more fireworks

shawntim · 21st July 2002

taken from outside the indoor stadium

shawntim · 21st July 2002

Juvelyn · 21st July 2002

I like the second one

what settings/ film did you use?

did you use tripod, black card, etc?

shawntim · 22nd July 2002

Software - Digital Camera FinePix S602 ZOOM Ver1.00

ExposureTime - 10/40 seconds
FNumber - 2.8000
ExposureProgram - 8 (landscape mode)
ISOSpeedRatings - 200

ShutterSpeedValue - 1/4 seconds
ApertureValue - F 2.83
MeteringMode - 5 (multi-segment)
LightSource - 0 (auto)

I used the landscape mode to help me focus. tripod was used. basically just plant and shoot. No black card was used.

How could i improve on these shots ? Composition wise as well as technical wise ?

Juvelyn · 22nd July 2002

unfortunately, don't know much myself

don't even know how/why to use the black card ...

shawntim · 22nd July 2002

according to Jed's article, the black card is used to cover your lens to prevent overexposure from the stadium lights when you pause for long periods waiting for more fireworks.

But the NE show shot was so fast i didn't even think of stopping...

Jed · 22nd July 2002

Yup the black card isn't really necessary for Singapore fireworks, it's really a legacy from advice given by photographers from the West who don't have the fortune of such large and expensive fireworks displays. Those over here tend to be *very* small scale affairs, so frequency, size and duration tends to be far less intense.

You work has several areas of improvement.

[1] Some shots are far too overexposed.
[2] You've got too many bursts in some of your shots too. Try using a shorter shutter speed.
[3] The wide-angle shots are too wide-angle. Or if you want to shoot them as you did, you need a stronger anchor point; the stadium is too indistinct and too unimpressive from that distance and angle to anchor the shots well.

shawntim · 22nd July 2002

Quote:

Originally posted by Jed
You work has several areas of improvement.

[1] Some shots are far too overexposed.
[2] You've got too many bursts in some of your shots too. Try using a shorter shutter speed.
[3] The wide-angle shots are too wide-angle. Or if you want to shoot them as you did, you need a stronger anchor point; the stadium is too indistinct and too unimpressive from that distance and angle to anchor the shots well.

Point taken. However, I was already underexposing many parts of other scenery. The fireworks was brighter than I thought. Should I underexpose the shot more ? I'll try with a shorter shutter speed, and probably fill in the frame more.

Jed · 22nd July 2002

Well you apparently read my article and (correctly) disregarded the black card. Maybe you shouldn't have disregarded the aperture settings?

shawntim · 22nd July 2002

roger that. Will autofocus be a problem in manual mode ?

According to your article recommendations,
>f8-11 at around 1/60s, ISO 100 (160 lowest for my cam).

will try that out.

Jed · 22nd July 2002

Well then adjust those aperture settings. Aperture settings are only accurate in relation to a given film sensitivity, I provided an EI of 100 as a base point. Doesn't mean you cannot shoot at any EI out there and adjust your aperture accordingly.

Yes, autofocus will be a problem because it may very well hunt around the place.

Lennier · 22nd July 2002

Quote:

Originally posted by Jed
Yup the black card isn't really necessary for Singapore fireworks

IMO, the black card is necessary to take good fireworks pictures here.

Our fireworks tend to go off too quickly, and in too high an intensity to make good pictures. From the non photographer, it looks really good, but on film, we get too much smoke, and scatter that causes distractions.

Thus the black card is needed to cover the lens once the initial burst of the firework is over. Usually, just 2-3 bursts are enough to cover the sky, number varies according to the type of firework being released.

In preparing for a fireworks shoot, first take an exposure reading of your foreground. Leave your aperture around f8 or f11 if possible. I will aim to adjust ISO, followed by aperture to achieve a 2-3 second exposure for the foreground. This minimises the time I need to exposure for foreground thus I can take more shots / pay more attention to the fireworks.

Set to bulb if possible. Otherwise, use about 6-8 seconds exposure. First 2-3 seconds, exposure full frame. Then cover the foreground with black card thereafter.

Cover the entire lens if:

1. The firework explosion is really huge, too bright.
2. You don't really like that particular pattern.
3. There is no firework (short pause / break)

Another method would of course be to combine pictures...

21st July 2002	#1
shawntim Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 472	more fireworks taken from outside the indoor stadium

21st July 2002	#3
Juvelyn Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 396	I like the second one what settings/ film did you use? did you use tripod, black card, etc?

22nd July 2002	#4
shawntim Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 472	Software - Digital Camera FinePix S602 ZOOM Ver1.00 ExposureTime - 10/40 seconds FNumber - 2.8000 ExposureProgram - 8 (landscape mode) ISOSpeedRatings - 200 ShutterSpeedValue - 1/4 seconds ApertureValue - F 2.83 MeteringMode - 5 (multi-segment) LightSource - 0 (auto) I used the landscape mode to help me focus. tripod was used. basically just plant and shoot. No black card was used. How could i improve on these shots ? Composition wise as well as technical wise ?

22nd July 2002	#7
Jed Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: UK Posts: 3,078	Yup the black card isn't really necessary for Singapore fireworks, it's really a legacy from advice given by photographers from the West who don't have the fortune of such large and expensive fireworks displays. Those over here tend to be very small scale affairs, so frequency, size and duration tends to be far less intense. You work has several areas of improvement. [1] Some shots are far too overexposed. [2] You've got too many bursts in some of your shots too. Try using a shorter shutter speed. [3] The wide-angle shots are too wide-angle. Or if you want to shoot them as you did, you need a stronger anchor point; the stadium is too indistinct and too unimpressive from that distance and angle to anchor the shots well.