In this tutorial on
"Shooting Fireworks"
I will go over some things to concider when planing your evening night
out under the phospherous sparklers, your camera settings, list
accessories that will help you improve your chances at capturing good
quality images for beginning photo enthusiats to more experienced photo
enthusists.
Happy Holidays and have a Safe Night out Shooting!!!
Firework
displays are definitely spectacular events to watch and photograph.
They happen at various times of the year and happen in various lengths
and show sizes. You can find them on New Years Eve, at Home Town Holidays, outdoor Sporting Events, 4th of July Celebrations, Outdoor Concerts, and even at theme parks.
Shooting Fireworks Basics
#1 Planning your Evening
The more time you invest in collecting the details prior to the show
will increase your photography success and help take away many stress
points during your evening. Its a pretty import factor hence it's my #1
Tip.There will be plenty of other photographers and families out that
evening making it more difficult to navigate the area once everyone
starts arriving.
Location … Location, Location.... is important. Select your city or park and
SCOUT
the area a day or two ahead of time. By checking out & scouting
the area you can find the best spot to setup your viewpoint. If you are
headed to a familiar spot then you will remember where the fireworks are
best scene from or at least know where they will be fired from. If this
is your first time, you can look for the pit area with the stacks of 3
foot pipe being setup. Walking the grounds look for an area that is
clear from trees and power lines, banners etc for an unobstructed view
of the show. If you want to add depth or scale to your shot then look
for that lonely tree or tree line, building etc. If there is a water
feature consider the reflections of the fireworks in the lake, river,
fountain as well. In cities with tall buildings you might get
reflections in the windows or shiny metal facades.
Entry and Exit Strategy.
Seems like a war room plan, but when hundreds or thousands of people
congregate in small area within a few hours and then depart at the same
time you
will need a plan.
The day you head out to scout
the location bring along a printed map version of the location with
neighborhood streets legible. You might be able to drive right up to the
park that day but during the actual fireworks there is a good chance
that the parking lot and surrounding streets will be closed to traffic
except for Staff, Volunteer, Emergency Crews, Media, VIPs, and vendors.
Keep an eye out for street closure signs as you arrive cause you might
end up wanting to be south or east of the park anyway for your view vs
following the crowds. Look in the local paper & search online for
information about the event, ask a park ranger, call the recreational
office, police department about planned lane & road closures.
Find out about prohibited items. It
would certainly be pain to have to carry items back to your car if the
event didn't allow coolers, coolers of certain sizes, chairs, backbacks
etc.
Remember the more you know before leaving your house the better :)
#2 Getting There
Because
firework displays attract a large number of people both young and old,
photographers and non photographers to the grassy knoll its best to show
up early and "claim" your spot.
-Clean out your car beforehand and leave your valuables (laptop, iPods, iPads, extra camera gear etc) at home.
-Do not bring Everything but the Kitchen Sink
If you haven't used a lens or accessory in weeks, why would you need it for a 30min shoot at night??
-A smaller setup will keep your camera & lens trained on the pyro-action versus having your head in the camera bag.
-Arrive Early & Stay Late
Continue Reading Tips #3-#6
