On Wed, Jul 04, 2001 at 11:18:25AM +0000, John A. Lind wrote:
> For those contemplating doing fireworks relatively close to a show (I've
> done this before), here's the recommended rig and method:
Good advice, all. I used Reala for my fireworks pictures, too, and it really
shows the colors of the bursts well. A couple of points, and one minor
quibble:
> b. 35mm lens or zoom that covers this length.
I'd recommend carrying a 24 or 28, as well, in case you wind up closer to
the launch point than average for large shows.
> d. Use the opening couple of skyrockets to aim; ensure groud clutter
> including street lights are not in the frame (unless you WANT them there).
This is the time to make sure the lens covers what you want to cover. If you
want some foreground detail, you're likely to need a wider lens.
> e. Open shutter when you hear rocket launch and hold it open for 1 to 3
> skyrockets or about 8 seconds, whichever occurs first. Close shutter and
> wind to next frame. More than 3 rockets usually clutters the image too much.
Use your artistic judgment, though; some patterns work well with more
bursts, but not many.
> f. Check your aim occasionally, especially if you some winds kick up or
> die down during the show (they will move the rockets around a little.)
Not just occasionally. About half of my pictures were misframed even though
I checked aim about every 10 frames. If you're in a crowd, check between
every picture, but make sure to not touch the camera once you release the
shutter...
> I also recommend using a lens hood if you have one. Often I encounter
> street lights out of field of view but still forward of the camera lens
> (illuminating the front element). Under these conditions try to shade
> lens. This keeps the lights from causing any flare (especially aperture
> flare). You might not see it through the viewfinder, but with a long
> exposure it can still occur.
I can't emphasize this enough. If you don't have a hood, have a bystander
hold something up to shade the lens from the street light. It makes a BIG
difference.
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