capturing Fireworks

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I'm planning to pop up to the Mound in Edinburgh on Sat night to get fotys of the fireworks after the Tattoo (They put on a pretty good, though short, display after the second show on a Sat night.) I was wondering what sort of settings to use? Should I just use the camera on manual and leave the shutter open on, say F8? Or take faster shots on TV to freeze the fireworks?

I am planning to have the floodlit castle in the shots to give a sense of scale so I'll take a few control shots of it beforehand. I may take fast shots of the fireworks to capture the moment and layer the over the castle shot.
What do you think?
p.s. anyone in the Edinburgh area like to join me?
 
Err don't mean to be rude here but perhaps you might want to take a Hilti gun:lol: you'll need to nail the tripod (if your taking one along) to the pavement to avoid the jostling by the crowds. :lol:

Last time I went to watch the fireworks on the mound (without camera) you could'nt move. I'd advise being there early to get next to the railing for a decent shot.
 
Oooooh no, this isnt the big display, thats on the 31st. I certainly wouldnt be daft enough to try to take photos from the mound on THAT night!
No, this is the display they put on after the Tattoo on a saturday night. Its been pretty good the last couple of Sats so I thought Id try to capture this one.
 
You might be in a better position up on Carlton hill. I live one hundred yards from the castle and its full of tourists. Don't go on your own for safety reasons. Good luck.
 
I've heard recently (but never tried) a technique using a black card for capturing fireworks at night

You open the shutter with a peice of black card in front of the lens, then as the firework explodes, remove the card for a second, then replace. You can keep doing this to capture multiple 'snapshots' of the fireworks on the same frame. You would have to play with the ISO/f-stop to ensure the fireworks are correctly exposed, alongside ensuring the castle in the background will be captured as well.

Tripod needed :)

This may help:

http://www.pixalo.com/community/general-photography-questions-answers/black-card-18819.html

Example shot from 'Jobe':

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/4677/crw4556copyvv4.jpg
 
I shot the publicity pictures for the European Firework Championships held in Plymouth each August. I did it on film, but the method is the same whatever storage medium you use. You can use the lens cap, your hat, anything to block the light to the lens.

You don't need to layer and compose the shot - do it in camera with one balanced exposure. Then wind on and shoot another.

You want ISO 100to get best quality. Shoot RAW. Use f8 as your starting poin, and leave the shutter open (use bulb and a cable release if you have one - otherwise try the TIME position....it uses less power).

You can count for the shutter speed - but we are talking several seconds build up.

At f8, get a reading for the castle and its floodlights - you can get away with nearly double because of reciprocity failiure. This is so you don't burn them out. That will give you a shutter speed (shutter open time) so you don't burn out the castle lights.

All you do is LISTEN for the first bang...take your lens cover off, whatever it is, lens cap, hat, hand.....and count while that firework explodes. DON'T watch the fireworks, concentrate on making your pictures, otherwise you will get out of synch.

As the firework bursts, as soon as the burst finishes, cover the lens. Wait for the next one and do the same ON THE SAME FRAME. That is why you leave the shutter open - with your hand/hat/lens cap in front, the shutter may be open in the camera, but your makeshift one in front of the lens is closed, so no light is getting through to the "film" so you are not recording anything.

As the next one goes up - take your lens cover away and count again. You can get away with f8 and 2 secs at 100 speed.

Next shot try f11 and giving more exposure time - more firework bursts.

Go and practise on the castle BEFORE the evening of the display....the floodlights will be the same. You will get your best shots on the earlier firework bursts, while there is some light left in the far sky. When the sky is still a little bit purple. Once it goes inky black the effect is not nearly so dramatic.

To find out how to do time exposures on YOUR camera - read the manual on that section.
 
Cool, thanks for that. Its not how I would have thought to do it. Damn, I'll need to get myself a cable release pronto.
To be honest, I wouldn't fancy carting my stuff up Calton hill on my own, in the dark. Thats why I was thinking of the mound, nice n bright n open.
 
That great advise from Lensflare.

I have had mixed success with that method - all my own fault mind you. Its hard keeping time and concentrating when its all going off. Its very easy to miss the biggies while faffing around.

If the explosions have a good spread a multiple exposure works very well. However, when they are not spread out much and they overlap, it tends to overexpose the overlapping parts.

When you have background objects in view (which are lit), you must always meter for them first. Otherwise you are in danger of getting good fireworks, but blown out backgrounds which ruins it.

I usually try and get something to give it context also, others prefer to keep it clean and just get the fireworks... It all depends on your preference.

My preferred method is to shoot on bulb and ISO if possible. It really depends on the light. I usually aim for an exposure between 2 and 5 seconds...

I only have one example in my gallery, but if you look at my website there are more http://rvphotos.co.uk/fireworks

Have fun and keep safe :D
 
Nobody fancy joining me tonight? I know Calton Hill is the best vantage point but I really dont fancy being up there on my own at midnight, even on a Saturday...
 
Well, Calton Hill was quite busy, full of drunk students watching the show.
The buggers started early so I hadn't set up properly. Messed up a few shots but got a few good uns too. I definately need a sturdier tripod as a lot of the shots came out kinda blurred. What should I go for? Redsnapper?

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Fireworks1.jpg


2.
Fireworks2.jpg


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Fireworks3.jpg


And a couple of the Monuments on Calton Hill itself
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calton1.jpg


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calton2.jpg
 
It was windy, that might be why you got blur....your tripod was vibrating in the wind. You could just take a length of cord with you and hang your camera bag from the centre column - the extra weight of your bag pulling down between the tripod legs would take most of that out. You can buy a piece of cord for about 3p.....you don't NEED a new tripod at all.

You have got the highlights on the buildings burned out though - and the firework bursts. I did say to get there while there was still light in the sky! It looks as though you got the hang of the technique though. Now you just need to tweak the time you build the exposure up for - or try another stop down.
 
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