Yesterday I explained some of my basic tips for shooting fireworks. Today I wanted to share with you a couple of my shots from 2010. The building I work in happens to overlook the bridge where they launch the fireworks from. So I usually go to the same room every year to try and get more fireworks photos to add to my portfolio.
Just like in my tips, these were captured with a tripod, cable release, BULB mode, f/8, 3 second exposure, ISO 250 and the focal length here was 47mm. I used Photoshop slightly to bring out some clarity because I was shooting through double pane windows.
I’d like to see your fireworks photos, leave a comment and share them with me!
Clicking on a photo above will take you to flickr, where you can view them in more detail. Thanks for checking them out!
It’s that time of year again where Americans celebrate independence. What better way then to send rockets into the air and watch them explode! The photo featured here was taken last year in 2010. I’ll be heading to the same spot this year to capture more fireworks. So I thought I’d take this opportunity to explain some of my basic tips you can use when shooting fireworks:
- Tripod: You will need a tripod. Since it’s going to be dark out, your camera shutter will need to be open longer to capture more light. Shooting handheld will result in a pretty blurry photo.
- Cable or Timer Release: If you have a shutter cable release, use it. If not you can use the timer feature on your camera. Either way you want to try to avoid touching your camera when it’s taking the photo. This will help eliminate blur.
- Shutter Priority: Set your camera to Shutter Priority. You will want to try and capture the fireworks from when they launch, to when they explode and capture the light trails. This is about 4 seconds, so setting your camera to Shutter Priority and setting it to 4 seconds will help get that desired look.
- BULB Mode: Most Canon and Nikon digital SLR cameras have BULB mode. This mode works best if you have a cable release. When you press the shutter release button, the shutter stays open until you let go. This is a great option for fireworks. When you see them launch, press the button. When the light trails fade away, let go.
- Aperture: If you want to go manual on your camera, I would suggest an aperture around f/8. This will help prevent the bright light of the fireworks from over-exposing. Use the LCD screen on the back of your camera to adjust your settings to get the look you want.
- Flash: Don’t use your flash.
There you have it! Those are some of my basic tips you can try when shooting fireworks this holiday season. Don’t forget to try and photograph the fireworks both vertical and horizontal. If you have a zoom lens, try using that to get a tight shot of the fireworks themselves.
Most importantly, have fun!
I’d love to see your shots, leave me a comment so I can check them out!
