Ka*BOOM!
Oh yeah baby, that time is here again. It's summmer, that means, hotdogs, pool time, tan lines and Independence Day!The Fourth of July is an amazing holiday. The sights, the sounds,the colors, the events. Unfortunately it's also a hard day to shoot with the ever changing conditions.
You've got your daytime activities down. You are awesome!
This week we'll focus on the hardest part of the day..the fireworks! Yikes!
We'll start with professional displays.
GO BUY YOURSELF A TRIPOD!!! A steady shot is absolutely neccesary for getting firworks shots- if you're wiggling and jiggling you'll end up with shots that look something like this... EW!
You may not end up using it for every shot, but it's much better to have it and not need it and then to need it and not have it.
With photographing fireworks, You'll definitely want to be shooting in Manual mode. Flip the dial over to the M and go with it. Don't let being full manual scare you, you are a bad mammajamma ...Oh come on, smile, you know you like it!
Ok, we're in manual-
We are worried about getting digital noise with the start contrast between the sky and the bright colors of the fireworks.
Set your ISO to 100. We want quality pictures with the least amount of noise possible. With an ISO of 100, we'll want to go with a Fstop of f/8-f/16 for proper exposure.
When shooting fireworks you will have to play with it, watch your preview screen and adjust accordingly. We're going to turn our shutter speed all the way to the left (I believe, i'll check when my camera gets here later!) You'll go past the longer exposures, keep turning and you will get to bulb mode. Bulb mode is a fascinating setting, the shutter will stay open as long as you hold the button...PERFECT for fireworks!
We've got our settings, ISO 100, F/8-F16, Bulb mode.
Everything logical will tell you that you want to use a tripod. I have one. I started out using it. I got frustrated! In technicality you will get the best shots if you use a tripod and a shutter release cable. Make sure you set up where your tripod won't get kicked by random people walking by. I got my best fireworks shots ditching the tripod and just trying to hold steady. The show we went to the bursts were of differing heights and the tripod was just too much to deal with. A better tripod would probably make it a little easier. Work with what you have and make lots of exposures, don't be afraid to experiment.
**Flip your lens to manual focus. You will need to play a bit to get the general exposure in focus, but after you get it, you should be good. If you leave it on auto focus you will run into it hesitating becasue of trying to find something to focus on**
when you're either in someplace steady or you've got your camera mounted on tripod. Point in the direction of the bursts. The trick is to open the shutter right at the beginning of the burst and close it when it reaches its peak. Anticipating the explosion can be difficult, but not impossible.
Work with holding the shutter for various lengths, pay attention to your feedback screen and work with the Fstop until they are looking right.
Some things to remember when shooting fireworks.
*Arrive early- Stake out your location, find out where the bursts will be, throw your blanket down and know where you will be shooting.
*Don't forget your tripod and/or cable release
*Bring a small flashlight- You'll be working with settings and such in the dark. A flashlight will be good for battery changes, memory cards, etc.
*Bring extra batteries and memory- Shoot the night away. You can delete extra pictures, but you won't be able to take more once it's over. Batteries and memory can go quickly- bring extras, just in case!
*Experiment- My shutter speed usually ends up being 1-4 seconds, but some are way longer, some are shorter. Work with it. The only regret you will have is not trying!
Here are some of my shots from last year- I was very very beginner and just winging it, but they turned out ok. I can't wait to see what y'all do!
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From the NY institute of Photography- some help to get your black skies black.
Noise Reduction Techniques Using Adobe Photoshop.
One way to reduce noise in a digital image is to make a black frame during the shoot and then sandwich it with the noisy shot. To make a black frame, place the lens cap over the lens and make an exposure using the same settings that you used during your shoot. I usually try to make one of these exposures before I start shooting, and then another one at the end of the shoot. That way I won't forget.
In Photoshop:
1. Open the black frame file alongside an image that has noise.
2. Shift + Drag the black frame Background layer over the noisy image workspace to create a new layer. (Holding the Shift key ensures that the new layer maintains perfect registration.)
3. Change the Layer Mode of the black frame layer to Difference.
The noise should be reduced significantly.
Have fun y'all!!
Now for personal fireworks! Fun!
Sparkler art.
Shooting Sparklers are very much like shooting regular fireworks. We're going to be in bulb mode, same settings. You'll have a hard time getting the kids fully in focus,but the effects of the sparklers are tre'cool!
You'll want to tell the kids to hold still! lol. That should be a cardinal rule of sparklers anyway- we need to be safe!
Have them stand, set your focus on them, set up the camera and then light it up. Show them to move the sparkler around, and not right in front of their faces. Experiment, draw things, write their names..have fun with it!
See the lights behind him in the last picture? Try to avoid that..lol!
Enjoy- any questions, drop me an email TheStephStanley@gmail.com
Questions/comments/suggestions are always welcome!
posted by Steph @ 4:12 PM
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