Nikon SLR Cameras

Can i have some tips for taking photographs of fireworks please?

Guest
Guest

I'm going to a huge display next month and really want to get some good shots, i'm good at lots of areas of photography but have never been able to figure out fireworks!

I have a Nikon D7000, can anyone help with the settings i would need to capture these shots please?

Joves
Joves

Use the right equipment
Set your ISO low like 100 or 200
Turn OFF long exposure noise reduction.
Do NOT use live view
Set your camera on Manual mode for exposure and set your aperture to f5.6 or f8.
Set your shutter speed to between two and ten seconds
Focus your lens ahead of time, and then turn off AF
Use a neutral density filter to get a longer exposure if need be.
Shoot most of your shots at the start of the show
Scout your location ahead of time and get there early
Make sure you leave enough room in your frame to anticipate the height of the opened bursts.
It takes a bit of practice to time your shots
Shoot into the eastern sky not facing west, if you want a darker sky
Try some telephoto shots as well as the usual wide,
If you have a zoom lens try zooming during the exposure and see what you get!

Annie Sheffield
Annie Sheffield

I haven't really shot fireworks but I highly recommend using a tripod and testing out different settings. You may like the result of certain settings more than others.

flyingtiggeruk
flyingtiggeruk

Get a tripod and a cable release, set the shutter speed to B and use an aperture of f8 or so. Keep the shutter open as long as necessary, within reason. You may need to do a couple of experimental shots to check. The first linked one is from my garden and the exposure time was probably around a minute (I opened the shutter, lit the firework, waited til it was all over and then closed the shutter. EOS600D and EF8-15mm lens)

Second one is various kids with sparklers. Exposure again a minute or so, on a tripod.

Some other hints here
http://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-photograph-fireworks/

Frank
Frank

Go to YouTube.com and do a search for how to shoot fireworks - you could spend the whole day just watching them. But in a nut shell there's a few techniques:
1. Tripod - Camera set to ISO 100, Aperture set to f/8, Shutter set to 30 seconds, prefocus the lens and set it to manual to lock in the focus. This combination will yield a variety of bursts. Each burst will leave very long light trails which some people don't like so they'll use option #2.
2. Tripod - Camera set to ISO 100, Aperture set to F/8, Shutter set to B (bulb), prefocus the lens and set it to manual to lock in the. With this combo you decide when to close the shutter. Typically you'll want to close the shutter at the peak of the explosion and before the light trails start to droop down.
3. Same settings as #1 and #2 but this time use multiple exposures - Prior to each burst open the shutter on B and close it for the next shot just before the light trails start to droop. This will yield an assortment or bouquet of bursts. If your camera doesn't have Bulb mode, then set it for at least 30 seconds and cover the lens with your hand, or better is a hat between bursts.
4. This is more advanced and requires a camera with manual focusing call focus shifting - What you do is set the lens slightly out of focus and as the fireworks goes off you quickly, but smoothly rotate the focusing ring so that the image is in focus. With the lens being slightly out of focus the light blooms and then goes back to a point when the lens is in focus. This simulates a flower. Here's what this effect looks like:
Go to either flickr.com or 500px.com and take a look at firework photos to get an idea of what is a good shot. You should also pay attention to the foreground as it will be a silhouette. Having people in the bottom of the frame will add a lot to the story of the photo, while having cars or just ugly brush/trees will distract. Take a variety of shots vertically and horizontally too.

Paul S
Paul S

Don't get too close