Wish I could have framed it better but the rain was starting to come down and had to retreat under the patio.
:: checks "photograph lightning" off the list ::
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Wish I could have framed it better but the rain was starting to come down and had to retreat under the patio.
:: checks "photograph lightning" off the list ::
]]>To start: buy a tripod. You're going to buy one sooner or later anyway, right? Being able to shoot at long shutter speeds opens a whole new door or creative possibilities. Not only does it make shooting fireworks possible, but it enables you to shoot badass nightscapes. While you're at it, I'd highly suggest picking up a remote shutter release. Touching the camera, even while it's on a tripod, will cause vibrations that will blur your photos. If you don't want to invest, you're going to have to use the timer delay feature.
Now that you have your tripod, you're going to want to turn that dial to the scary M setting. Why? Because your camera can't meter for fireworks that haven't gone off yet. The concept is simple, You're going to want to shoot at ISO 200 or lower, with an aperture of f/8 or higher. Shutter speed is the tricky part. I'd start with a few seconds and see what happens. Remember that it takes light to expose an image, so you could leave the shutter open and as long as there is no light, it'll never expose. once the firework explodes, enough light it created to impact the sensor. (Think about it, you could hold a black sheet of paper in front of the lens and remove it only before explosions and it would create an image that appears as if multiple fireworks are going off at once.) Once you have your settings dialed in, you're going to want to flick your focusing switch to the scary M setting too. I''d suggest using a zoom lens to aid in composition, and since you're shooting at a higher aperture, the image quality is about the same. Furthermore, using a zoom will allow you to zoom into an explosion to adjust focus, then zoom out and compose. To check exposure, take a few test shots and zoom into the explosions, you don't want them to be blown out. If they are, you're going to have to find a way to let less light into the camera. (I'd suggest aperture) If they're underexposed, do the opposite. Once you have your settings and focus in place, the fun starts. Sit and watch the fireworks, and not through the view finder. Click the shutter a moment before each explosion, review the results, and adjust whatever is needed. The trick to shooting fireworks is that you need to find the perfect settings, composition, and focus, all in the dark, with a subject that only appears for a second at a time, and as quick as possible since the smoke created quickly degrades your image quality. Once you have that figured out, keep shooting! Memory cards are cheap and you never know when you'll snap that keeper.
This might be a good time to learn about the bulb setting. Instead of setting a shutter speed, the bulb setting allows you to hold the shutter release for as long as desired; you control the shutter speed. Hold it for the duration of the explosion and you don't have to worry about timing! Every camera is different, so look to your manual for more information.
Hope this helps! Reply with any questions, and I'd love to see any fireworks shots from you weekend. Stay safe!
]]>Camera: Canon XSi (450D)
Lens: Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II, Canon 18-55mm, Tamron 70-300mm F/4-5.6
Hope to get a macro, decent wide angle and a Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L or the EF 200mm f/2.8L.
Noticed that the Nifty Fifty is my goto lens as I haven't taken it off in over a month.
]]>Camera & Len(s): I have a Nikon D90 with a Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8
Case: Crumpler 7 Million Dollar Home
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Model Mayhem: http://www.modelmayhem.com/paulhooper
You know what to do 
- Run Time: July 27th to August 27th?
- The portraits have to be set up (no shooting people from afar on the streets). That being said, they can be really creative, and there is no limit to who you take a photo of (family, co-worker, homeless dude, etc.).
- You will post your best five photos of each person you shoot.
So in theory, after the contest is over, you will have a bunch of portrait shots with five quality shots of each person. If you have a pro Flickr account, then you could make a Collection for the contest, and then make each person be a set within that collection. Then each set will have 5 photos. Or, if you don't have a pro account (which is only $20 for a year), then you could just put all of the photos in a set.
I'm not sure if there will really be a prize or anything for who has the most. I think more than anything it will just be an excuse to get out there and take as many photos as you can of as many people as you can. I honestly can't wait to snap some shots of family, people I work with, random people on the streets, old friends from high school, and whoever else I can find.
So... thought? Anyone else interested in doing this? It would just be for fun so even if you only took shots of 2 people that would be fine.
]]>http://www.whatsthejackanory.com/2009/0 … new-rules/
they came out with some really great photos and setups. I would love to take some shots similar to these sometime. Lots of strobist stuff although they didn't talk about the photography specifically, just the shots themselves.
]]>Trying to figure out what lens I'll be looking for next. I really like the lens that Stu sold me for $300, especially since it is $890 up here. Wowzers. I like my cheap 50mm prime, but I'm finding it's just not sharp enough for my taste. Although I could go to the 1.4 50mm, I'm wondering if I can get a prime at 35mm that's pretty good.
I'm also starting to get jealous of the ISOs available on other cameras. Max on mine is 1600 and even that is pretty noisy.
]]>Park City, Utah, home of the Sundance Film Festival
Valley of Fire--I haven't been there since I obtained the DSLR
Zion National Park--same story as Valley of Fire. Might have to wait until I can procure a wide angle lens.
Route 66--probably limit to just portions of Arizona
and
Indianapolis for the Indy MotoGP race.
The southwest is so different and vast from every where else in the country that it's impossible to see it all in a lifetime. Are there any trips on any of ya'll calendars?
]]>Can anyone shed some light on how to use this thang?
]]>You could use a similar technique for Fireworks and such too.
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