Best Fireworks Techniques for the 4th?

[rickm]

I just saw where BlueBomberX posted some great fireworks shots in another post, and the 4th is approaching fast.

Can we all share our expieriences and techniques for great fireworks shots? I know I'd love to see a few examples from past years and learn more about how they were taken.

[Jon Borcik]

Yes please... I've had limited luck shooting fireworks and would love to hear what settings people use to capture them using the 10D. Thanks in advance!

[Spinners]

Yes!, this would be very interesting.. I am curious why the small aperatures are used more than larger ones? is that to keep the sky dark?

some shutter speed recommendations would be good too.

[davidbellca]

Not only do you want to keep the sky dark, but you don't want to overexpose the colors of the fireworks.

If you open the lens too much, all your fireworks will pretty much overexpose to mostly white, and the sky will be somewhat gray and you'll lose contrast.

Try f 8,11, or even 16 with ISO100,200 or even 400

The exposure you use is also going to depend somewhat on how far away from them you are. Suffice to say, the closer the better, with a slightly wide angle lens.

You are going to use a long exposure...1 to 4 seconds, to capture the entire path of one or more explosion cycles...you want to open the shutter BEFORE the shell explodes to catch the tracing of the light paths (here's where your ESP comes in!)

You've GOT to use a tripod, and if possible, use a remote shutter release, and use the B setting to close the shutter the instant the fireworks explosion reaches the maximum size...any more than that and you'll just be adding more stray scatter light from smoke that will reduce contrast.

Taking good fireworks pictures requires taking LOTS of pictures and treasuring the good ones and casting away a lot of duds.

Sorry I can't post any...my 10D will be arriving on Monday for me to try out on the 4th...my own previous fireworks pictures are prints and I don't have a scanner handy.

[defordphoto]

Try this thread (http://www.ritzcamera.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StaticView?tmreturn=true&processRequest=10002&cmd=StaticView&catalogId=10001&staticPage=%2Fetc%2Fcontent%2Frcarticles%2Ffirewor ks_tips.html&langId=-1&location=NLR06C&capture=TRUE&storeId=10001)

[Jon Borcik]

Thanks.... time to put the 2G card in! :)