How to shoot fireworks

[disneyboy2003]

Great job on your fireworks pictures!

I'm certainly no expert at taking fireworks pictures, so please take my advice with a HUGE grain of salt.

I think you've captured the fireworks trails pretty well. They're nice, steady, clean and straight.

For variety, I would have liked to have seen some more of the background. Looks like the fireworks were near a bridge and river, and in some of your pictures, we get a hint of that in the bottom edges of some pictures.

It would probably add a lot to your composition if you could get a good exposure for the river, bridge, and the fireworks all in the same shot (good luck! ).

Here are a couple photos I took recently at the 4th of July fireworks along the riverfront in Portland OR:

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[NateNLogansDad]

I actually did try to get it in there thinking it would have been a really nice shot but I couldn't go wide enough and the angle I was at wasn't working. Usually, I hear, they launch them from the water but this year they did it from land. This was my first time there so I didn't really know what to expect. I'm thinking of Photoshopping the bridge in one or two of them for later

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Nikon D5000 18-55mm on a gorillapod with a remote release. Some were taken on Infinite Setting, Some Manual, Some shutter I don't think I did any in A. But, the shake can be explained by my PP

I don't pretend to be a fireworks expert but I like to go manual for them - it's about the only time I do other than the odd shot or two that the camera can't adjust for.

Small Aperture - f11 and shutter speed on bulb mode with a release. Manual focus to infinity since I'm normally far enough back for that. Then I take various exposure lengths. As a PP mentioned it is the length of the shutter speed that will determine the trails. Also, during multiple bursts (like grand finales) it can be too bright if the shutter is open for a long time. Other than that I may also adjust my zoom during a show - sometime shooting tighter and sometimes pulling back to get different perspectives and to decrease cropping.

Of course with the Gorillapod on the table with the kids - short shutter speeds would be ideal!

 

[WDWFigment]

Although it's sometimes to control in bulb mode (and with fireworks in general), a lot of your highlights are blown. Some of this might be correctable in post processing.

Honestly, I like to see processed images before making suggestions. I make plenty of mistkaes in the camera that I later correct in Photoshop, so if I posted an unedited image, a lot of the comments I would get would be irrelevant. If you process a couple of shots, at least then we know what mistakes you aren't catching yourself. Just my two cents.

 

[NateNLogansDad]

Although it's sometimes to control in bulb mode (and with fireworks in general), a lot of your highlights are blown. Some of this might be correctable in post processing.

Honestly, I like to see processed images before making suggestions. I make plenty of mistkaes in the camera that I later correct in Photoshop, so if I posted an unedited image, a lot of the comments I would get would be irrelevant. If you process a couple of shots, at least then we know what mistakes you aren't catching yourself. Just my two cents.

Point taken. I thought it would be better to do it right out of the camera but I'll try the whole PP thing. I'm running old old old software (Photoshop7) but for now it's serving it's purpose. I'll get some pictures up soon.

Another question, once I break down and get something like lightroom2, would it benefit me to shoot fireworks strictly in RAW?

 

[pgowder]

Here are the rest of my fireworks shots:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/96077153@N00/sets/72157622300582487/

 

[seashoreCM]

If you have trouble getting stationary things like skylines and bridges distinct enough and also capturing the fireworks without overexposure, you can try such things as beginning the exposure before the fireworks bursts appear.

Again, do some test shots to find out how much shutter open time the skyline needs.

 

[NateNLogansDad]

If you have trouble getting stationary things like skylines and bridges distinct enough and also capturing the fireworks without overexposure, you can try such things as beginning the exposure before the fireworks bursts appear.

Again, do some test shots to find out how much shutter open time the skyline needs.

To most, that's probably a no brainer. When I read it, it was like the light bulb turning on over my head. I have so much yet to learn.

 

[Gretchasketch]

This has been really helpful! I'm leaving for Disney in 2 weeks and I'm really hoping to learn more about shooting in low light so that I can get some great Fireworks shots and shots of Fantasmic! I have two lenses at this point. I have a 18-200mm lens and a f 1.8 50mm. I don't often have the opportunity to shoot at night so I struggle to figure out what my settings should be DURING the show and therefore miss a lot of the show.

 

[Gretchasketch]

This has been really helpful! I'm leaving for Disney in 2 weeks and I'm really hoping to learn more about shooting in low light so that I can get some great Fireworks shots and shots of Fantasmic! I have two lenses at this point. I have a 18-200mm lens and a f 1.8 50mm. I don't often have the opportunity to shoot at night so I struggle to figure out what my settings should be DURING the show and therefore miss a lot of the show.

 

[Marlton Mom]

I have been studying your tips as well as my camera and I can't wait to have at it!

Thank you to all who provided thoughts or questions. Before I read this thread I had an idea in my mind of what I wanted to do and I had to throw that out the window!

I have a couple of ideas that I'm going to try that haven't been posted here. I'll give them a try and let you know how I made out.

Another thing to keep in mind if you are going during the Christmas Holiday decoration season is that they MAY string garland across main street so those railroad station shots may be even further compromised for SpectroMagic and other photographic opportunities.

I guess I will just have to go and see for myself.

Also a Question..... My Slik u 9000 tripod is 24 inches long.... Do they have lockers that will store that height tripod?

We can always backpack it around the park separately from the camera back pack but it would be nice to ditch it when not needed.

Thanks again,
Smoochies,
Marlton mom

 

[mom2rtk]

I have been studying your tips as well as my camera and I can't wait to have at it!

Thank you to all who provided thoughts or questions. Before I read this thread I had an idea in my mind of what I wanted to do and I had to throw that out the window!

I have a couple of ideas that I'm going to try that haven't been posted here. I'll give them a try and let you know how I made out.

Another thing to keep in mind if you are going during the Christmas Holiday decoration season is that they MAY string garland across main street so those railroad station shots may be even further compromised for SpectroMagic and other photographic opportunities.

I guess I will just have to go and see for myself.

Also a Question..... My Slik u 9000 tripod is 24 inches long.... Do they have lockers that will store that height tripod?

We can always backpack it around the park separately from the camera back pack but it would be nice to ditch it when not needed.

Thanks again,
Smoochies,
Marlton mom

Yep, you're right. We staked out a spot last minute on Main Street and the garland ruined my view. I was scrambling, but it was too late to get a good shot. Guess I'll have to go back........

 

[DizneyNutz]

Also a Question..... My Slik u 9000 tripod is 24 inches long.... Do they have lockers that will store that height tripod?

We can always backpack it around the park separately from the camera back pack but it would be nice to ditch it when not needed.

Thanks again,
Smoochies,
Marlton mom

I believe that will just barely fit if you rent one of the large ones. It is the same length as the one I have and I have used the lockers on previous trips.

 

[boBQuincy]

Another thing to keep in mind if you are going during the Christmas Holiday decoration season is that they MAY string garland across main street so those railroad station shots may be even further compromised for SpectroMagic and other photographic opportunities.

Yep, the garlands are usually across the street and right in the way of photos *except* for a few days around the Christmas Parade taping when the garlands *and* the flagpole are moved. Those are your days!

Also a Question..... My Slik u 9000 tripod is 24 inches long.... Do they have lockers that will store that height tripod?
Marlton mom

22" is pushing it for the small lockers, 24" is no way. The medium or large lockers will work, as will asking to stash it behind the rental counter.

I haven't seen Marlton for 10 years, back when I used to take 295 and 70 to Medford Lakes. Is Olga's Diner still there?

 

[senecabeach]

My SLIK is 24" and fits in a large locker with the case on.

The flagpole is removed during the weekend they shoot the Christmas parade...usually the 1st weekend in December.

 

[pxlbarrel]

So what do you do when you're short? LOL

This is my usual problem. I get to where I want to stand to get good photos of the castle and the fireworks 2 hours ahead of time...and set up with my tripod. I don't spread out the legs that much for fear of tripping people or them knockng the tripod over (I always have the strap still around my neck in case of accidents). And I'm ready for the fireworks...nothing's in my way. Lights dim, music starts...and then this happens. Big tall guy who was standing to the left or to the right moves in front of me. Or a little kid gets hoisted onto dad's shoulders for a "closer" look at the fireworks. Or some guy standing next to me decides to move for a better view (because kids got hoisted onto shoulders?) steps into my tripod.

Because I'm only 5'2", I can't really raise the tripod higher (it will go higher) because I can't see out of the viewfinder then or reach the shutter (I have a remote so it's the viewfinder that's a problem.)

Was it my imagination or wasn't there a time when we used to sit on the pavement to watch the fireworks? Isn't that a better way to see them? Then everybody has a view without being blocked?

 

[Marlton Mom]

I haven't seen Marlton for 10 years, back when I used to take 295 and 70 to Medford Lakes. Is Olga's Diner still there?[/QUOTE]

Nope. Olga bit the dust after years of decline and hissy fits by the management over this and that. Unfortunately the food was so bad and the waitresses so apathetic that when it finally went under there was a huge sigh of relief. The utilities were being turned off for non payment of bills and the State even had to come in and shut them down for food safety reasons.

It was quite the drama. When I was a kid my Dad and I used to stop there for an early breakfast on the way to fishing trips "down the shore". I moved to Marlton in 1985 and it was bad even then!

Thanks to all for the info! Now I can continue to engage in obsessive planning with full confidence that all my scheming will fall apart in ways previously unimagined.

smoochies,
Marlton Mom

 

[GrillMouster]

So what do you do when you're short? LOL...

If you manually zoom on infinity and use a wide focal length, you can shoot over your head without looking through the viewfinder. If you have other people in your party, have them stand in front of you, so the "tall guy" won't be right in front of your view. You could always try asking the tall guy to move so can take pictures. You could try to actually include a sillouette of the child on an adult's shoulders as a nice storytelling element in your pictures (it also adds depth to the image). Next time you scout your location early, look for a spot where someone cannot get in front of you...like right up on railings, standing on a bench or curb, the train station, etc..

 

[ILuvCrush]

I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone from this thread!!

I was quite pleased with how my fireworks pics came out during my trip last week...all due to tips I picked up from you!

here's a few of my faves...

Thanks Again!!

Paula

 

[S. C.]

Beautiful pics Paula.