Advice desperately needed for wacky fireworks shots (as in... in the middle of)

[hyatt_lee]

Hey all,

 

I'm going to Yen Shui next week, a small town in Taiwan that has an outrageous fireworks festival once a year during lantern festival. I want to take pics but obviously the lighting conditions will be very unpredictable. A tripod is out of the question becase the fireworks are bottle rockets that shoot out of massive hives and the townfolk shoot things out of their windows as well. One might have to hightail it and wouldnt want to leave the camera behind or have a tripod slow you down. Most people who go wear a full-mask motorcycle helmet and a raincoat. Obviously a case can be made for filters, so as to not damage the fromt element of the glass, i thought of that already. But my question is, has anybody ever shot something similar, any advice on films (high ISO or pushed) and metering techniques? I want to try both Black and white and color. Though I usually shoot in Black and white

 

Thanks in advance...

[lutz]

Hyatt, I think you won't regret trying color. Usually fireworks gain attractiveness by long time exposure (which in a way compensates for the lack of transitions we are used to and fascinated by while watching). So, tripods, monopods or at least bracing (poles, walls, anything solid) will help a lot - spectacular "flowers" will blossom from 1 second onwards(!) - "normal" handheld shutter speeds (1/30", 1/15") will look poor in comparison. But you might as well go for the shake, for the action, to capture the spirit of the crowd: combine long exposures with camera movement and/or even a touch of flash any time in between (think "B(ulb)" and manual flash release!). As for exposure, the fireworks themselves should roughly require f:2 @ ISO 100, shutter speed doesn't have to be taken into account. Do your maths from there and have fun!

[lex_jenkins]

For the past several years I've photographed fireworks only with a handheld rangefinder (Canonet) using slow shutter speeds to emphasize motion and color. I don't make any effort to "photograph fireworks" - I'm using the fireworks as a source of light and color to paint images onto the film.

 

Anything goes. I'll rotate the camera from vertical to horizontal during a long exposure as I follow the path of the firework. Multiple exposures, again changing camera orientation at whim. Slow sync flash, sometimes in conjunction with multiple exposures.

 

Generally I use 100 or 200 speed color print film. But I doubt the choice of film matters all that much here. I'll probably try one of the supersaturated films like Velvia next time, tho' I generally avoid these films for my realistic work.

 

This attached example, which resembles a bird of paradise, is the product of three exposures on a single frame. Camera orientation was changed between shots and wiggled or rotated during at least one exposure. Focus is irrelevant and I'll often deliberately defocus the camera so the colored lights will paint with broader strokes.<div></div>

[sal dimarco]

Hyatt, In order to make really good fireworks pictures, a tripod is a must. A picture of the fireworks alone is meaningless. You need something to anchor the photo. In my Staute of Liberty photo, the total exposure was based on the light on her. Once I opened the shutter, I used a card over the lens to get several bursts in the photos and I was able to keep the proper exposure. It the people are setting off the fireworks in front of you, why not try flash and a long shutter speed, (e.i. 1/4 or 1/2 sec) I's use 100asa film.

Good Luck and Happy Snaps..<div></div>

[albert knapp md]

Sal: A real beauty and I agree with you. Hyatt, you must use either

a tripod or an anchored monopod. The tripod makes the most

sense. I would also use a long lens so that you are out of the

action/danger area. Sal's technique is tried, true adn successful.

Practice ahead of time and good luck.

[jlee]

Sounds like a great opportunity for people pictures and I think I'd

concentrate on them and use the fireworks as backgrounds.

This is one of the few occasions I think I'd use a flash on my

Leica. I'd try to drag my shutter and pop the people with flash as

they went about the festivities. In all honesty though, for this one,

I'd probably use a Nikon w/ wide lens and rear shutter sync.

Good luck. Hope you'll share the results.

[frank_horn]

What Sal said. A tripod or monopod with stabilizing "toes" is a must, or the fireworks will not look right, unless your plan calls for unsteady looking shots. Last July 4, I took the Leica M4-P, the 75mm Summilux and Kodachrome 25 to see the fireworks. I was about 300 to 400 yards from where they were being launched. Exposures were on "Bulb" setting. With lens openings of f/2.8, 4 & 5.6, exposures all seemed good, but opening to f/1.4 caused overexposure and burned out looks.

 

As with the shot Sal posted, fireworks should merely garnish some other subject. The photographing of fireworks alone makes for an uninspiring photo. Trying to work flash into the scenario would require advance planning.

 

At the distance I was, I think a 90mm would have worked a bit better. If I had been 500 yds or more away from the launching, a 135mm might have been called for, as you want to fill the frame at least 2/3 with the fireworks.

 

If you can know where the fireworks will be launched from and do some advance scouting, such as the day before, you might be able to include some sort of monument or cityscape in the photo, with the fireworks as an afterthought. Like the Statue of Liberty in Sal's photo, above.

[Alex_Es]

Hyatt,

 

I am trying to imagine all this. It sounds like more than just the typical orderly fireworks festival where everyone stands at a respectfully safe distance and says "OOOO!" at the right moments. That "most people who go wear a full-mask motorcycle helmet and a raincoat" tells me that this is a free-for-all where the people might be more interesting than the fireworks themselves. I'd say forget pretty fireworks, per se, and try to capture the scene. Pretty fireworks can be had anywhere, any time. This is special.

 

Question: Do you want to take a Leica M to where you'll need a full-mask helmet and raincoat?

 

Here is what I would do--and bear in mind I'm coming at this like a street photographer. I would use wide angle lenses for most shots. If this is anything like Japan with the narror streets and packed mobs, I would be using at least a 28mm lens and possibly wider. I cannot see myself going higher than 35. I would not bring a tripod or monopod for this sort of action. I would use fast film. At least 800 ISO, maybe 1600 ISO. Metering would depend on circumstances.

 

I have never been to the Yen Shui lantern festival or anything quite like it. Imagining all this I see wide angle lens, fast and spontaneous shooting, fast film, color, and some danger.

 

If you are wearing a full-mask motorcycle helmet I see a lot of blind or semi-blind shoot. This would require extreme wide angle--20mm, 15mm perhaps.

 

Good luck and take care.

 

Alex

[eurosurgeon]

I always agree with Sal's wise words but this one is taken handheld with the very underestimated Leica Minilux Tintin 40 mm<div></div>

[eurosurgeon]

Sorry, wrong picture<div></div>