Saturday, June 25, 2011

How to Photograph Fireworks




There are two classic images that have come to represent the Fourth of July: American flags and fireworks. Both stir up feelings of patriotism. Both are plentiful on the Fourth. Both figure prominently in our childhood memories. Only one is easy to photograph.

Flags are portable, can be photographed day or night and will hold still or wave at you, depending on the wind.

Fireworks are another matter. Even professional photographers have some trouble getting good fireworks pictures. It takes patience, perseverance and a little experimentation.

What follows here are a few guidelines to get you started. Remember, these are only starting points. Try a variety of exposures and angles and see what works best for your camera and situation. Many of the suggestions here will only make sense to photographers with a basic understanding of how a camera works, but there are a few suggestions for those with no background knowledge as well.

Camera
I would suggest an SLR 35 mm camera, digital or film, preferably one that you can operate manually. A wide-angle lens works best if you are close to the source, a longer lens may be needed for fireworks at a distance.

Point & Shoot
Cameras that only work in an automatic mode do not generally work well. But it can’t hurt to try. Some cameras may adjust the exposure without a problem. There are now several Point & Shoot cameras on the market with a fireworks setting. My Point & Shoot has a Night Scene mode that will use a slower shutter speed. Read your manual and try several different modes. Turn off the flash if you can or cover it with tape. You may still end up with a blurry picture or no picture, but you could also be surprised with a good shot. Sometimes a blurry photo makes an artistic statement.

Tripod
Most important is to use a tripod or set the camera on a steady surface such as a wall. The exposure will be a long one so avoid all motion--unless of course, you want to deliberately move the camera or zoom the lens for a special effect. This means that even with the camera on a tripod, you’ll need to use a radio remote or shutter release cable to fire the camera. You can get away with pressing the button yourself if you’re careful to squeeze gently without jostling the camera. You could also try setting the self-timer. The only problem with that is that it’s harder to coordinate with the firework bursts. Another trick you could try is to set the camera on an extra long shutter speed and cover the lens with black mat board while you press the button. The main thing to remember is, no motion. That also means it may be difficult shooting pictures from a rocking boat.

Focus
Pre-focusing on infinity works best unless you have people in the foreground that you want to light. With a Point & Shoot camera, the Landscape Mode (typically it’s the icon with the mountains) will give you an infinity focus.

Location
Where you shoot from is an important consideration. You don’t want crowds clustered around jostling your camera. You’ll want to avoid bright streetlights. You need to decide if you want close, tight shots of just fireworks or if you want a wider view showing some of the surroundings.

Drive around at least 2 hours early to scout for optimum shooting locations. Avoid distracting elements such as telephone poles, electric lines, and trees that might blur during long time exposures (although that can be used for an artistic effect if you so choose). It's nice to frame up the fireworks with people, a building or a statue to give the fireworks a sense of location. Look for elevated shooting positions. Roofs of parking garages can provide an excellent vantage point.

Foreground
Including something in the foreground can add to the picture. It could be spectators, an interesting building or landmark or even a body of water with reflections. If you include people, you have the choice of letting them go dark as in a silhouette or lighting them. A nearby street lamp might add just the right amount of light or you might choose to use a flash.

Flash
Those who have more advanced cameras and strobes might try "dialing down" their strobe output while shooting fireworks with a crowd scene in the foreground. This will reveal some detail in the people, but won't over expose them. Look in your strobe manual for instructions on exposure compensation. On a tripod, you can still allow several seconds for fireworks while shooting with strobe fill. Also, many strobes allow a manual reduction in full power. Try experimenting with 1/8th power on the strobe using 400 ISO. But don't forget that turning the strobe off and thus allowing a silhouette of foreground objects, trees, and people can also be quite effective.

Exposure
Getting the exposure right is the experimental part. It will take many tries to get a good shot. Even if you come up with the perfect exposure, each burst will have a different intensity. Digital cameras make it easier because you can view the results immediately and make adjustments on the spot. The key is to “Bracket”, which means take shots at different settings so that you get at least one at the correct exposure. Here are some basic rules of thumb to get you started.

On a digital camera you can start with an ISO of anywhere from 100 to 400. Your aperture should be on f/8 or f/11. Your shutter speed should be anywhere from 1 to 3 seconds, although I’ve seen good pictures taken as fast as a 15th of a second. The longer exposures will give you more light trails from each burst. You can even leave the shutter open on a “bulb” setting and get several bursts in one picture.

This is just a starting point. Look at the results and adjust accordingly. The ISO needs to be low because at higher settings a digital picture will show a lot of “noise”, especially with a longer exposure. The small aperture setting is because of the intensity of the fireworks. The longer shutter speed will allow you to capture the whole blast.

A film camera is similar but you need to bracket more since you can’t see the results until later.

Many of these suggestions may not work for you. Use what works and ignore the rest. Since fireworks photography is largely experimental and unpredictable, don’t be afraid to try different things. You could end up with a “lucky accident”.

 

-Janet Worne

Minor White Quote

“No matter how slow the film, Spirit always stands still long enough
for the photographer It has chosen.”

- Minor White

Karl P. Koenig is Coming to APG!




The images are haunting and evocative. They glow with a life energy that draws the viewer in. Dead fish in the marketplace, off-beat scenes in New Mexico, and twisted trees, “natures own architecture”, all seem to have a spirit that lives and breathes within them. This remarkable body of work will soon be on display at the Albuquerque Photographers’ Gallery.

Beginning on July 15 through Labor Day, we will present “In This Place…”, an exhibit by the world-renowned photographer, Karl P. Koenig, with a reception for the artist on Friday, July 22, from 7 to 9 pm.

Koenig works chiefly with two alternative processes: polychromatic gumoil, which he created in 1990, and non-toxic photogravure, which uses Solar Plates. Gumoil is a versatile, labor-intensive process using oil pigments and gum arabic mixed with potassium bichromate for its UV sensitivity. Koenig literally invented the process and wrote the book on it, entitled “Gumoil Photographic Printing”. Photogravure is a printmaking process whereby a coated copper plate is exposed to a positive image, forming an intaglio surface receptive to lithography inks.

Both of these processes result in images that are hauntingly old-world. The gumoil, especially, is sensual and textural. In the wrong hands, unusual processes such as these can easily degrade into trite and gimmicky. No matter what tools or techniques are used, you must start with a great image and the technique must be appropriate to that image. Koenig’s work achieves this and more.

“I devote considerable thought and experimentation,” he says, “in choosing the best method, the optimal combinations of textures and colors, and appropriate size for each image.”

After a successful career in psychology, first as a professor and then in private practice, Koenig changed course and pursued his artistic passions. He studied lithography, silkscreen and non-silver photography. In 1990, he pioneered the new—yet old looking—‘alternative process’ that he named Gumoil. He has had work exhibited in Australia, Switzerland, Agentina (to name a few) as well as extensively throughout the United States, including a showing of Concentration Camp Architecture photos at the Holocaust Museum in Houston.

For Karl P. Koenig’s full resume of achievements, including the complete, and impressive, list of publications, exhibits, workshops, lectures and awards, visit his website.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Diane Arbus Quote

"A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you, the less you know."

--Diane Arbus

Urey is Back!

We are quite pleased to have Urey Lemen, one of our founding members, back with us after a short hiatus from the gallery. Visitors to the Albuquerque Photographers' Gallery have been enjoying his top-notch photographs for many years. His award-winning work captures the scenic beauty of the New Mexico landscape and reminds us why our state is called the "Land of Enchantment". To view more of his work visit his homepage.

Welcome back, Urey!