The clue is in the headline really. It's that time of year and was wondering what tips/ settings/methods people used for getting stunning fireworks photos , perhaps with examples of the results?

I don't have any examples to hand but you'll definitely need a tripod, cable release and a piece of black card or your lens cap (but black card is better). Put the shutter speed on bulb setting, open the shutter and after each firework burst, cover the lens with the black card and wait for the next burst to go off. Do this as often as you like but too many bursts will look over-complicated. You'll not need a long lens and if you can, try and put something in the foreground to add a bit of interest.

Set the ISO as low as possible, depending on the brightness of the fireworks, and an aperture of about f8.

Here are some examples - fireworks (http://www.dpchallenge.com/challenge_results.php?CHALLENGE_ID=521), should give you a few ideas. :)

Mmm - some impressive examples ! I guess good weather can make a lot of difference...

I don't have any examples to hand but you'll definitely need a tripod, cable release and a piece of black card or your lens cap (but black card is better). Put the shutter speed on bulb setting, open the shutter and after each firework burst, cover the lens with the black card and wait for the next burst to go off. Do this as often as you like but too many bursts will look over-complicated. You'll not need a long lens and if you can, try and put something in the foreground to add a bit of interest.

Have you got any examples of this technique?

Have you got any examples of this technique?

This one from Page 2 of above link looks like an excellent use of the technique, it's effectively multiple exposures
http://images.dpchallenge.com/images_challenge/521/358723.jpg
(c) kirbic @ dpchallenge.com (http://www.dpchallenge.com/profile.php?USER_ID=2333)

He has a point about the weather though... it always rains on the 5th :lol1:

Was thinking of going to the Flaming Fireworks (or whatever it's called) at Santa Pod, drag cars, stunts etc. Anybody ever been?

Also depends how big the display is. Some big displays give you practically bursts of daylight in terms of exposure and you can try bracketing with short exposures. You can overcrowd by doing too many exposures, but for small displays it would be effective. Took this one a while ago but I think it was somewhere between 1 and 4 secs.

http://img271.imageshack.us/img271/2180/wobbleyz7.jpg

Blimey they are both fantastic..... I'm speechless

I think I have a better understanding this now. Ill give it another go this year.
Here's last years Disney tastic one I took for the mrs

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b387/Lathafummi/Florida/Magic%20Kingdom/_MG_5591.jpg

Firework pics are great if you get it right, so best to rattle off as many different attempts as poss. Always better as well if its not quite dark, so dusk with a bit of blue still left in the sky, although of course thats not always possible.

This is from the Cannes Firework Festival this summer. ( Festival d’Art Pyrotechnique de Cannes (http://www.festival-pyrotechnique-cannes.com) )


Its taken at f22 over 8 seconds using a tripod of course!!!!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v493/gazc/Misc/Fireworks800.jpg

I used to do professional displays with Pain's Fireworks (http://www.painsfireworks.co.uk/pges/intro.htm) :) but I never got any pics as good as that though :thumb:, mostly cos we were too busy!

When a 8" Maroon shell fails to lift out of it's firing tube, going fiz-plop onto the ground instead of KER-THUMP! to 1500ft, it's every man for himself and run like f*** :eek:

Whatever you do, don't leave the camera on auto white balance - it'll bleach the colour right out of the fireworks and really spoil the shot.

Shoot RAW and pick a WB setting later when you convert - or, if you can't do that and have to shoot JPEG, set WB to shade, cloudy or sunny.

Was thinking of going to the Flaming Fireworks (or whatever it's called) at Santa Pod, drag cars, stunts etc. Anybody ever been?

Went last year, but turned up late as I was at a shoot in London. Its a good event. they normally have the big foots there too and the fairground as usual so you could get a right mix of photos. Might go again this year, but park as close to the entrance as possible as last year I got by the track and had to wait 3 hours to get out at the end.

Appreciate the parking tip !

Gonna have a go at taking a few pics of local displays from the comfort of a bedroom window :rolleyes:
Have read a few tips which ditto some of the advice above:

Use a Tripod
Turn autofocus off and Manual focus at infinity
Use remote cable if poss
ISO 100
Aperture somewhere between F/8 and F/22 (definitely not bigger aperture than F/8)
Shutter speed around 4 secs depending on the length of the blast. Do an early check tho that the pic doesn't over-expose with much longer exposures.
Or set to bulb, and place black card in front of lens inbetween bursts. Need cable release for this to keep shutter depressed - I aint got one :(

Oh... make sure battery is fully charded ;)

Maybe we'll see some pics tonight?

My feeble effort from half an hour ago :D

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v479/kbsub/_MG_0047-01.jpg


Quite like this one of a rocket going skywards


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v479/kbsub/_MG_0010-01.jpg

HOW difficult was that!!!

I was a fair distance away so guessing where the bursts of colour would be was nigh on impossible.

LOL I had plenty of pics with most of the display off screen boooo.

Anyhow... Here's my one fave from tonight.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v328/MissyC/general/DSC0335_c.jpg
D200 18-200 lens @ 75mm F/16 5.1secs ISO 400!!! (Forgot to change it back from a few weeks ago doh!) Cropped only

Thats the problem I found ... where the next burst was going to be and being ready for it , far to many gardens near me all letting them off at once ,had a bit of fun though:thumb:

Far to many piddling ones coming from all directions, and none of them in front of the windows :rolleyes: Add to that street lights and a full moon, I've given up :(

Well I think I had some success last night :)


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/BOB.T/Stuff%20for%20Snet/white.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/BOB.T/Stuff%20for%20Snet/swoosh.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/BOB.T/Stuff%20for%20Snet/sparkly.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/BOB.T/Stuff%20for%20Snet/red.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/BOB.T/Stuff%20for%20Snet/rednwhite.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/BOB.T/Stuff%20for%20Snet/redmoon.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/BOB.T/Stuff%20for%20Snet/reallysparkly.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/BOB.T/Stuff%20for%20Snet/moon.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/BOB.T/Stuff%20for%20Snet/green.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/BOB.T/Stuff%20for%20Snet/greenupswoosh.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/BOB.T/Stuff%20for%20Snet/fire.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/BOB.T/Stuff%20for%20Snet/firedudoodooo.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/BOB.T/Stuff%20for%20Snet/blueswoosh.jpg

You certainly did have success Bob. Some great pics there :)
What sorta settings did you use?

Thanks :)

I think they're mostly ISO100, F22, 4" ish, not sure really, it was dark! :D tbh, I just sat the camera on the tripod and fired away every now and then whilst watching :cool:

Nice :) But the sky's a bit dark. Should have used flash :D

Here's one of mine from tonight, shot at bethesda bonfire in cheadle on my D70 with no tripod 200 iso. 1/6 @ f4.5 35-70mm lens (Shot as JPEG)
Should had taken my 18-35mm lens on the D200!!

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c3/whannabuss01/RTDSC4384.jpg

Far to many piddling ones coming from all directions, and none of them in front of the windows :rolleyes: Add to that street lights and a full moon, I've given up :(

F**k me, we had a full moon as well !!! No fireworks here as they don't do Guy Fawkes so I watched the moon via a power cut with a scotch in hand.

Some nice pics there folks :thumb:

Nice :) But the sky's a bit dark. Should have used flash :D

PMSL :D

Also noticed that no-one tried panning upwards to match the speed of the rocket as it was launched ;)

Nice pics all - round

Gareth

Also noticed that no-one tried panning upwards to match the speed of the rocket as it was launched ;)



Gareth

Now he tell's us :rolleyes: :D