cameras that use the ML-L3 IR remote (rather than the wired remote) work a bit differently. In bulb mode, when you have the remote active - the shutter speed display may indicate "Time" or "- -", depending on the model, to indicate "bulb via IR remote" vs. "bulb via wired remote". Here, when you depress the IR remote the first time, the shutter opens. Then when you depress the IR remote the second time, the shutter closes.

That way, there is no need to keep the IR remote button depressed for the entire time.

Thanks.

Except my ML-L3 didn't work. I have never used it. Do you know what type of battery it takes?

Not fireworks, but, still patriotic -

I love this photo. When I first saw it, it took a few seconds until I realized what I was looking at. Did you do anything to enhance this photo or did it just come out this way? Also, how did you add the signature?

Oh, I'm sorry - it was making the rounds on Facebook yesterday, it just seemed appropriate to share! :o

Thanks.

 

Except my ML-L3 didn't work. I have never used it. Do you know what type of battery it takes?

The remote requires a CR2025 battery - similar to the ones that car keyless remotes use.

Also, you do have to set your camera up for using the ML-L3. On the P7700 for instance, you have to depress the "self timer" side of the multi-selector, and select the ML-l3.

- I set my camera on a tripod.

- Set manual focus to infinity, then backoff a bit so you don't compress the DoF.

- Turn noise reduction off.

- Lowest ISO

- set aperture to f/8 to start.

- attach cable release.

- bulb setting.

 

This is a great setup to isolate a single or small set of firework bursts.

 

Then, I depress the cable release when I see the rocket launch, and leave the shutter open until the burst is over. By doing this rather than a timed exposure, you have less hit-and-miss. I have had some very dramatic photos using this technique.

 

So I really don't care what the shutter speed is - the shutter opens at the start of the launch, and closes at the end of the burst. I use the aperture to fine tune the exposure.

 

Of course, this works for single bursts, but for the grand finale, you will have to reduce the aperture or take short duration photos - otherwise you will over-expose the scene.

 

Examples:

 

The Crab

 

 

 

 

Jerry Garcia

 

 

 

 

Palm Tree

 

Beautiful

Not fireworks, but, still patriotic -

It's unusual to get a shot as lovely as that.

I do it same as awboater except I start at f/11 and sometimes go up to 16. This is to darken the sky, especially if overcast.

Also, I just set it at 4 second shutter. It tacks on a couple extra to write to the CF card. Samples from last week:

And this little gem:

What a little doll - looks like she's having fun.

I do it same as awboater except I start at f/11 and sometimes go up to 16. This is to darken the sky, especially if overcast.

Also, I just set it at 4 second shutter. It tacks on a couple extra to write to the CF card. Samples from last week:

 

 

 

 

And this little gem:

 

Love the last picture.

She is adorable.

Awesome pics!

Go some good results with these settings. Check your first few shots, then adjust depending on conditions. Find solid ground if possible. no decks or wooden structures that moving people will cause vibrations.

ISO 100

F-stop: F/11

Speed: 4 sec

Focal length 56mm (84mm effective in DX mode)