Smoke on the Water
Through the year there are rare events that take place that really capture my imagination, fall leaves, spring bloom, thunderstorms... Fireworks though, that's one I truly enjoy. In essence it is a simple idea, a quick composition, easy to gain focus quickly even when shooting manual lenses. The joy is palpable, the crowd is paying attention to one thing only, everyone solely focused on this transformative art. Oohs, Ahhhs ring out through the night under the percussive sounds of the fireworks. Beauty unfolds, a flower blooms and vanishes just as quickly into the night, and for a fleeting moment you, as a photographer have to find your composition, address the focal length you're using, adjust on the fly. And before you really know what's going on, it's all over and the crowd disperses and you're left all alone packing your gear back up, hoping you managed to capture a small slice of the night.
On tonight’s outing I arrived early, about two hours from official start, found parking relatively easily on the opposite end of the lake and walked back to where I eventually set up. The location I found was private property, so in the interest of not having any disputes we talked about setting up the camera with the home owner and got permission. [As a photographer you'd be surprised how often people are more amiable than not.] Then the wait, an hour and a half for the fireworks. So, you watch the scene, you look for interesting elements within the frame, take some test shots to make sure you're happy with your composition. Walk around, look with your eyes, take snap shots with your camera before you setup your tripod.
All of that done, I waited. Ducks began to swim into frame amidst a few dozen kayakers and other boats you can see in the frame here, down on the water. Simply more objects within the frame that bring the story to life. Photography is an ever evolving situation, we learn to adapt and correct, that’s why I love photography. When I'm out there with a camera I can push myself to figure out my own way to fill out my puzzles. Bellow I'll list a few helpful hints for you.
I have failed to really capture the majesty of fireworks year over year over year. It's miserable knowing you were right there and utterly failed in what at first seems to be a simple task. A set time frame, a knowledge of your camera and equipment. This year I wasn't interested in failing, this year I wanted to capture it right. So, allow me to give you a few quick tips for your next adventure to capture fireworks in the night.
One, you need to rely on your shutter speed more than you realize. Three seconds is what I used on this occasion, I experimented with a few different shutter speeds of course I do every time. Two, don’t be afraid to adjust your ISO, earlier in the evening I was using around 800, but the time the finale set off I was back down to 160 [My cameras native ISO]. Three, your aperture needs to hover around the goldilocks zone for your lens, mine is between 5.6 and 11 on my 16-55 F2.8. Your mileage will vary, every camera is a little different, every lens more so. Experiment, play around, and remember, it’s ok to fall off the horse as long as you're willing to climb back on.
ISO: 160
Aperture: f11
SS: 3 secs
Focal: 27mm
