Whether you're celebrating New Year's Eve, Christmas or Carnival, it's always tempting to take some pictures of the fireworks as they explode into the sky. After all, a fireworks display, when done right, is always incredible, and in all likelihood, you won't lack a camera to capture it. Unfortunately, pictures taken at fireworks usually don't hold a candle to real ones. If during the moments of celebration you are tired of taking photographs that are continually grainy, blurry, underexposed or overexposed, continue reading this article.
Steps
Step 1. Change your approach to light: instead of treating it as pure lighting, consider it as a subject
To do this, you will have to change your understanding of the use of the camera, since fireworks generate their own exposure autonomously. To preserve shape and color, you will need to be prepared to change the exposure and take into account other elements, such as the smoke generated by the fires themselves or the lights coming from the buildings in the background. It will also be important to know how to best use the focus of your camera, as automatic focusing systems cannot handle darkness or low light conditions, so be prepared to go beyond simple "point and click"..
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A fireworks display involves many, many fires, so be prepared to experiment, possibly with a digital camera, so that you get instant feedback. Since fireworks essentially produce monochromatic light (based on chemical composition), colors will be defined based on a variety of apertures and ISO settings. A long exposure is essential to be able to capture the sparkling evolutions produced by the pyrotechnic game. Different apertures and ISO settings change the brightness of the surrounding environment - bright environments can be annoying, but those with lower brightness are much more interesting than completely dark ones. Take this into account when choosing the quantities of subjects and backgrounds. Aperture parameters are not very important when it comes to the depth of field of distant fireworks, as they will be placed substantially at infinity, and any foreground should be veiled and indistinct in any case - they mainly matter for the general exhibition; a relatively large aperture and a low ISO value will result in less noise than a narrow aperture and a high ISO value.
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Step 2. Find the perfect location
Try to roughly figure out where the fires will break out and make sure you have a spot that has an unobstructed view of that area. If the show is well known, you will need to arrive early to find a suitable venue. Try to identify the direction of the wind and position yourself in favor of the wind with respect to the fires, so that your shots are not obscured by the smoke, which otherwise would be moving towards you. Find a place where most of the lighting extraneous to your scene does not flood the field, as it would cause overexposure.
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While looking for the ideal location, choose interesting details to serve as a backdrop. This will make your photos more interesting in the eyes of others.
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Step 3. Place the camera on a tripod
Fireworks usually accompany holidays, so it's no wonder their recollection is a little fuzzy. The photographs, however, should be crisp and sharp. Capturing fires takes long exposure times, so a tripod is your most important ally. It doesn't matter how steady your hand is - it's never steady enough.
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Do not extend the lower supports or the center column of the tripod. Keep everything as close to the ground as possible to keep the camera securely in place.
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- Make sure that wherever it is, the tripod is out of the reach of other people who might step on it. If you are in a crowd, ask a friend to act as a shield to make sure no one enters the frame of your shot while you are looking up.
Step 4. Check that the machine settings are correct
Although some digital cameras have a "fireworks" mode, so you don't have to worry about the parameters, it is essential to learn how to adjust the settings to the best in order to take good pictures of fireworks. It is best to check these parameters in due time, as it may be difficult to distinguish the camera controls in the dark or in dim light. A good way to get used to changing parameters and learning about the limits of your camera is to double check before you start shooting. Settings changes you need to consider include:
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Set the focus to infinity. You will be far enough away from the fireworks to be able to set the lens focus to infinity and leave it there. If you want to zoom in on a detail of the pyrotechnic game, you may need to adjust the focus while zooming. If you want to include buildings or people in the background, it's a good idea to bring them into focus. If possible, avoid using an autofocus, as, as we've already seen, most cameras have a hard time adjusting focus in low-light conditions.
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Use a smaller opening. Set the aperture to a range between f5.6 and f16. Usually f8 is a good choice, but if you're shooting with ISO 200 film, you can go as far as f16.
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Turn off the flash. The fireworks are bright enough and the flash would not be able to reach them anyway. In addition, it can dull the mood of the shot and, therefore, lessen its impact.
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Remove any filters or caps from the lens before shooting.
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If the lens has IS (Canon) or VR (Nikon), turn it off before shooting. If you're using an SLR or DSLR camera, the lens will most likely have an IS (image stabilization) or VR (vibration reduction) built-in. If you're using an IS or a VR (they're basically the same thing, but Canon and Nikon wanted to call them differently), then you'll probably be used to leaving them set to around 100 percent all the time - which is generally a good idea. IS and VR are designed to feel a vibration (mostly hand tremor) and compensate for it. But when they feel no vibration … they create it. Turn them off for clearer images. This advice applies not only to capturing fireworks, but it works on all occasions when you use a tripod.
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Step 5. Frame the picture before shooting
Look at the first bursts in the lens to understand where the center of the action is. Aim the camera towards that point and leave it there. You don't have to look through the lens while trying to shoot, as you will likely shake the camera or find the right shutter speed. If you are looking to get some close-up photos, obviously you will have to frame the scene more precisely, and therefore you will have to make more attempts. Again, frame carefully to exclude light sources that could distract from fireworks or make your photographs overexposed.
Step 6. Keep the shutter open to capture all the light
Unlike what it may seem to you, as long as the sky is very black, leaving the shutter open will not cause any overexposure. Set the exposure to maximum. To get the sharpest possible image it is best to make sure that nothing comes into contact with the camera during the exposure. Use a long auto exposure of thirty seconds or more. If your camera doesn't have a long auto exposure, a release cable will work too. Uses the BULB setting, which is used to keep the shutter open as long as you hold the button down. A rule of thumb is to open the shutter as soon as you hear or see the rocket fired into the sky and leave it open until the fire begins to dissipate. It usually takes several seconds.
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To capture the best pyrotechnic effects, exposure times are usually between half a second and four seconds, but you need to judge based on how effective it looks to you. For an ISO value of 100, expert photographer John Hedgecoe recommends trying 4 seconds at f5.6.
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When checking the exposure, do not aim the camera at the center of the light source, as otherwise the image may be underexposed and the light traces will be weak. Instead, experiment with different shutter speeds and, if possible, keep the exposure.
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To use autofocus in the dark of night, try taking a photo of the lights on the horizon first. That way, when you set your next exposure to the dark of night, the lens will already be set to infinity. Also try to match long exposure when a large firework explodes. In this case the autofocus will ensure that the next burst will be in sharp focus during the exposure.
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Step 7. Liven it up
Even beautiful fireworks photos can be boring if they don't have a distinctive trait. You can make your photos more interesting by including buildings in the background or viewers in the foreground. To take your shots, choose a unique and singular perspective from which to immortalize the show. Make sure the camera is stable on the tripod and that the focal length and framing are right for the height of the fireworks.
In well-lit places, such as cityscapes, to take a wide-angle shot, try to find the height of the first fires and use it as a reference to frame the entire scene. Change exposure times to your tripod-mounted camera to capture both single and multiple explosions
Advice
- If you have a timer, use it to avoid motion vibration.
- When trying to capture multiple fires, cover the lens (without touching the camera body) with something black between blasts. A black cap or a piece of black construction paper will work fine. This system prevents other light sources from overexposing during the sequence of the explosions. Simply place the cover in front of the lens when one fire has dissipated and remove it when the next is fired into the air.
- Use slow film or a slow ISO setting on a digital camera. The sparks give off a lot of light for proper exposure. This trick has the added benefit of forcing the automatic camera to take as long as possible for exposure. That's a bit of a contradiction, but you should stick to film speeds between ISO 50-100. Usually, it's tempting to easily resort to speeds up to ISO 200. Some photographers prefer a tungsten film or set the digital camera to the "tungsten light" function, while others choose a daylight film or set the camera to the "daylight" function. With these settings you can get different results. If you have a digital camera, keep the ISO set between 50 and 100.
- Try holding down the shutter release button halfway before you start shooting. Push it all the way when you want to take the picture. In some cameras, this procedure reduces the delay before the exposure begins. This tip is more useful in case you can't turn off autofocus.
- The choice of the lens is up to you based on the distance that separates you from the fireworks and the perspective you intend to obtain. A zoom lens is best if you want to try out different types of shots.
- These steps can also be applied to light sources similar to that of fireworks, such as those given off by a welding machine or by sparkling objects.
Warnings
- Depending on the type of shot you want to get, you may find that not all of these tips will help you. The beauty of photography is that it is always about experimenting and finding personal solutions with your camera.
- If you are photographing fireworks in the neighborhood or if you are a short distance from the fires, pay attention to the falling fragments.
