Disney World POTD 4-12-12

[Craig]

potd 4-12-12.jpg

[blyday]

Awesome!! I love your fireworks pictures because they are so clear it is almost like being there!! Was this from BLT or Contemporary??

[Craig]

Thanks Brenda. I actually thought it wasn't that good. I just snapped it as we were walking across. I usually have to use a tripod to get good fireworks pics. This was from the Sky Bridge, so... I guess between BLT and Contemp?

[mdsd8700]

I think it's great! Mine of fireworks rarely come out, but then again my little pocket camera insn't really built for capturing these types of photo's.

As look forward to whatever you post! Thanks

[lelei]

Do you have any tips on photographing the fireworks, Craig?

Do you ever attempt to use your tripod in the parks?

[Craig]

Do you have any tips on photographing the fireworks, Craig?

I don't know what kind of camera you have, so I'll just share the method that I use (when I have the time and safe location to use a tripod) for fireworks with a dSLR. If you use a point and shoot camera, ignore all of this and set your camera to the "fireworks" setting Keep in mind I got lucky on the shot above - I took it hand-held (no tripod) on the fly. Usually, fireworks pictures taken hand-held don't turn out very well. Other pictures that I have posted of fireworks were taken from the safety of a balcony at Bay Lake Towers with a tripod and a remote shutter release. So, a tripod, a remote shutter release and your shutter in "bulb" mode are probably the most important tips, followed by aperture and ISO. If you don't use a tripod, definitely try to find something to steady your camera on (trash cans make good tripods). Bulb mode and a remote shutter release gives you the ability to open and close the shutter manually, without touching the camera. So, you would open the shutter just before the firework was released, then close the shutter at the end of the burn. You would want an aperture on the smaller side due to the slow shutter speeds, and use the lowest ISO setting on your camera... As I am definitely not a pro and I probably just confused the hell out of you, here are the words of a pro on shooting fireworks http://digital-photography-school.co...raph-fireworks

Do you ever attempt to use your tripod in the parks?

Honestly, a tripod is just not an accessory that I care to lug around and try to use in a crowded theme park. There are people that do it, and God bless 'em. It's just not for me. I see it as an accident waiting to happen. Kid comes running by, slams into tripod, tripod and very expensive camera crash to the ground, kid gets hurt. No thanks. I can usually find something to steady my camera on if necessary.

[nolarookie]

So clear! you have major skills

[lelei]

I have a Canon 7d and my significant other uses a 20d.

Your tripod concerns pretty much sum why I'm not crazy of the idea as well. Have you had any luck with monopods? We had one we tried at home last year but neither of us had much luck figuring out how to use it in a way that resulted in better pics.


I really appreciate the tips and the link, I just wish we had some fireworks we could practice on before our trip :)

When you use the remote shutter release, are you setting your camera up for the shot on the trashcan or is that just when your taking the shots from the safety of your balcony w/the tripod?

What kind of lens do you prefer for these shots?

[Craig]

Both very nice cameras.

I haven't tried a mono-pod. I don't think a mono-pod would serve me any better than just hand-holding.

I've only used the remote release on a tripod.

Since you're using a medium to small aperture, having a really fast lens (large aperture) isn't that important. I do like to have something with some zoom for fireworks to help in framing the shots I want. Usually it's an 18-135. That's what's on my camera 90 percent of the time anyway.

[Craig]

Here's one from a tripod, remote release. This, to me, is a much more crisp, sharper picture than the one above. This was a 4.5 second exposure at f 8.0, ISO 100, using an 18-135mm lens.
20100605_198 (2).jpg

[rich3677]

both pics are awesome! I thought the first one was amazing until i scrolled down and saw this one.

[pfalcioni]

Holy smokes Batman! That one is awesome! I agree, even though the top one is pretty, this one is eye-poppingly gorgeous.

[BigGreen73]

What is the best way to set your camera to take FW photo's an get background subjects IE the Castle, or in the examples above space mountain w/ decent exposure? Both of the pics above look great and SM looks to be exposed pretty well. Any tips on accomplishing that? I would like to try BULD settings but am afraid that any lit backgroung items may not come out too well.