show us your firework photos 2012

[handicap18]

I went to a great location south of Boston to view the fireworks. The fireworks were delayed by about 1/2 an hour because of passing showers. I didn't get any rain all night. So I did some practice shots as some backyard fireworks going off. I got a few decent shots of those. Then right before the fireworks in Boston were to start a huge cloud cover floated over the city and I couldn't even see the buildings. Luckily less than half way through the display the cloud cover lifted, but because of what happened I screwed up my focus and all my shots are slighting out of focus. I was about 8 miles south and had to use my 300mm lens. It was dark and not much to focus on when the cloud cover moved in.

This is what I got:

One of my "practice shots"

I had a great view, only wish I got my focus right... GRRRRRRR

 

[Experiment_626]

I had a great view, only wish I got my focus right... GRRRRRRR

I can empathize —look what happened to all of mine! Every single shot from last night night looks like this:


One Little Mistake ... by Scott S. Baxter, on Flickr

Bleah!

SSB

 

[Mr.MouseFan]

Here are some of mine. This is the first time out with the new camera so I tried different settings throughout the show. Definitely pleased with the results.

ISO 100 f/18 exp. 8 sec.

ISO 100 f/20 exp. 6 sec.

ISO 100 f/18 exp. 8 sec.

ISO 100 f/18 exp. 8 sec.

ISO 100 f/18 exp. 8 sec.

ISO 100 f/18 exp. 6 sec.

ISO 100 f/18 exp. 9 sec.

ISO 100 f/18 exp. 6 sec.

ISO 100 f/18 exp. 4 sec.

ISO 100 f/18 exp. 11 sec.

 

[2Tiggies]

Luv2Scrap, I am suitably impressed!! Your photos are beautiful!

Did you use your ND filter?

I can empathize —look what happened to all of mine! Every single shot from last night night looks like this:


One Little Mistake ... by Scott S. Baxter, on Flickr

Bleah!

SSB

Do you know what went wrong when you were focusing? At the risk of sounding very selfish, I'm wondering if you could share something that will prevent me (and other first timers to fireworks photography) from making the same mistake or failing to spot the error. The focusing is the one area that I am not 100% happy that I have a good understanding of

 

[Experiment_626]

Do you know what went wrong when you were focusing? At the risk of sounding very selfish, I'm wondering if you could share something that will prevent me (and other first timers to fireworks photography) from making the same mistake or failing to spot the error. The focusing is the one area that I am not 100% happy that I have a good understanding of

Sure — I realized that morning that the step-ring I have for my ND filter wasn't the right size for the lens I wanted to use. I didn't have time to get the right size, so I used blue painter's tape to attach the filter to the back side of my lens hood. That actually worked okay, as far as it goes. But when I attached the hood to the lens, I messed up the focus. The filter was too dark for auto-focus to work (at least at night), so I had flipped over to manual focus. Despite my best efforts at keeping the focus set the same, I was unsuccessful.

SSB

 

[1Grumpy9]

I took my camera out on Wednesday to Hersheypark for their fireworks display. This was my first time shooting with an ND filter, and a remote...so this was my practice. I can say I am happy with my pictures. Not overly thrilled...I think because there was no WOW factor with the fireworks. Here are some of them:

And the Finale was good, but we were standing in the line of the smoke and all of the fireworks opened up at the same spot, so I got a big black cloud in the middle of the fireworks...LOL

 

[Shazzasmd]

Nice shots, everyone. Luv2Scrap - your hard work really paid off with a great set of images.

Thanks to the tips I've picked up here, and a renewed determination to figure out how to get a fireworks photograph (after failing miserably at Epcot in May), I managed to get some decent shots last night. It was my first time trying a Neutral Density 2-stop filter for fireworks. The venue was Camden Harbor in Maine.

Both of these images were taken at ISO 200, f/11, bulb with remote shutter release, at 34mm using a Canon 5DMIII with the 16-35mm f/2.8 lens.

Exposure for the first is 20 seconds, and 13 seconds for the second.

 

[Experiment_626]

Thanks to the tips I've picked up here, and a renewed determination to figure out how to get a fireworks photograph (after failing miserably at Epcot in May), I managed to get some decent shots last night.

Those are beyond "decent"! Very nice that you got the "blue hour" light; it elevates the images beyond what I've typically seen. Is that because you're so far north, or did they just shoot them off a little earlier in the evening?

SSB

 

[pgowder]

Nice shots, everyone. Luv2Scrap - your hard work really paid off with a great set of images.

Thanks to the tips I've picked up here, and a renewed determination to figure out how to get a fireworks photograph (after failing miserably at Epcot in May), I managed to get some decent shots last night. It was my first time trying a Neutral Density 2-stop filter for fireworks. The venue was Camden Harbor in Maine.

Both of these images were taken at ISO 200, f/11, bulb with remote shutter release, at 34mm using a Canon 5DMIII with the 16-35mm f/2.8 lens.

Exposure for the first is 20 seconds, and 13 seconds for the second.

Love the blue hour light!

 

[Shazzasmd]

Thanks. Yes, the Blue Hour effect helps a lot. The sun set at 8:22pm and Civil Twilight started at 8:58pm. They started the fireworks just after 9:00pm. We were fogged out the night before.

Funny - I just started Kent Weakley's night photography class, and the first lesson was on calculating Blue Hour.

 

[dcg0317]

Tripod, mirror lockup, ISO 100, f/8, bulb mode with shutter release, 10-22mm lens @ 17mm, 8 sec exp.

 

[Luv2Scrap]

Luv2Scrap, I am suitably impressed!! Your photos are beautiful!

Did you use your ND filter?

Thank you so much!! That's one thing I have not tried yet - using a ND filter with fireworks. It's definitely on my list to try soon though!!

 

[2Tiggies]

Thank you so much!! That's one thing I have not tried yet - using a ND filter with fireworks. It's definitely on my list to try soon though!!

I was just curious as to whether you had, as you seemed to be a fair distance from the bursts when you took these shots and looking at your settings I am wondering if you had those same one at a show like Wishes for example (where the guest is relatively close to the actual fireworks) it would have been more necessary. Whatever you did, you clearly judged well. I hope mine are half as good!

 

[kgreen]

Hi! I just wanted to stop by & share a few photos I took of the fireworks. Thanks so much for all the tips, & advice that prepared me for our trip to Disney World. Thanks!

 

[zackiedawg]

I finally got around to trying my ND400 9-stop filter for Illuminations last week, so can squeeze in some fireworks shots before the year's over:

Plus a couple of the MK show from the roof of the BLT...no ND filters on these:

 

[2Tiggies]

Untitled by 2Tiggies, on Flickr


DSC_0412 by 2Tiggies, on Flickr


Starlight, star bright by 2Tiggies, on Flickr


DSC_0742 by 2Tiggies, on Flickr


Hallowishes 09.21.12 by 2Tiggies, on Flickr

 

[2Tiggies]

Non Disney fireworks:


DSC_0015 by 2Tiggies, on Flickr


DSC_0053 by 2Tiggies, on Flickr


DSC_0055 by 2Tiggies, on Flickr

 

[psimon]

Non Disney fireworks:


DSC_0015 by 2Tiggies, on Flickr


DSC_0053 by 2Tiggies, on Flickr


DSC_0055 by 2Tiggies, on Flickr

How did you shoot these?

Thanks...

---Paul in Southern NJ

 

[2Tiggies]

How did you shoot these?

Thanks...

---Paul in Southern NJ

Sorry Paul, I thought you could see the EXIF info if you clicked on the photos but if I log out, I see that you can't

All shots in that post were with a tripod, ND8 filter, ISO 100
In the order of the three posted:
1. F16, shot at 16 mm, 16 seconds
2. F22, shot at 12 mm, 32 seconds
3. F22, shot at 12 mm, 26 seconds

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

Here are some of mine from Norfolk, VA's Harbor Festival this year. The biggest difference between shooting these and shooting fireworks at Disney... waiting for the fireworks to start while sitting in a comfortable folding chair with a cooler full of snacks and sodas is a much better experience than standing on Main Street for an hour trying to keep people from tripping over your tripod legs.

All images are f/22, ISO 200, bulb mode with remote shutter release, and were tweaked with Lightroom in post.


_MG_6945.jpg by BirdsOfPreyDave, on Flickr


_MG_7038.jpg by BirdsOfPreyDave, on Flickr


_MG_7036.jpg by BirdsOfPreyDave, on Flickr


_MG_7010-Edit.jpg by BirdsOfPreyDave, on Flickr


_MG_6993.jpg by BirdsOfPreyDave, on Flickr


_MG_6977.jpg by BirdsOfPreyDave, on Flickr


_MG_6964.jpg by BirdsOfPreyDave, on Flickr

Here are a few from Illuminations

Again, tripod mounted, bulb mode w/ remote shutter release



Enjoying Illuminations by BirdsOfPreyDave, on Flickr
f/22, ISO 320


Illuminations by BirdsOfPreyDave, on Flickr
f/20, ISO 125


Illuminations by BirdsOfPreyDave, on Flickr
f/20, ISO 125


Illuminations by BirdsOfPreyDave, on Flickr
f/20, ISO 125


Blue Illuminations by BirdsOfPreyDave, on Flickr
f/20, ISO 125