How to take photos of fireworks?

[Charlie Foxtrot]

All being well with the weather this saturday I'd like to take some photos of the fireworks. Only I've never done it before so I don't know how. I've got my SLR, my tripod and my lens. So for 10 points can you tell me what settings should I use?

[rasputin]

A remote release would really be best for this.

The way I do it is:

Use the tripod. Aim and prefocus (and set to manual focus so it doesn't start hunting)

Use 'M' mode with aperture around f/11 for sharpness and shutter on Bulb setting.

As soon as you see the "pop", hold down the shutter, when it stops being interesting let go.

Try and get something in the foreground to add some depth, and if possible shoot as soon as the fireworks start before it gets too smokey.

Works for me

[Scott330ci]

Bulb mode

Black Card

Remote release

Put camera on tripod. Cover lens with black card. Remove black card on sighting of firework. When firework has gone cover with black card.

Rinse and Repeat x 5

[Charlie Foxtrot]

I'll be shooting for a jetty on a lake so there should be some good reflection stuff. I don't have a remote release and for some reason my BULB mode requires me to keep my finger on the shutter, it won't do it itself. So I was thinking of setting a 2 second timer and a 4-5 second shutter speed. Would that work?

[Scott330ci]

Charlie Foxtrot said:

for some reason my BULB mode requires me to keep my finger on the shutter, it won't do it itself.

[carsalesman/] Sir they all do that ...

Thats how it works, how else would close the shutter?

Edited by Scott330ci on Friday 30th October 12:14

[baz7175]

I normally have the tripod with me, set up manual mode with manual focus - use either the surroundings or first fireworks as feelers for the focal point and then play with the shutter speed until it works:-





The above were shot and being used as promo material for the Pyro guy who put on the show at Duisburg Landschaftspark in Germany...

...and bear in mind that depending on the amount of light being produced by the fireworks you're always going to have to be adjusting shutter speed to accomodate and prevent...

[Charlie Foxtrot]

Scott330ci said:

Charlie Foxtrot said:

for some reason my BULB mode requires me to keep my finger on the shutter, it won't do it itself.

[carsalesman/] Sir they all do that ...

Thats how it works, how else would close the shutter?

Edited by Scott330ci on Friday 30th October 12:14

I did not know that, I'm sure I was told by someone (*cough* Jag-D) that i shouldn't have to hold it myself but that it would stay open untill I pressed it again. Is there a shutter lock mechanism or something that allows me to have an exposure longer than 30s that isn't having a remote. you know?

[Scott330ci]

Charlie Foxtrot said:

Scott330ci said:

Charlie Foxtrot said:

for some reason my BULB mode requires me to keep my finger on the shutter, it won't do it itself.

[carsalesman/] Sir they all do that ...

Thats how it works, how else would close the shutter?

Edited by Scott330ci on Friday 30th October 12:14

I did not know that, I'm sure I was told by someone (*cough* Jag-D) that i shouldn't have to hold it myself but that it would stay open untill I pressed it again. Is there a shutter lock mechanism or something that allows me to have an exposure longer than 30s that isn't having a remote. you know?

TBH I could be wrong - I may have the same camera as you and thats all I know - Whats your body?

[baz7175]

All depends on the cam - my Sony R1 runs on a press to start, press again to stop approach, whereas every Canon SLR I've had involved holding the release button in bulb mode...

[Charlie Foxtrot]

canon 400d


eta: and no I haven't read the intruction book.

Edited by Charlie Foxtrot on Friday 30th October 12:54

[Woza]

i had a go at this recently - didn't have a tripod and was pretty pleased with the results:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wozaoconnell/sets/721...

Woza.

[jeevescat]

This one was shot 1/15th second at f3.5, iso 1600

[GazR33]

Just a follow on question from this thread......(sorry to hijack)

Would you think there's any advantage to framing up using the "live view" mode on a Canon 40D?

[Famous Graham]

Tripod, cable release, manual focus, f/11 I think, about 5 seconds on bulb mode.

Didn't bother with the long exposure/card method, I was on a windy Arthur's Seat, so it would have caught gusts

OP, I'd recommend a cable release. Only about a tenner I think. You'll shake the camera slightly pressing the shutter yourself.

Edited by Famous Graham on Wednesday 4th November 02:33

[The Riddler]

If anyone else is brave enough?

[mcflurry]

I took a couple using the old Samdung P&S, set/limited by camera to f7.8, then kept the shutter open for 1/250th sec. Didn't take the Nikon as it was a "night out" rather than a photo session

[oobster]

Wish I'd read this topic before I went out last night - I took over 130 shots at our local fireworks display and only about a dozen are left, and even they aren't very good.

Bloody crap organisation too - arrived well before the start time, ended up freezing cold and surrounded by smokers and/or silly wee teenage girls who were more interested in comparing text messages on their mobiles. We had to wait an hour after the advertised time for the fireworks to start and while we waited we were subjected to a local secondary school band singing cover songs out of the back of curtain-sided lorry. To say there were bad would be THE world's biggest understatement.

I think I might be turning into a grumpy old man.