Can someone teach me how to photograph people with fireworks

[LavenderTea]

Can someone teach me how to photograph people with fireworks in the background using sony A200 ?
I tried a few times... but the exposure not quite right ,
Should I use a flash to light up their face ? but then can't get the fireworks cos' it will be overexposed.
Pls help ! I'm very confused now....
1 last question : Can't I photograph without a tripod ( I know tripod is a must) but I'm travelling.... so very clumsy to bring along

[Rashkae]

1. Of course you can photograph without a tripod. But for nighttime long exposures, a tripod, or somehting you can use like a tripod, is recommended.
2. Try rear synch flash. It'll mean a 2-4 second exposure with one flash at the end. you will need to learn how to go beyond "Auto" mode.

[LavenderTea]

what's rear synch flash... then what exposure do I set ?

[Rashkae]

Originally Posted by LavenderTea what's rear synch flash... then what exposure do I set ?

rear synch flash - in your manual, and on google.

exposure in terms of shutter speed - depends on how many fireworks there are. There is no "magic formula".

[tSkye]

Actually, it's a problem of trial and error.

Here are my steps to do so, but its purely personal:
1) mount camera on tripod
2) set ISO 100 and put Tv to 1 second
3) gauge roughly the aperture to use and leave it on manual
4) once exposed for the usual fireworks, fire with flash
5) adjust flash power until both are equally exposed

[TME]

tSkye, you're referring to manual flash right?

[tSkye]

Oh, yea. Manual flash. I use a canon flashgun with offshoe cord set on rear curtain sync.

[MontoyaSG]

actually TS should use front curtain sync for this shot. at least the front subject is properly exposed with flash & b/g is given time to fully expose

you can't possibly expect one to stand totally still for 2-4 sec...

[Limsgp]

Tripod may not be a muz, but a solid support surface would be a must.

One suggestion, but works only for very dark environment in the vicinity of the subject.

Front curtain Flash + long exposure + dark environment. The flash will light up the subject. After that, the long exposure (say, 4 sec?) will exposure the background (fireworks ). The "model" may not keep still but it doesn't matter.. because there is nothing to illuminate the model and technically the model can "move away" or they can just stand there.

[hmjt]

Originally Posted by LavenderTea what's rear synch flash... then what exposure do I set ?

If im not wrong its expose for the background (in this case the fireworks), the exposure for the people will be controlled by the flash. But they will have to stand still for the entire duration ...

[night86mare]

alternatively, use a tripod, do one nice one with people properly exposed, with whatever method, probably flash will be best

then do a long exposure for the fireworks, but no one can help you with that, you need to get someone with enough experience hsooting to tell you how to capture these nicely

you have two photos, make sure the exposure between the sky and the people is not too obviously different, and then layer them in photoshop, erase and tada, nice people, nice fireworks, job done.

[LavenderTea]

THanks everyone, but my alpha A200 flash has 2 modes.. rear syn and slow sync , what's the difference, which should I use ??

Layering using photoshop ??... but it's a bit cheating right ? anyway my photoshop are lousy.. cos' self-learnt.. always wanted to do a course... but can't find one..

[night86mare]

Originally Posted by LavenderTea THanks everyone, but my alpha A200 flash has 2 modes.. rear syn and slow sync , what's the difference, which should I use ?? Layering using photoshop ??... but it's a bit cheating right ? anyway my photoshop are lousy.. cos' self-learnt.. always wanted to do a course... but can't find one..

not necessarily, if you are limited, then that is one solution.

what is cheating?

the moment you capture fireworks, you are cheating, what humans see at any one point in time looks nothing like the beautiful flowers you see on photographs.

cheating is totally removing something, for example, the crane in the backgorund is there, but it is so ugly, so you just happily clone it out.. the people are there, the fireworks are there, what you are doing is trying to churn out your vision, why not?

[LavenderTea]

One more question... manual flash... do you all mean I need to buy a separate flash, I can't use the built in flash on my sony A200 ???
Does a external flash very expensive ??

[LavenderTea]

Originally Posted by Limsgp Tripod may not be a muz, but a solid support surface would be a must. One suggestion, but works only for very dark environment in the vicinity of the subject. Front curtain Flash + long exposure + dark environment. The flash will light up the subject. After that, the long exposure (say, 4 sec?) will exposure the background (fireworks ). The "model" may not keep still but it doesn't matter.. because there is nothing to illuminate the model and technically the model can "move away" or they can just stand there.

Sorry for my ignorance... but what is a front curtain flash ?? there is such a function on A200

[reaper3075]

Probably not the best example.. but perhaps useful for your reference

Manual Mode, 1/20s, f4, ISO 800, onboard flash fired

Pardon the background, but it was drizzling, so had to take under shelter.
here's the result:

[LavenderTea]

Originally Posted by reaper3075 Probably not the best example.. but perhaps useful for your reference Manual Mode, 1/20s, f4, ISO 800, onboard flash fired Pardon the background, but it was drizzling, so had to take under shelter. here's the result:

That what I want !
Sorry, but what is onbroad flash fired ???

[Rashkae]

Originally Posted by LavenderTea That what I want ! Sorry, but what is onbroad flash fired ???

onboard flash means he used the flash built into his camera.

[kkleong]

Slow sync flash is classified into: "front curtain" or "rear sync/back curtain" flash.
"Front curtain" or so called "dragging the shutter" metered the ambient for exposure at the same time firing the flash. Sony called the "front curtain flash" as "slow sync flash"

In your case, you'll use this "front curtain" mode (with the on-board/built-in flash).
Cam will metered the ambient and fireworks but will also flash (depends on cam whether 1/125, 1/250 sync,.. etc). You'll need a tripod cos shutter could be long (several sec or more). Subject doesn't matter whether slight movement or not after flash (while shutter still remained open). However, you may need to compensate the flash (-EV for the subject) or take manual mode (may use aperture to control intensity of flash).

"Rear sync/back curtain flash" is use to capture flowing movement and having the subject at end of motion. Not for your use in this case.

Hope this helps. Experiment & enjoy

[Limsgp]

In simple terms....

A flash typically last a few msec (1ms = 1/1000s). Depending on the shutter speed, an exposure normally last much longer than that. ( shutter = 1/10 means the shutter will open for 100ms ). In the "long exposure" situations mentioned above in many posts, the shutter is open for a few seconds.

Hence, thats where the front/back comes into the picture. The camera allows the user to choose to fire the flash at the start of the exposure, when the shutter opens (front curtain), OR at the end of the exposure, just before the shutter closes (rear curtain). Generally, most camera's factory default setting should be front.

In most cases for stationary subjects, there is no apparent differences. But for moving subjects, it makes a lot of differences.

Originally Posted by LavenderTea Sorry for my ignorance... but what is a front curtain flash ?? there is such a function on A200