My fireworks recipe

[johnridley]

ISO 100, f/11, bulb setting, on a tripod, manual focus. Probably portrait orientation, though it depends on how the show is set up.
New camera=win (not constantly waiting for the memory card to catch up and missing shots), new tripod=win (adjusts without hassle, does what I want without binding or bugging me).

Click for full album

A couple of black belts from TKD were nearby, so we did a little impromptu portrait. Not enough time to really do it right since after a while they wanted to actually watch the fireworks. For this I used the same f/10 and bulb to catch decent fireworks, but I used first-curtain flash. I tried without flash but the ambient was from overhead streetlights and it made them into raccoons.

Comments

[c0nsumer.livejournal.com]

Good fireworks are difficult to get. Those are good. Nice work.

[johnridley.livejournal.com]

Thanks. The secret is to shoot with a wide lens, set up in bulb mode, use a remote shutter release, and sit back and enjoy the show. You use the shutter release to paint the picture with the fireworks. You want to leave the shutter open long enough to paint a good interesting image, but if you leave it open too long, the frame just gets cluttered and the falling embers just blur everything.

[madtechie2718.livejournal.com]

nice pix.

>it made them into raccoons.

bet they loved you for that.....

[kevinnickerson.livejournal.com]

Darn nice.

[erikvolson.livejournal.com]

NIce shots. May have to change sides....