Photographing Fireworks – How to Get It Right All the Time!

With the New Year just a few days away, you have the perfect opportunity to catch all those magical fireworks display on camera. But do you know how to make it work? Do you have the skills to capture all those breathtaking moments on camera? While a lot of people are not sure if they can do it right, you need to know that photographing fireworks is not as difficult as most people think it is. It’s really quite easy – if you know the tricks!
So, what do you need to do if you’re planning to photograph fireworks? Here are some tips you may need to consider:

Bring the right equipment.

When shooting firework displays, it is always advisable to use a tripod. Since you will be using longer shutter speeds to capture all those sharp images, you need to make sure that your camera remains as rock solid as it possibly can. And relying on your hands to do the job can be a very challenging one, to say the least. Just how long do you think you can keep your hands steady? It just can’t work. Period. My advise – get a tripod.
Another necessary equipment that you need to bring along with you on location is a remote release device – wheter it be a cable or an RC unit. This will help ensure that there will be no unnecessary shakes as you release the shutter.

And please don’t forget to bring a flashlight with you. It’s really hard to fumble in the dark when you are trying to adjust your camera settings, right?

Lastly, don’t forget to pack in some spare batteries and memory cards. You’ll be shooting a lot of photos so it’s better to be prepared for any eventualities.

Get the best possible view.

To do this, you may need to visit the area at daytime so that you can plan well ahead of time. Scout for areas that offer a clear view of the spectacle that is about to happen. Consider sites that satisfy the following criteria:

• Free from all possible obstructions such as buildings, trees, cables or other people’s heads. A high vantage point such as the top of a roof or a hill will be ideal for such purposes.
• Includes a famous historical landmark that may help enhance your shots.
• Has a vast body of water. The fireworks’ reflection in the water can add drama to your photos!

Don’t put yourself in smoke’s way.

All fireworks produce smoke and this can get between you and that perfect shot you’re aiming for. So, find out where the wind is blowing and pick a location that is not against it. This way, the smoke won’t affect the quality of your photos and you’ll get sharper, more vivid images.

Know the perfect settings.

To capture the best fireworks display photos, you may need to consider the following camera settings:

• Don’t use your flash. It will take the focus out of the bursts.
• Keep your ISO low (preferably at 100) to increase your chances of getting sharper images.
• If your camera has a fireworks mode, use it. If it doesn’t, don’t forget to keep your aperture at f/8 to f/16.
• Set your shutter speed between 1 to 15 seconds. But if you really want to capture some really good photos, use the bulb mode.
• You may use the infinity focus or the manual focus mode. Different experts have different opinions on this one so go ahead and see what works best for you.

Some more useful tips in photographing fireworks:

• Keep shooting. It’s good to take a lot of pictures to increase your chances of getting that perfect shot.
• Track your results from time to time. Make sure you’re not shooting a batch of duds.
• Don’t be afraid to experiment. Do you want to shoot from a wider perspective? Do you want to include silhouettes in the foreground? You can do these and more! Feel free to do whatever you want. Keep experimenting!

So, there you have it – the secrets to shooting perfect fireworks photos. Now, do you feel confident that you can shoot some pretty good photos this New Year’s eve? Go for it!

PS. It's one thing to learn a few tips from these articles I provide you for free but this link takes you to where you will learn how to get 'paying customers' to your photography business. Hey, but if you don't need customers, skip it!

Capture The Perfect Flower Macro

by Natalie Johnson

If you appreciate the subtle beauty of a freshly bloomed bud or want to preserve the memory of that bright and bold gift bouquet why not try putting your photography skills to good use and capture a delicate floral macro?

Image by Hamed Saber

Begin by finding the perfect specimen and if possible place it in an area with great soft light, for example in front of a window that is shielded with a sheet or net curtain. If the plant is outside either move it to a shaded location or find a way of diffusing the sun’s rays with a piece of fine material if the light is particular harsh or the sun is at a high position in the sky. Shoot with your back to the light (without blocking it) or from the side, so that the light falls gently and delicately on the flower head’s crevices and petals, effortlessly eventuating texture, colour and the intrinsic detailing. An overcast but bright day will undoubtedly harvest optimum captures, but if you need to ‘add’ extra light utilise a reflector to lift details from the shadows.

Next set the camera onto a tripod or if you are lacking one try using something as a stable substitute to support it underneath. Using something like

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will be extremely useful here, especially when shooting immoveable or smaller specimens as the accessory is relatively dainty and low to the ground as it doesn’t have a restrictive centre column like a tripod does.

Image by Auntie P

In terms of glassware a macro lens or extension tube will reap stronger images, otherwise experiment with focal length you have at your disposal and use your distance to influence the composition, determine how close you can get to secure a lock. Some people prefer the simplicity of auto-focus, whereas others surmise that manual offers greater creative control, either way decide what you want in focus, lock on to it and then recompose.

If you are using a point-and-shoot device, opt for the camera’s macro mode and ensure that the flash is deactivated. DSLR or hybrid users should switch into Aperture priority and experiment with the lens’ aperture range to alter how much detail is captured. For a crisp centre and softly blurred petals or background opt for an aperture of between f1.8 and f4 depending on the strength and range of the effect you want to generate. If you’d rather keep the flower head’s details crisp use a narrower aperture such as f18 or even f22.Depending on the colour of the flower you may find you’ll need to employ exposure compensation to balance the scene.

Image by Evan Leeson

Stand above the flower and shoot the subject from various angles, then lower the lens in stages to the same level as the flower and shoot again, finally fall beneath the flower head and shoot up at its delicate underbelly.
Review your captures onscreen to determine what appeals to you or what you would like to develop. If you want to tweak the captures in an editing suite it is advisable to shoot in RAW so all of those vivid details and colours are naturally replicated.

If you would like to repeat the photo session at a later date, try experimenting with various lighting techniques, lenses, gels and include elements such as water for that heightened level of interest. Shooting a flower macro just after it has rained, or before snow or frost melts, can really exaggerate the specimen’s beauty and lends itself to creating a more dramatic photograph.

Natalie Johnson is the former editor of Digital Photographer magazine and after seven years in the business has chosen to pursue her dream of becoming a freelance photographer and writer.

Tripods - When Do You Need One?

Tripods - When Do You Need One? 
 
By Sheila Crosby
 
With very rare exceptions, the main subject of your photograph must
be sharp - not necessarily the whole picture, but certainly the
subject. Even if you want the subject blurred, to give a sense of
movement, then the background must be sharp. And you'll get the
sharpest photographs by using a tripod.


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There are three ways your photo can be unsharp: either the focus is
wrong, the camera moved, or the subject moved. Here's how to tell
the difference:
 
    * If something in front or behind the subject is nice and
sharp, then the problem is poor focus. For example, your baby is
blurred, but the carpet underneath is sharp.
 
    * If the background is sharp, but the subject is blurred, then
the subject moved. Sometimes you can do this on purpose to give a
sense of movement, but that's outside the scope of this article.
 
    * If everything is unsharp, then it's camera shake. Serious
camera shake will leave everything streaked in the direction you
moved the camera, usually vertically.
 
This article deals with how to avoid camera shake.
 
Most of the time, you can simply hold the camera in your hand.
Obviously, this is much quicker, and gives you time to grab a shot
of that yeti before it disappears.
 
The great disadvantage of tripods is that they slow you down.
Perhaps the clouds move while you're setting it up, or the sun
sets, or people waiting for you have time to get bored.
 
The great advantage of tripods is that they slow you down. You have
time to see the coke can in the foreground, and move it, before you
take the shot.
 
So when should you use a tripod?
 
    * The longer the focal length of the lens, and the longer the
exposure, the more time the camera has to wobble. You will need a
tripod if the shutter speed is longer than the reciprocal of the
focal length (e.g., 1/60th for a 50mm lens, or 1/500th for a 500mm
lens).
 
    * The bigger the enlargement, the more obvious any camera shake
becomes. If you're hoping to make a 24" x 16" enlargement, you need
a tripod.
 
    * If you're hoping to sell your photos for stock photography,
you need a tripod.
 
    * Macro subjects -- anything over 1/4th life size -- always
need a tripod because you're so close to your subject.
 
    * Negatives bigger than 35mm are wasted unless you use a
tripod. Besides, plate cameras are too heavy to comfortably hold by
hand.
 
 
CHOOSING A TRIPOD


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Different tripods suit different situations.
 
    * Flimsy tripods are a waste of money. It's not a bargain if
you never use it.
 
    * Heavy tripods are fine in a studio, but not for hiking up a
mountain.
 
    * Some tripods have a hook and the bottom of the center column
so you can hang a weight there for greater stability. This is great
for taking landscape photos in a gale, but you rarely get gales in
a studio.
 
    * Some tripods open up considerably taller than others. Check
the height with and without the center column raised. (And check
the stability of the center column, too.)
 
    * Some are easier to adjust than others.
 
    * And of course prices vary widely. But bear in mind that a
tripod might well last you 25 years.
 
 
ALTERNATIVES TO TRIPODS
 
    * Monopods (Also called a unipod) These are easier to carry
around, and faster to point, but less effective. They're popular
with sports photographers, who tend to use long lenses but
obviously can't spend five minutes setting up each shot. 

 
    * Table tripods These are small (about 6" high) and therefore
extremely portable. They're not much use for landscapes unless you
can find something to stand them on, like a rock or wall. (I once
used the speakers at a rock concert. Don't. Speakers vibrate!)

 
    * Clamps These are also small and portable, but you need to
find something to clamp them to. I have a combined table tripod and
clamp, and over the years it's proved very useful.

 
    * Beanbags You can buy photographic beanbags, or make your own
from anything that isn't so full that it's rigid. For example, you
can use an old sock half-filled with rice. You can also take an
empty sock on a hike and fill it with sand or gravel before use.
That way you don't have to carry the filling around. 

I use a bag of peanuts. One of these days I'll be stranded on the side of a
mountain in the mist, and I'll be very glad of those peanuts.
(Kendal Mint Cake doesn't make a good lens support.) The big
disadvantage is that you need something to put the bean bag on.
Sometimes there's a nice convenient wall, just the right place and
height -- just not very often. Sometimes you can park your car and
use the roof - sometimes. Failing that, there might be a lamppost
that you can push the camera against.

 
    * The car window If you haven't got the right kit, or you
haven't got time, wind the car window down to the height you
require and rest the lens on that. It's not nearly as good as a
tripod or beanbag, but it's better than holding the camera by hand.
Just remember to turn the car engine off and ask any passengers to
sit still.

 
IF YOU HAVEN'T GOT A TRIPOD
 
This is definitely second best, but it's inevitable that you'll get
caught without a tripod at least occasionally.
 
   1. Use as fast a shutter speed and as wide a lens as possible.
 
   2. If possible, get into position to use yourself as a tripod,
for example with your back and feet against rocks and your elbows
on your thighs. Warning: bystanders may snigger. If this isn't
possible, plant your legs a little apart, like a sailor, and tuck
your elbows into your ribs.
 
   3. Hold the camera to your eye and compose the picture.
 
   4. Take a deep breath and then breathe out.
 
   5. Squeeze the camera top and bottom to release the shutter. If
you just press from the top, the camera will move down a millimeter
or so.
 
These tips should enable you to take consistently sharper photos.
 
Let me help you to take great landscape photographs. To read more
tips and tricks, click here. 
 
http://www.greatlandscapephotography.com
 
Article Source:  http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sheila_Crosby 

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