- Wowwwww !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - Rosi's World
- explore # 6 :::::SUPERB ::)) - Rosi's World
- Just wanted to add my 2 cents.. Best Fireworks photo I have ever seen! I saw it at #1 on explorer. Finally a well deserved photo at that position. :-) Hope you stayed cool and had a great 4th!!
(btw..this should be submitted to NG pics.. its that good!) - tv/changingchannels - Nice - herunsheng
- !!!! - Nadine V.
- fireworks - 4th of july
- Awesome my friend - Juan ©
fireworks - 4th of july
Cousin Greg launching 4th of July fireworks over one of Minnesota's 10,000 lakes.
I’ve been getting a few questions on how this was done so here's the story: We planned this one over a 4th of July Holiday stay at the lake and took it on a windy night with a close to full moon. A total of 3 people were involved; 1 motionless model, 1 person to light the bottle rocket and run away, and 1 person to work the camera (me). I was using a DSLR (Sony A77) that let me set Shutter Speed, ISO and Aperture independently in Manual Mode (kind of a 'duh' for you Flickr Pro's but those were the questions I was getting). The camera had a wide angle lens (11-16mm), was on a tripod and had a remote shutter release cable attached so I could take a picture without touching the camera and potentially blurring the image. We shot off a test bottle rocket and counted (one one thousand, two one thousand . . ) how long it took from lighting the fuse, till it flew and exploded – the total time was 5 seconds – so that is what I set my camera Shutter Speed. We launched some more test rockets off and worked at adjusting the launch angle against the wind trying to get in the entire arch and explosion into the picture (easier to do with the wide angle lens). I also took a couple of test pictures and played with ISO and Aperture settings with the camera in Manual Mode (the shutter was already set to 5 seconds). I settled on a ISO of 400 because lower ISO’s made the image look too dark and higher settings made it too light (my camera has a live view that makes setting ISO really easy). I settled on an Aperture of 5 because it seemed to get everything around the launch area and model in focus and it helped to keep the ISO lower and less noisy. I positioned the model on the other side of the rocket from the camera so he would be illuminated by the sparks and had him hold his arms out a little because it looked liked a floating face with his hands down. It was very dark out so I shined a flashlight on the model to set the camera's Auto Focus and then I switched the camera to manual focus so it would not change again during the shot. Time to take the picture: I had the model freeze and try not to move for the entire 5 second exposure. My helper lit the bottle rocket and as soon as he got out of the way, I pressed the remote camera shutter, the rocket took off and exploded and my shutter clicked shut. We did it in one take and then ran out of there cuz the mosquitoes were eating us alive. On the computer in Photoshop; I cropped the picture, adjusted the colors and saturation a little, used a program called Noiseware Pro to reduce noise, used a program call Topaz Adjust to make the red orange sparks ‘pop’ a little and then gave the entire image a little overall sharpening. That's it – thanks for looking.
CousinGreg13
Comments and faves
Neil Mair Photography, TMSurrattPhotography, Wherever I Roam, Butch Siemens, and 1811 other people added this photo to their favorites.
Rober1000x (11 months ago | reply)
great capture
Tim L Lowe (11 months ago | reply)
Yikes! I love the 4th. No other US holiday contains that element of personal danger. ;)
TMSurrattPhotography (11 months ago | reply)
Beautiful work here Dan and your shutter speed was just perfect to catch the trail while you balanced it with the ambient light in the sky. Bravo my friend and I hope your holiday is the same. Thanks.
Wherever I Roam (11 months ago | reply)
wow! crazy capture Dan! have and awesome 4th of July!!
JGo9 (11 months ago | reply)
OK now that's just awesome!
JayneCekalla (11 months ago | reply)
Wow! Your the best!
bonnie5378 (11 months ago | reply)
wowzy, Dan,,,,,, a spectacular capture,,,,,, have a great 4th!!
Butch Siemens (11 months ago | reply)
Hot damn... Happy Independance Day Dan! Ain't it good to be free... Great shot... underline GREAT! Good to see you today...
Noro8 (11 months ago | reply)
Great capture- Cool shot...!
ner_luv © (11 months ago | reply)
Wonderful capture ! Happy 4th of July !!
MendezEnrique (11 months ago | reply)
fantastic capture
bats... (11 months ago | reply)
Neat!
tehkici (11 months ago | reply)
woooww.. great shot.. and Happy Independance day America
6º of Kevin Bacon (11 months ago | reply)
Dan, you don't post too often, but when you do it's generally epic! No exception here : ) Have a great 4th!
Irene2005 (11 months ago | reply)
This is some epic, epic fireworks! Never seen anything like it...
It looks like it is going to reach the other side of the lake easily!
Happy 4th of July, Dan!
Tipu Kibria~~BUSY~~ (11 months ago | reply)
Wonderful !
Nanagyei (11 months ago | reply)
Awesome shot and nicely timed. Happy Independence day.
ΞSSΞ®®Ξ (11 months ago | reply)
wow unique and fabulous!! HFJ!
ineedathis (11 months ago | reply)
Hopefully tonight I be taking photos of our fireworks, great shot!
Happy 4th of July to you and your family!
Tony's Place.... (11 months ago | reply)
Spectacular Dan!!!
TJFlicks (11 months ago | reply)
Outstanding Capture!
wolf shadow photography (11 months ago | reply)
wowza!!! cracking shot Dan!
enjoy the day :-))
ken m photography (11 months ago | reply)
this is amazing!
akal_flickr (11 months ago | reply)
outstanding work!!
greyfloppysocks (trying my best) (11 months ago | reply)
That is stinking SWEEEEET!!!
sharon.n1 (11 months ago | reply)
This is a Wonderful and very Colorful Shot. Happy Fourth of July to you. Have a Great Day and Stay Cool
Jeff Barnhart (11 months ago | reply)
That's really cool!
Aristarcoscannabue (11 months ago | reply)
cool!
Robert Lesti (11 months ago | reply)
A great shot!
dlholt (11 months ago | reply)
This is my current favorite fireworks picture ever. Outstanding.
A Richie (11 months ago | reply)
MUCHO BOOM! Happy 4th of July!!
Tim Alms (11 months ago | reply)
Super cool, Dan.
annfrau (11 months ago | reply)
very cool Dan!! looking forward to your pictures!
--
Seen on my Flickr home page. (?)
Eyesplash - There is a change in the air. (11 months ago | reply)
That is a wicked launch, Dude.
I guess you have been busy and doing fun stuff like this shot.
dovetaildw (11 months ago | reply)
Amazing photo!
Kristal Kraft ~ DenverDwellings (11 months ago | reply)
Wow! That's quite a photo! Happy 4th!
Fc Nikon (11 months ago | reply)
Wow.!!! Spectacular shot, my friend
Happy 4th of July
I Prahin | www.southeastasia-images.com (11 months ago | reply)
Perfect angle, cool effect!
pixelmama (11 months ago | reply)
An epic & patriotic firework launching! Very, very cool Dan! Enjoy your 4oJ and keep kool, and KEEP SAFE!!!!! Looks like you have a mini rocket that could launch into space!!!
C Shore (11 months ago | reply)
Very cool shot.
powerfocusfotografie (11 months ago | reply)
Fascinating image and light!!
Steve-h (11 months ago | reply)
marvellous shot !!
Have a great 4th !
MNDustyLens (11 months ago | reply)
Wow, that is awesome! ah, I can only assume this is not Minnesota approves firework ordinance. ;)
Bebertz (11 months ago | reply)
Very nice throughout.
Tim Regan (11 months ago | reply)
Great shot!
sightmybyblinded (11 months ago | reply)
Stunning!!!! happy 4th of july
Pachelbel Canon (11 months ago | reply)
Spectacular and most beautifully done!
Bean* (11 months ago | reply)
flippin' awesome! cutting through the night sky.. fantastic - Happy 4th Dan!!
#Tiago (11 months ago | reply)
Wow!
Very Nice!
suziqb (11 months ago | reply)
Fantastic!!!! WELCOME back