On Mon, 1 Aug 2005 06:50:03 +0100, "Stephen Manaton"
<> wrote:
>I know it,s only 1st.August but i would like to know what settings to use
>when filming Fireworks.I have a Nikon D70 and want to know what settings to
>put the camera on any advise most welcome thankyou.
What's the month got to do with it....
The US display fireworks on July 4th.
Canada display fireworks on July 1st.
The UK burn an effigy of a man and display fireworks on November 5th.
The Japanese display them all through July and August.
Most other places who don't have a special day (independence day or
day where a man didn't do something), the primary event is New years
eve.
What's your target date?
Back to the question. Having shot around 160 frames last July 4th, I
found the most pleasing results came from f/13 or higher and shutter
speeds between 3 and 4 seconds for a single firework bloom. Trip the
shutter when you see the light of the rocket go out just prior to it
exploding.
With a digital camera, use the lowest ISO and check the shot for
color. If the firework appears white, when in fact it was red or blue
then you've over exposed - so close down the aperture or consider
using a neutral density filter or polarizer.
You must use a tripod, but remote cable release isn't really necessary
if you are tripping the shutter when the sky is still dark (prior to
the explosion) but of course use one if you've got it.
Exposures of longer than 3 seconds risk looking messy, with the sensor
capturing too many fireworks at once, everything blends to white.
It's a game of luck. You can't always tell what's coming, how bright
it'll be or where in the sky it'll explode.
To see some examples of what you can expect:
http://www.pbase.com/owamanga/fireworks
Before I print them I'd photoshop out some of the smoke, but I just
bunged them there for you to look at.
Here, I set up the tripod in it's smallest config, manual focus to
near infinity (high aperture settings, so focus isn't crucial) used a
medum-zoom lens checked the LCD every 10 shots or so to make sure
framing was good, then sat back enjoyed the show and released the
trigger every few seconds, timed for the dark bits.
--
Owamanga!
http://www.pbase.com/owamanga
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