Firework Tornado
I spent an evening with friends experimenting with light painting, sparklers, and fireworks. This shot is of a fountain type firework with a quick pan, although...
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I spent an evening with friends experimenting with light painting, sparklers, and fireworks. This shot is of a fountain type firework with a quick pan, although multiple people have told me it looks like Donald Trump's hairpiece....
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Nov, 2015Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
l was involved with a class on "night photography" with the local community college. It's a great way to enjoy evenings with like minded folks, and the people I met in this class were all wonderful. One of the ways I'm benefit by classes like this is when taking photos that require help to set up or trigger events or light -- something that's difficult as I am nearly always alone when photographing. This was taken in a field near one of my classmates house. The instructor and an assistant were setting off fountain-type fireworks while most of us were taking photos.Time
This was about 90 minutes after sundown, and one of the last fireworks we set off that night.Lighting
Aside from the firework itself, there was almost zero additional lighting. Earlier in the night I had set up so that I could get a little of the twilight light in my shot but this was well after twilight.Equipment
This was taken with my Canon 6D and the kit 24-105mm STM lens (not the L version) it came with. I used a sturdy Vanguard tripod with a pan head. To take this shot I tightened everything except the pan axis, and panned the camera slightly during the 0.8 second exposure.Inspiration
None of us in the photography class that night had any experience taking photos of fireworks, so we were all experimenting. After spending some time playing with exposure settings I decided to also experiment with motion. This photo was my favorite from those!Editing
I only did a little levels tweaking with this photo, to bring out the firework-lit grass in the foreground. This actually took some of the least post-processing of any image I've done!In my camera bag
I always carry my Canon 6D, it's a great full frame camera. I always have my Canon 50mm/f1.4 with me, the 24-105mm kit lens, and will frequently also carry either my Rokinon 24mm/f1.4 for land- and night-scapes, and/or my Tamron 180mm/f3.5 macro. I've recently started carrying a vintage Pentacon 135mm/f2.8 as well, and a Raynox DCR-250 macro filter. The Pentacon gives me such superb bokeh, and the Raynox lets me use it for macro work as well.Feedback
I can't recommendn local classes enough. Even if you already know everything they have to offer, and even if you have already been to the destinations and taken the types of photos you are discussing in the class, the social aspect makes it all worth it. If nothing else, it's an excuse to experiment, which you just can't do too much. Experimentation is key.
