First crack at fireworks pics

[bradinvancouver]

Hi all,

Been busy getting a cafe ready for opening and haven't posted in a while. I've been adding tons of pics to my site at www.bradworld.ca/pics. A few nights ago, we went to the HSBC Celebration of Light in Vancouver and, oops, I'd forgotten to charge my G3's batteries - both 511's dead within 10 pics. Only got one good shot off. But, being the HSBC Celebration of Light (http://www.celebration-of-light.com/fireworks/info.html), there were three more nights to go. All charged up for Sweden's outing, I snapped off over 300 pics. The best I posted on my site under Around Vancouver/Fireworks. I tried a bunch of settings - the best seemed to come out around f5.6/.2 or .3 seconds. They were all slightly tweaked in photoshop - crop, enhance a bit of highlight to bring out detail in the light trails, a bit of shadow to bring out the smoke slightly, unsharp mask et voila. Enjoy!

Also, we're trying to decide on a logo for the cafe - would be great to get an opinion from a nice impartial audience such as you guys. Check them out at http://24.85.231.217:8000/pics/album?album_id=11920. Interested to know what everyone thinks.

[Biko]

Nice fireworks pics, I like the one on main page of people looking at them.

As to logo I like No 2, if you are designing with the need for the coffeee cup then no 11.

[Cadenza]

Can I have a free latte next time I'm in
Vancouver? I like 2, 6 and 15. Is it going
to have an upscale or informal and playful
atmosphere? Best of luck, in anycase.

[John_T]

Ha! I was just shooting fireworks last night. Swiss independence day.

On your logo, I would go for 12 in first place, 14 in second. They are the strongest and most individual/instantly recognizable. I find all the others, well, cute, but bland.

If I were doing your marketing, I would make some A4 flash cards and run them past as broad an assortment of people as I could find. Not for design, but emotional, moral and sensoral reaction.

- Emotional reactions are often surprising (whipped cream = fat)

- You don't want the church sending their excorsists around (except for a cuppa coffee)

- In one glance you want people to just die for a caffein hit (slurp, drool :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: )

[Digi_J]

WOW! :)
I wish I had such luck with my first attempt at fireworks with my G5! I took about 80 shots and ended up with 2 or 3 that would barely pass as acceptable. Wish I had a "fireworks" setting on my camera....
What is the secret of photographing fireworks with a G5?

[John_T]

...a good solid tripod. :lol:

[EZRider]

Solid tripod for sure! I like #15 myself a little good and evil 8)

[iDan]

Hi all,

<...>
Also, we're trying to decide on a logo for the cafe - would be great to get an opinion from a nice impartial audience such as you guys.
<...>


#8

iDan

[arowana]

Very nice fireworks you have there.

Really your the envy of me . The one i took not as nice as you.

Did you use the remote control to take it ?

By the way i post your url in Clubsnap.org.Hope you dont mind. Hope we can learn somethings from you.

[bradinvancouver]

Hi all,

Thanks for the comments on the pics and logos.

First off, answering fireworks questions -

arowana, no probs posting pics on clubsnap - looks like a good set of foruns, are you based in singapore? can you post which thread it is - I couldn't find it. I did use a remote control and just snapped continuously once I had set the framing.

Cadenza - sure, come on in for a free latte - ask for Brad and introduce yourself. You'll have to wait a few more weeks... Ooh! for everyone in Vancouver, I'll post when we do our 'soft' open - come on in for free lattes and pastries during training.

Digi_J - really, it's like everyone said - a good tripod. Plus all manual settings. With HSBC performance, fireworks were 20+ minutes so lots of time to experiment. I tried everything from f 2@1/20 to f5.6@8 sec, focus on manual set to infinity, display review to 0 sec. - all were pretty much in focus, just varying degrees of under/over saturation of colours. I found the best to be about f4.5-5.6 @ .2 to .3 sec. If you want to know the settings on any particular picture, post the url to it and I'll look it up in zoombrowser.

As for the logo, we talked got a lot of opinions from many people (thanks guys) and decided on a combination of elements - you can see the revisions and final decision at http://24.85.231.217:8000/pics/photo?photo_id=13926. Thanks again! Hope to see some of you in when we open - 1399 W 7th in Vancouver - watch wickedcafe.ca for details. Introduce yourself as a canon forum junkie and there will be freebies!

[bradinvancouver]

Hi all,

Thanks for the comments on the pics and logos.

First off, answering fireworks questions -

arowana, no probs posting pics on clubsnap - looks like a good set of foruns, are you based in singapore? can you post which thread it is - I couldn't find it. I did use a remote control and just snapped continuously once I had set the framing.

Cadenza - sure, come on in for a free latte - ask for Brad and introduce yourself. You'll have to wait a few more weeks... Ooh! for everyone in Vancouver, I'll post when we do our 'soft' open - come on in for free lattes and pastries during training.

Digi_J - really, it's like everyone said - a good tripod. Plus all manual settings. With HSBC performance, fireworks were 20+ minutes so lots of time to experiment. I tried everything from f 2@1/20 to f5.6@8 sec, focus on manual set to infinity, display review to 0 sec. - all were pretty much in focus, just varying degrees of under/over saturation of colours. I found the best to be about f4.5-5.6 @ .2 to .3 sec. If you want to know the settings on any particular picture, post the url to it and I'll look it up in zoombrowser.

As for the logo, we talked got a lot of opinions from many people (thanks guys) and decided on a combination of elements - you can see the revisions and final decision at http://24.85.231.217:8000/pics/photo?photo_id=13926 Thanks again! Hope to see some of you in when we open - 1399 W 7th in Vancouver - watch wickedcafe.ca for details. Introduce yourself as a canon forum junkie and there will be freebies!

[4walls]

Hi all,

Thanks for the comments on the pics and logos.

Ooh! for everyone in Vancouver, I'll post when we do our 'soft' open - come on in for free lattes and pastries during training.

As for the logo, we talked got a lot of opinions from many people (thanks guys) and decided on a combination of elements - you can see the revisions and final decision at http://24.85.231.217:8000/pics/photo?photo_id=13926 Thanks again! Hope to see some of you in when we open - 1399 W 7th in Vancouver - watch wickedcafe.ca for details. Introduce yourself as a canon forum junkie and there will be freebies!

We will be waiting for the 'soft' opening. Looking forward to the free latte!

Sent you a PM...