Your Settings for Fireworks

[chrishatton]

What do you find works best for capturing the moment?

I'll be Canon 5d mk iii.

Also I'll be handheld, I'm not dragging a tripod through the Kingdom.

 

[nbaresejr]

Handheld for fireworks is not going to work. You will get pictures but the colors will not look like images you see on this site. Good and great fireworks shots are done using a tripod or at worse a garbage can. If you can find something to set your camera on like a rail or can you will be ok for shooting. If not I would say don't waste your time.

As for dragging the tripod around its really not that bad. I bring it in after my mid day break. The pictures are worth the slight aggravation of carrying the tripod.

 

[mcraige]

I have a tripod that collapses fairly small, and stick it in a locker until late evening.

 

[traylorc]

Handheld for fireworks is not going to work. You will get pictures but the colors will not look like images you see on this site. Good and great fireworks shots are done using a tripod or at worse a garbage can. If you can find something to set your camera on like a rail or can you will be ok for shooting. If not I would say don't waste your time.

As for dragging the tripod around its really not that bad. I bring it in after my mid day break. The pictures are worth the slight aggravation of carrying the tripod.

I wholeheartedly agree....without something to stabilize the camera trying to take firework shots is challenging to say the least.

 

[Evad]

yes for sure a tripod is needed.....

 

[hakepb]

Without a tripod, you need to be more creative and find objects to hold the camera against.

Now this was a point and shoot, but this was holding the camera on a railing:

And this was holding the camera against a column infront of Peter Pan:

Those are basically 2 second exposures at ISO 100 and an ND filter (about f/8) and focus for infinity, with a tripod you want a longer exposure and smaller aperature.

Some people basically use a bean bag on a table or trash can.

 

[2Tiggies]

Perhaps consider renting a locker. This is has proven to be my ideal solution and well worth the $7 ($12 less the $5 refundable deposit). We park hop a lot and even doing one park per day, often arrive for rope drop and stay to close the park. I agree carrying a tripod around for 16 hours is a pain. But to have it there when you need it is great and we can use the locker for other things too if we like

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

I have a travel tripod that is compact and fits in the water bottle netting on the side of camera bag. It weighs less than three lbs. Its always on my bag, so when I'm at WDW, it no hassle at all. I wouldn't know what to do without it. I do most of my night work and all the fireworks with the tripod. Its an indispensable part of my kit.

 

[photo_chick]

I don't like to lug a tripod through the parks. Knowing it's very much a necessity for the slow shutter speeds required to capture the blooms for fireworks I choose to capture other parts of the show instead of the fireworks themselves. Most often it's my kids enjoying the show.

 

[PoohLover78]

Without a tripod, you need to be more creative and find objects to hold the camera against.

Now this was a point and shoot, but this was holding the camera on a railing:

And this was holding the camera against a column infront of Peter Pan:

Those are basically 2 second exposures at ISO 100 and an ND filter (about f/8) and focus for infinity, with a tripod you want a longer exposure and smaller aperature.

Some people basically use a bean bag on a table or trash can.

Just wondering, is a ND filter really necessary? I've never shot fireworks with such a filter. Would you guys recommend getting one? I plan on using a fast lens for the shots (f/1.8). Plus a tripod ;-)

 

[nbaresejr]

Just wondering, is a ND filter really necessary? I've never shot fireworks with such a filter. Would you guys recommend getting one? I plan on using a fast lens for the shots (f/1.8). Plus a tripod ;-)

An ND filter can be helpful because it allows you to keep the shutter open for longer periods of time at your desired aperture. This will allow you to capture more bursts in a single shot. I have never used 1 during fireworks but I can see why people would use it. The downside is leaving the shutter open longer cuts down on the amount of shots you can take during a show. This could amount to less "keepers". I think alot of our veteran shooters here use the ND filter, like anything else with photography experience plays a role here.

As for your statement about using a fast lens on a tripod. The fast lens is pointless. To shoot fireworks most people use f/8 to f/11. At 1.8 the shutter will not be open long enough

 

[havoc315]

Just wondering, is a ND filter really necessary? I've never shot fireworks with such a filter. Would you guys recommend getting one? I plan on using a fast lens for the shots (f/1.8). Plus a tripod ;-)

You don't need a fast lens for fireworks. You want to stop down the aperture so you don't over expose the bursts. Lengthen the shutter speed, to get multiple bursts into the frame.
With an ND filter, for example... You can do a 16 second burst instead of a 4 second burst. (If the filter gives you 2 stops).

Fireworks is one of those occasions where a fast lens has no benefit.

 

[PythonFan888]

Just wondering, is a ND filter really necessary? I've never shot fireworks with such a filter. Would you guys recommend getting one? I plan on using a fast lens for the shots (f/1.8). Plus a tripod ;-)

You can still shoot fireworks without an ND filter. I would just keep the exposures shorter. Without an ND filter and depending on the burst sequence, I will usually blow out my highlights once I start going longer than 10 seconds.

Also, you don't need a fast lens for fireworks when you're using a tripod. I usually have my aperture at around f/11 to f/14 with manual focus to infinity. You want to avoid a shallow DoF and keep everything in focus. With Wishes, for example, some bursts originate near the castle while most of the larger bursts are shot from an area behind the new Fantasyland (behind Beast's Castle/BOG).

 

[havoc315]

This was shot with an ND filter, which allowed me to use f11 at a 30 second exposure. Could probably have only done 4-8 seconds without the filter.


untitled-49.jpg by Havoc315, on Flickr


untitled-52.jpg by Havoc315, on Flickr

 

[toomanycars]

Sorry, but a tripod is really a necessity for firework photos. You can try some handheld exposures, but they will be fairly shaky at the long exposures that you will need to catch the light trails. I do have a compromise to suggest however, have you thought of a small table top tripod? I frequently use these on top of trash cans, tables and other flat surfaces when I needed tripod and don't feel like lugging one through the parks. Below is the one I have. Here is a link to Amazon with reviews. http://www.amazon.com/Manfrotto-709B-Table-Tripod-Black/dp/B0000YD2JC For size comparison take a look at the photograph showing a one dollar bill next to the tripod folded. Also with your Canon 5D you will need to hold the base of the tripod as you are approaching the limits of what this little tripod can do. I have used a Nikon D800 with good luck, however it is a compromise not a perfect solution. Good luck and happy shooting!

Manfrotto 709B Specifications

Head Type Manfrotto Mini Ball Head
360° pan and ± 90° tilt Max Height w/closed column 3.54 inches Closed Length 6.69 inches Max Load Capacity 4.5 lbs Weight .2 lbs

 

[PoohLover78]

I wasn't even thinking about doing exposures longer than 2 seconds. I've never done so in the past. Huh. I can see where you'd definitely benefit from a filter if you do such long exposures though. Since I'm not even remotely familiar with shooting with them, but wanna learn - there's all these different filters like ND2, ND8, ND42 - what would I need? ND4 would be a 2-stop filter, so I could do 16 secs instead of 4, right? If I would put too strong a filter on the lense, the picture would be too dark, right? I know it won't effect colors, but what about brightness/darkness?

 

[PythonFan888]

I wasn't even thinking about doing exposures longer than 2 seconds. I've never done so in the past. Huh. I can see where you'd definitely benefit from a filter if you do such long exposures though. Since I'm not even remotely familiar with shooting with them, but wanna learn - there's all these different filters like ND2, ND8, ND42 - what would I need? ND4 would be a 2-stop filter, so I could do 16 secs instead of 4, right?

I use a 3-stop or 0.9 ND filter. I can usually go as long as 30 seconds without blowing out my highlights depending on the burst sequence and my aperture.

I would recommend reviewing videos of Wishes and Illuminations on youtube. Familiarize yourself with the soundtrack and the sequence of bursts and time your exposures accordingly. The shows are precisely "choreographed" and the trails and bursts can be anticipated.

 

[PoohLover78]

I use a 3-stop or 0.9 ND filter. I can usually go as long as 30 seconds without blowing out my highlights depending on the burst sequence and my aperture.

3 stops would be a ND8 then, right? If you do shorter exposure times, say 2 or 4 seconds, the pictures would be too dark though?

I would recommend reviewing videos of Wishes and Illuminations on youtube. Familiarize yourself with the soundtrack and the sequence of bursts and time your exposures accordingly. The shows are precisely "choreographed" and the trails and bursts can be anticipated.

Now that's a neat advice! I don't even have to go on YT for that.... I have my own recordings from the last trip. Yes, I'm one of those people who film the fireworks...

 

[PythonFan888]

3 stops would be a ND8 then, right? If you do shorter exposure times, say 2 or 4 seconds, the pictures would be too dark though?

I find that most of my fireworks shots are usually anywhere from 12 seconds to about 25 seconds. I want to catch more trails and bursts. You can do 2 - 4 second exposures of single bursts but I would not use an ND filter for these. You're also exposing for foreground elements (Castle etc.) so an ND filter may cause you to underexpose for these.

 

[PoohLover78]

I find that most of my fireworks shots are usually anywhere from 12 seconds to about 25 seconds. I want to catch more trails and bursts. You can do 2 - 4 second exposures of single bursts but I would not use an ND filter for these. You're also exposing for foreground elements (Castle etc.) so an ND filter may cause you to underexpose for these.

Thanks for the info! I've usually only done the 2-4 second exposures in the past but then I have never shot Disney fireworks. What I shot were local fireworks for New Year's and they usually had several bursts at exact the same time so there wasn't a need to go for a longer exposure to capture more than one burst. Plus, it was always out in the open and I didn't need to factor in foreground or background elements. They usually weren't as elaborate or precisely timed as Disney fireworks either.

Guess I need to go through the filters when I get home. I think I do have a couple ND filters, not sure what size though. And then I need to go practice