toxdoc42

There is a golf course next to our apartment house and last year we were caught off guard by the fireworks, the week before the week of July 4th. This year I was prepared, sort of.

Nikon suggested starting at ISO 200, f11 and shoot on bulb to include the full burst. I put my Z50 with 16-50 mm lens set at 50 mm. Set ISO at 200, f11 and bulb, opened the shutter at the start of a burst, closed when it was over. The camera was on a tripod, the VR turned off, the option to suppress long exposure noise was turned on, i focused on a distance object and tried not to touch anything that would change the focus. I shot videos as well.

(Download)


(Download)


(Download)


(Download)


(Download)


(Download)


(Download)


(Download)

tradio Loc: Oxford, Ohio

Those came out well. I assume you were using a remote release.
Next opportunity, if you want to try something different, try changing focus during exposure. It makes for some interesting images.
I have never tried the "long exposure noise suppression" before.
Great images.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

toxdoc42

thanks, it is not easy trying to focus in the dark. i wish lenses still had a detent for infinity, the kit lenses have no marking for focus. my error was not using my 8mm fisheye, next year i will remember. I searched for advice on shooting them, Dr. Google gave me the Nikon suggestions, the exposures seem just what i like, i had to increase the color saturation a bit in pp, but, as you see, that worked nicely as well. Too bad I couldn't add the videos, that was also an interesting experience. With the Z50 you can also shoot stills during the video, but then the exposure was not bulb, or I just didn't hold the shutter release long enough, next time, i will try that. with digital it can be trial and error and not cost you a lot more for film.

davidrb Loc: Half way there on the 45th Parallel

Fireworks are lots of fun to shoot using digital. WEBN Fireworks in Cincinnati, Ohio on Labor Day Sunday is a fantastic show to shoot them. The show is world-class pyrotechnics for 35 minutes with the last 4-5 minutes of non-stop aerial explosions for the finale. Several friends and I tried a new way to capture their effects by locking the shutter open and using a dark cloth to cover the lens when not recording. A woman in our group won "Pete's Photoworld's" contest for best photograph using this technique. She was able to construct an incredible collection of several explosions that appeared to be one blast. People from WEBN thought we were nutz until they saw the results. The show has been running since the early 1970's and is still one of the best in the country. Well worth fighting the million people or so who show up every year. It is NOT for the faint of heart.

tradio Loc: Oxford, Ohio

The black cloth is a great idea for multiple blasts. Check out the "Black Foamy Thing" by Neil Van Niekerk.
I was one of the charter attendees back in the day- before it was "family friendly" - oh, the stories I could tell.
But yes, it is the super bowl of fireworks.
I bought my first Real camera at Pete's- it was a Canon A1 and I still have it.

Bubbee Loc: Aventura, Florida

Terrific shots! I, too, have a front row seat from my terrace of the fireworks on the Turnberry Golf Course , and I'll try your setup with my Z50!

toxdoc42

What is the advantage of the cloth? On bulb the shutter stays open while you hold it, and also, you can hit time and the shutter stays open until you hit the shutter again. In between fireworks the sky is black so i don't really see the difference.

I didn't try using the Nikon software to open or click see the shutter, I guess that would also yaveballow d me to not even touch the camera at all.

davidrb Loc: Half way there on the 45th Parallel

It is an old trick used with mechanical cameras. Using this allows for using multiple images recorded as one. The dark cloth simply prevents any unwanted light from being recorded while the sky is litered with falling embers. The key here is one recorded image.

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

Very nicely done, all.

joecichjr Loc: Chicago S. Suburbs, Illinois, USA

Dazzling dazzlers dazzlingly captured
💥💥💥💥💥