Question a Day | How to Shoot Fireworks!
Q: thethimehascome asked:
My husband and I are headed to the Montreal fireworks competition at the end of the month and I was hoping to take some decent pictures. I was wondering if you had any suggestions on settings etc? I have a Nikon D60 and am relatively new at playing with the settings.
P.S. Sorry this isn’t about taking pictures of children! :)
A: Ha! That’s perfectly dandy with me! I find them quite similar, oftentimes myself!
My advice would be to first and foremost, use a tripod or some sort of makeshift tripod. You want the camera to be as steady as can be. Also, if you can, use a cable release or remote control and set yourself up in an area where you have a good view but won’t be knocked or trampled by other people, thus blurring your images.
For your settings, ISO is fine at 100.
Set your aperture at the beginning around f/6.3 to f/16 and see what you like. You can always adjust quickly from either side.
If you want your pictures to look like there were multiple, fantastical bursts all at once, switch over to B or Bulb mode (check your manual). What happens is that you press the shutter button down and the “film” will only draw on it where there is light, such as multiple fireworks bursts. You then release the button. Do this a few times with various lengths of time pressing the shutter button, and you’ll soon find what works and what doesn’t for you. Ah, the glory of digital.
If that seems too risque for your first time out, you’ll want a slow shutter speed. Like 4 or 8.
Also, turn off auto focus and switch to infinity mode (again with that manual for specific step-by-steps) for optimum results.
Those will be stunning; Montreal puts on a great show, so have fun!
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