Shooting fireworks

(wakedad33) · (wakedad33) **Join Date: Oct 2005** 07-01-2009, 10:18 AM

Going to try and shoot some fireworks on the 4th. Any tips?

(steezyshots) · (steezyshots) **Join Date: Feb 2008** 07-01-2009, 10:45 AM

Use a tripod

wakejjboard12 07-01-2009, 11:56 AM

I found this site earlier in the week. I'm a total noob but maybe some of this will still be helpful...

http://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-photograph-fireworks

(wakedad33) · (wakedad33) **Join Date: Oct 2005** 07-01-2009, 1:30 PM

Jessica, nice find, thanks for the link.

(xcharrier) · (xcharrier) **Join Date: Jul 2002** 07-01-2009, 2:24 PM

Certainly use a tripod and I find that using a remote shutter release helps a ton. With the remote shutter release you can put it on bulb exposure and experiment with exposures (usually 2 to 10 seconds). I'll hit the remote as the fireworks are going up and then release it after they've fallen a good ways.

(wakedad33) · (wakedad33) **Join Date: Oct 2005** 07-01-2009, 5:39 PM

Tripod, check
Remote, check
Bulb exposure, check

Manual or AF?

Thanks everyone, looking to playing around with it this weekend.

(hkysk8r187) · (hkysk8r187) **Join Date: May 2004** 07-01-2009, 7:09 PM

Use manual focus and set it to infinity.

(richd) · (richd) **Join Date: Oct 2003** 07-01-2009, 9:22 PM

Randy - post processing can really help get rid of any glare on the smoke by crushing the blacks.

(hunter660) · (hunter660) **Join Date: Aug 2007** 07-02-2009, 6:15 AM

I got my first SLR last year right before the 4th and that was one of the first times I used it. Here is what I came away with.

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The best advice I can give to you is know what your fireworks are going to do and where they are going to be.

(wakedad33) · (wakedad33) **Join Date: Oct 2005** 07-02-2009, 7:09 AM

Nice shots Jon, I really like the 3rd one down. Thanks for the input everyone.

(dirwoody) · (dirwoody) **Join Date: Apr 2003** 07-02-2009, 8:20 AM

How about aperature and ISO?

(xcharrier) · (xcharrier) **Join Date: Jul 2002** 07-02-2009, 8:54 AM

I personally go 100 ISO and between f/8 and f/16.

(steezyshots) · (steezyshots) **Join Date: Feb 2008** 07-02-2009, 8:57 AM

(xcharrier) · (xcharrier) **Join Date: Jul 2002** 07-02-2009, 9:03 AM

Here is an old one I did:

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wakejjboard12 07-02-2009, 12:40 PM

^^^^ Thats a really sick shot. So does everyone use bulb? I'm curious as to how long I need to leave the shutter open if I do. I don't wanna over expose.

(hkysk8r187) · (hkysk8r187) **Join Date: May 2004** 07-02-2009, 12:49 PM

Just experiement. I usually use bulb and open the shutter when I see a firework start to go up then let it burst and fade out before closing the shutter. It's hard to overexpose when you're shooting a black sky at ISO 100, you can get good exposure anywhere from 3-30 seconds

wakejjboard12 07-02-2009, 1:14 PM

Thanks!

(madriding1) · (madriding1) **Join Date: Sep 2008** 07-02-2009, 1:21 PM