MISC NAV ://tutorials.htm
07-05-09: Week 02
TIPS FOR PHOTOGRAPHING FIREWORKS
In honour of the summer Holidays, here are a few tips that will help you capture beautiful photos of this year's firework displays!
TIP #01:
Find a good, clear spot.
Make sure that there are no obstructions like trees and buildings blocking where the display will be.
TIP #02:
Don't forget about the camera's presets!
Most point and shoot cameras have night or fireworks presets. Don't be afraid to use them, even if it's just to test it out. (Refer to week 01's article if you need to!) If your camera doesn't have presets, the following tips will be more helpful. (Or if you're feeling more adventurous, try the tips for your own custom setting!)
TIP #03:
Set your camera's ISO level.
If your camera doesn't have a night or fireworks preset, make sure that the ISO is manually set. (Refer to week 01's article if you need to!) When setting the ISO, be sure that it's set to the lowest setting. This will help reduce any "noise" that may be produced from taking a photo at night or in low-light.
TIP #04:
Don't use the flash.
The flash will drown out the photo, making it brighter than what it should be. You want to make sure you keep as much as of the beautiful colour as possible! By turning off the flash it will also make your camera's shutter speed slow down. This will take better quality photos in the end. (See tip #05.)
TIP #05:
Use a slow-shutter speed, which will require a tripod.
When taking photos in the dark or in a low-light you'll need to use a slow shutter speed to capture the original beauty of the subject. The downside to this is that holding the camera itself can provide shaking which will make the photo appear blurry. To prevent this it's good to use a tripod or another steady surface where your camera won't be disturbed while taking the photos. Another way to make sure that your camera isn't distrubed while photographing is to use not only the tripod, but use the self-timer as well. Most cameras have self-timer settings of at least 3 and 10 seconds so you won't miss the fireworks!
TIP #06:
Set the focus to infinity.
This tip is only for advanced point and shoot cameras, and those non advanced that allow this setting. (If the camera you're using isn't able to do this, don't fret! Just follow steps #01-05.) In turning off the auto focus (when available), this will help your camera to not spend much time searching for something that it'll never find to focus on. In the end, this will produce a better photograph.
TIP #07:
Have fun!
Don't let trying to focus and take an amazing picture compromise the fun of the event. Also - don't get discouraged if your photos don't turn out the best if this is your first attempt. Just remember that there will be other opportunities in the future!
EXAMPLE:
Here's a photo that I took a few years ago with a Nikon CoolPix 4600:
