[GatorPentax]

a tripod isnt actually essential. I had my k10d with M 50 1.7 on a stone ledge with my jacket slipped underneath to cause an incline.

What IS essential is a cable switch! and if you want to get real fancy, a piece of cardboard or styrofoam that is wrapped in black to cover the sensor between bursts of the fireworks.

I set my 50mm 1.7 to infinity, aimed at the sky, and had my k10d in bulb mode. Basically held the trigger as short or as long as i wanted.

Usually it was about 3-7 seconds. Oh and the cam was ISO 200 and make sure to TURN OFF SHAKE REDUCTION!!

[Mechan1k]

I had good results on the first time i shot fireworks.

Use the wide lens possible if you are going to be right under them.
I was using my kit lens ... so i used 18mm .... I set ISO to 100 ... set aperture to f/8 (f/11 is fine as well). Set it to MF ... set focus to infinity ... also set it to bulb mode and used a cable release.

Timing was fun trying to get it right at first ... but in the end I was getting decent results with the kit lens.

I used a tripod as I wanted sharp images ... ia lso turned SR off as well.

I found that there was smoke in my images ... I didn't bother editing them out though. I want to have another go at it again though if i can get the chance.

i was lucky ... my in-laws were across the road from the playing field where the fireworks were held ... and I had a paddock all to myself to set my gear up ... with no obstructions as well.

[GatorPentax]

Beautiful pictures

[alohadave]

I would suggest a tripod and 1-5 second shutter speeds. Am sure you'll get far more detailed advice from others, and I will be as interested in that advice as you.

That's about all there is to it. The rest is details. Framing the shot and timing are important, but it all depends on how you want them to look.

One thing to keep in mind is that you can experiment while shooting, because basically, every firework looks exactly the same. The shell goes up, it explodes and pieces fly everywhere. When you press the shutter, will determine what the shot looks like. If you shoot every shot the same way, every shot will look the same.

[raider]

The last time i took fireworks photos is during this year's Australia Day....and incidentally this time the photos are a little bit more successful than my previous attempt (couldn't count how many failures i have so far)

I am just a beginner but this is what i did:
Use ISO as low as possible. I use ISO 100 on my K-7.
Use bulb mode and remote shutter release. Not sure how to do this otherwise if using the K-x.
Use tripod (this is a no brainer)
Pre-focus the scene and leave the lens setup at MF.
Use RAW

Then I just press the button when the fireworks start and when the "explosions" get a little bit "old" in the sky, I press the button again to close the shutter. I think i open the shutter something like 20seconds or so. I tried not to go over the 30s limit as in doing so, the K-7's dark frame subtraction thingy kicks in and the camera lags a fair bit and this will result in some miss shots.

These are some of my amateur shots...won't win any prizes but it is my best attempt in 3 years....yes..i am that bad.

[Unsinkable II]

I think a tripod is unnecessary unless you are doing a really lonmg exposure.

So many great shots here. Nice!

All but Lowell Goudge's, which looks like it was taken by a one-eyed drunk suffering from epilepsy and shivering from the cold while trying to operate his camera with gloves.

[Lowell Goudge]

So many great shots here. Nice!

All but Lowell Goudge's, which looks like it was taken by a one-eyed drunk suffering from epilepsy while shivering from the cold and trying to operate his camera with gloves.

I will take this as a compliment.

what I wanted, and got was a starburst that could be transparently clipped into any image I wanted, because the background was pure black.

I have lots of others showing smoke, buildings etc. it is just that for some shots, you don't need or can't use a tripod. AS i said at the onset. the first thing you need to decide is what the image you want is. What you want it to show, and go forward from there

[Ubuntu_user]

I'm definitely not in favor of showing smoke, at least a bunch of it. Most likely, I'll take a night photo of the new city hall building and then photoshop in the fireworks above the building.

[Lowell Goudge]

I'm definitely not in favor of showing smoke, at least a bunch of it. Most likely, I'll take a night photo of the new city hall building and then photoshop in the fireworks above the building.

That's was the purpose of the starburst i posted, it is meant to be added in later,

One point with respect to this is that it requires PP to remove the smoke.

I did this by selecting a point on the contract cruve above 0 to call true black, and this forced everything below that leve to be black. it darkens th eimage just a little but not seriously so.

Once it is black, you can easily make that transparent as part of the layer characteristics and overlay it, or use addition to add it to the photo, black at a value of zero will add nothing.

[Sakura]

It is also very nice to use a flash. Not for the fireworks of couse
But with a flash you get some foreground what can be a very nice thing to add to you're pictures.

[raider]

Sakura, I am intrigued by what you said about using flash in a fireworks. Have not thought of that before. Any pictures to see? Keen to learn more.

[Unsinkable II]

I will take this as a compliment.

Hehe...

[Q Bahorel]

a tripod isnt actually essential. I had my k10d with M 50 1.7 on a stone ledge with my jacket slipped underneath to cause an incline.

What IS essential is a cable switch! and if you want to get real fancy, a piece of cardboard or styrofoam that is wrapped in black to cover the sensor between bursts of the fireworks.

I set my 50mm 1.7 to infinity, aimed at the sky, and had my k10d in bulb mode. Basically held the trigger as short or as long as i wanted.

Usually it was about 3-7 seconds. Oh and the cam was ISO 200 and make sure to TURN OFF SHAKE REDUCTION!!

Parndon my noobishness, but why should you turn off SR; what adverse effects does it cause?

ps: dankoBanana, I really love the reflections and silhouettes in your shots.

[zxaar]

last year i did shoot some fireworks. Could not take many photos because my 3 year old dughter got scared and started to cry so was busy with her.

anyway from whatever i got, here are some.


All photos k100D.

All photos handheld.

All photos iso 400 or less (if my mem serve me right).













with tripod and good position i think things could be improved but i think these are not bad for handheld.


About lense, i think you can guess it.

[Unsinkable II]

> zxaar

Very nice! I especially like the red fireworks contrasting with the cruise ship.

The K100D is a great camera.