Fireworks - any tips?

King Kelly

This has probably been done to death before but here goes...

I'm going to drop down to the opening of Wexford Opera Festival next Thursday evening. Each year they have a large fireworks display over Wexford Harbour to open the festival. Fireworks at 6.30pm so should be full or near darkness.

Thinking of staying well back (probably 500m to 1km away)to try to get images of the River Slaney and Wexford Bridge in the foreground and the fireworks overhead. (alternatively could get closer but would be shooting upwards and would get very little else in the shot and be rubbing shoulders with 10000 spectators).

I'll be using a EOS20d with a Canon 28-135 3.5/5.6IS or can borrow a Canon 70-200 2.8 but I haven't a tripod at the moment (unless I pick up a cheap one in the meantime).

Any tips on which lens to use, exposures, your experiences etc gratefully recieved. Is there any point without a tripod? (Any hope of holding the camera firmly in place to the car roof say:))

melekalikimaka

http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/how-to-photograph-fireworks/

google isn't that challenging :rolleyes:

Dodgykeeper

Hi OP sorry do not have any advice to impart but I would be interested in any of the guys here expeirience in shooting fireworks, So come on guys surely sombody has done it before, it would be a boring message board if every question was answered with a link!

Ricky91t

melekalikimaka wrote: »

http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/how-to-photograph-fireworks/

google isn't that challenging :rolleyes:

Honestly,Whats the point?

If you aren't gonna be nice don't bother posting,
He asked us,not for some (i wont say what) to search google!


Op
If i were you get quiet close possibly near to the river are they on the other side?
Definitely use a tripod and maybe a remote release or a self timer..Maybe 2 or 3 seconds shutter and first get a few practice shots to set up your exposure correctly,Maybe also try bumping up the ISO and shooting the 28-135 handheld...I'v never shot any but I've tried my best to help!

Best of luck!

mehfesto2

Does your camera have a fireworks mode? Mine did - I only copped after someone told me after Hallowe'en last year!

I got this out my back-garden:


What I worked with was:

• Slow shutter speed (about 2-3 seconds)
• I found f/8 (or thereabouts) it to yield the best results
• Metered with pattern (though, this was accidental - didn't understand the differences at the time!:D), but I was told it's the one to use.
• I did use flash, but turned it off as it ruined some/most shots
• Personally, I also found that zooming in made more intresting shots - mostly because mine were taken out my backgarden and it's not exactly that scenic there! :pac:

Hope that helps!

Ricky91t

mehfesto2 wrote: »

Does your camera have a fireworks mode? Mine did - I only copped after someone told me after Hallowe'en last year!

I got this out my back-garden:


What I worked with was:


Hope that helps!

No the 20D has no fireworks
And just to add to my earlier post might be nice to get reflections of the fireworks on the water!Will look very nice

King Kelly

Thanks for the positive replies guys.

I guess a tripod is a necessity alright. I'll experiment with a few different exposures and see how I get on. The fireworks are on the opposite side to where I intend shooting from so hoping for plenty of colour in the sky and the relections on the water.

melekalikimaka wrote: »

http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/how-to-photograph-fireworks/

google isn't that challenging :rolleyes:

Don't think google is working properly - I googled "melekalimaka" and it didn't throw up smartass.

TelePaul

King Kelly wrote: »

Don't think google is working properly - I googled "melekalimaka" and it didn't throw up smartass.

Ooooh burn!

*gets popcorn*

Beef

A tip is to use a cable releae - leave the shutter open and use a piece of black card to cover the front of the lens between fireworks... That way you can combine several rounds of fireworks in the same scene... hth.

yarglags

If you have a second camera you could do a long exposure with a wide angle and catch a minute at a time. You'd have to stop the apperture down a bit though.

Try a couple of exposures and see what you get.

Have fun!

Ricky91t

King Kelly wrote: »

Thanks for the positive replies guys.

I guess a tripod is a necessity alright. I'll experiment with a few different exposures and see how I get on. The fireworks are on the opposite side to where I intend shooting from so hoping for plenty of colour in the sky and the relections on the water.






Don't think google is working properly - I googled "melekalimaka" and it didn't throw up smartass.

Hahaha true legend!

Also post up your shots
Will be good to see them

melekalikimaka

King Kelly wrote: »

Don't think google is working properly - I googled "melekalimaka" and it didn't throw up smartass.

yeah it just shows pics of yer ma

i don't appriciate the 'thanks' that post is getting...

he asked bout a technique...i linked it...

he coulda googled it

you have all made me cry

melekalikimaka

god damit now that insult is in his sig...

[waves fist angrily and poddles off to hideout under bridge awaiting another lazy poster thread to slate]

Calina

Okay. I really could do without this sort of nonsense going on,.

melekamelika, you're on holiday from photography for a while. Telepaul too. I don't actually like spending my time having to police people looking for other posters to slate or checking you all out for personal abuse. I have enough other things to be dealing with.

the rest of you, any more off topic posts in this and 14 day bans will ensue. I can't be here 24 hours a day watching for puerility and the OP while well capable of standing up for themselves shouldn't have to read it in a thread where he asked for advice.

elexes

well if you wana get it done correct buy some fireworks and do a test before hand ? there all around now and if you can get some the day before you could test the settings to see what you get best results .

go out into a field and use all the ones you have launch from a good bit away from the camera .

this will require you having somone to help.

post up your results and hope it works out well for you . i tried last july and i didnt get good results . i blame it more on my location then anything else