| HOW
TO PHOTOGRAPH FIREWORKS
When
the summer sets in, the heat wave usually comes accompanied
by joyous celebrations all around the world, many enhanced
by fireworks displays. Below, how I photograph them.
 |
| On
a 4th of July. f/8, 5 seconds on ISO 100 color negative
film |
SETTING
UP
This is just the recipe
I use, and I seem to get nice enough results. It
is this easy, and don't make it any harder, dang it!
Get
3 rolls of 100 ISO color negative film or just set your DSLR
at ISO 100. Exactly 3 are required, or one CF card, unless
you're in Idaho Falls, ID for the 4th of July or in Mexico
City for the 15th of September; then take 5 rolls or three
CF cards.
Set
the camera on a sturdy tripod and lock up the legs really
good.
APERTURE, SHUTTER SPEED, FRAMING AND FOCUS
Set
the f/stop between f/8-f/11. Remember, you are recording burning
chemicals and they're very bright. Forget that the sky is
black, f/8-f/11 will leave it that way.
Either
set the hyperfocal distance for f/5.6, or focus at infinity.
DON'T TOUCH THE FOCUS AGAIN all night, for the fireworks session.
Load
1st roll, set the shutter on B (bulb). Use
your viewfinder to compose on the first few bursts - frame
to cover about 50% more than the first few bursts cover. DON'T
TAKE ANY PICTURES YET !!!
Now,
look up at the sky and listen very carefully to the shells
igniting on the ground... don't look through your camera again.
Open
the shutter when you see some rockets starting to go up. Watch,
and release the shutter after a FEW trails happen, but for
no more than 5 seconds. Count to yourself. I call this "exposure
al dente".
Check
the framing occasionally to make sure you aren't missing the
fireworks. Repeat
until all film is gone. Oh,
no magic camera required, it works like a hose.
Most
people OVEREXPOSE (i.e. too long shutter speed, or too open
f/stop) thinking it's dark and they need lots of light on
the film. Don't! Again, you are taking pictures of burning
chemicals which are very bright.
As
far as getting foreground objects, buildings or city lights,
the answer is easy: figure out the right exposure for the
foreground and shoot them all for that amount of time. You
will need to shoot more of course to capture nice screamers.
.
We
North Americans like to have fireworks every 4th of July,
or any night at Disney World. We know for a fact that Mexicans
do have them at least after all major soccer game finals and
nation-wide on the 5th of May, 15th of September and 20th
of November. All 104 nations represented in this community
certainly must have them.
|
As
happy as I may be with my sample shots above, it is
always nicer to have a landmark clearly visible in the
foreground or background.
Click
on the image at right to enjoy the extraordinary image
captured by Nikonian Albert Valentino (Valentino), with
the Empire State Building, from the New Jersey shore. |
.. |
|
| Here,
another, from Nikonian Stephen Wellman (Cammy) with a
Washington, D.C. landmark. Click on it to see an enlargement. |
|
|
So
try it next time and don't forget to show us your results.
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