Comments on shooting fireworks

In my part of the country, a local outfit has been doing a short fireworks
display for several evenings. It has been a good way for me to practice
with my Digital Rebel. In manual mode, I use f/8 and ISO 100. I have
experimented with 2, 2.5, and 3+ second exposures. I have found that I do
not like the longer exposure times. My preference is not to see long
streaks of light. In fact, I am going to try again soon with a 1.5 second
exposure. I noticed that most people recommend using a 2 - 10 second
exposure time. I will probably settle on a 2 second time or slightly less.

When I take the picture, I watch the shell go up and right as I start to see
it burst, I depress my cable shutter button. That has worked pretty well.
The one thing I find difficult to do is to get the framing (zoom) set right.
Many of the shells go off in a consistent place, but others do move around.
I find that I have to back off the zoom to make sure I catch all of the
explosion since you don't really know where its going until is explodes.

Any comments from others on how they shoot fireworks? Something I plan on
doing is to take a night shot of a prominent tall object and then paste the
fireworks in behind that object. That will be interesting to see how much
work it will be to produce something worthwhile.

Jeff

In my part of the country, a local outfit has been doing a short fireworks
display for several evenings. It has been a good way for me to practice
with my Digital Rebel. In manual mode, I use f/8 and ISO 100. I have
experimented with 2, 2.5, and 3+ second exposures. I have found that I do
not like the longer exposure times. My preference is not to see long
streaks of light. In fact, I am going to try again soon with a 1.5 second
exposure. I noticed that most people recommend using a 2 - 10 second
exposure time. I will probably settle on a 2 second time or slightly less.

When I take the picture, I watch the shell go up and right as I start to see
it burst, I depress my cable shutter button. That has worked pretty well.
The one thing I find difficult to do is to get the framing (zoom) set right.
Many of the shells go off in a consistent place, but others do move around.
I find that I have to back off the zoom to make sure I catch all of the
explosion since you don't really know where its going until is explodes.

Any comments from others on how they shoot fireworks? Something I plan on
doing is to take a night shot of a prominent tall object and then paste the
fireworks in behind that object. That will be interesting to see how much
work it will be to produce something worthwhile.

Jeff

Jeff,

it seems to me, that if you are having difficulty getting the entire firework
diplay in your viewfinder than the simple answer is "Distance". Then to
further read that you want to use the display shots for reworked backgrounds
even further confirms that you need "Distance".

Hope that helps!

http://www.ntranzemusic.com