Abstract Fireworks in Singapore
Here’s a quick post with some photos I took of fireworks in Singapore Chinese New Year 2011. They’re taken with my 5D MkII and 24-105mm Canon lens.
I generally went for a 4 second shutter speed for these shots, with a narrow aperture at F11-22.
With a standard lens as you’ve guessed the photos have somewhat been cropped to give the effect of the fireworks filling the frame.
Amazing fireworks from Chinese New Year celebration in Singapore 2011. 24mm, Aperture: F22, Shutter: 4s, ISO: 400
A slightly different selection of fireworks, still at a 4 second shutter speed to get that great light trail effect. 24mm, Aperture: F11, Shutter: 4s, ISO: 400
These are the shots I felt qualified from the Singapore fireworks photoshoot. It was a very rainy day so we were lucky that it cleared up just in time for midnight. However that meant we didn’t have sufficient time to find the optimal vantage point. I will next year try to spend even more time finding the perfect spot to capture the fireworks in front of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore.
New Year’s Eve Fireworks Photos from Trondheim
Like every year, New Year’s Eve is celebrated in my home town of Trondheim, Norway. This year was spent quietly with my wife and not at a wild party, so I took the opportunity to get some shots of the fireworks (which alcohol has prevented in the past… I must be getting old!). The photos below are shot from a tripod, using 3.2-5 seconds exposure and low ISO. I have, and you will most likely get disappointed if you shoot fireworks with short exposure, and you can’t just show up with your hand held compact camera or SLR and expect to get 1st class photos.
Firstly, you’ll have to use a high ISO which will make the photos grainy and less detailed. Secondly, you can normally maximum manage to keep the camera still for 1/20 seconds max, even with image stabiliser. When taking photos of fireworks I much prefer to include the firework from it’s lit until it explodes in the air, hence the tripod is a must!
I brought my Canon EOS 5D MkII with the 24-105mm lens. I also brought my 70-200 but didn’t fancy switching lenses in the cold. I therefore focused on the nearby fireworks, rather than the official ones by the government.
Fireworks shot from the Steinan area of Trondheim, along Steinanvegen. 105mm, Aperture: F4.5, Shutter: 5s, ISO: 125
Taking photos of fireworks is all about trying and failing. Unless you have the perfect setup and know exactly when the fireworks will come from a particular location, a big part of getting the right shot is luck. 90% of the photos are likely not to have much going for them, and with the fireworks normally just lasting for 10 minutes you just need to find the ideal frame and keep shooting!
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