fireworks

Fireworks are very hard to photograph if you’ve never done it before. Here are some quick tips on how to get superlative fireworks shots without trial and error.

• Use a tripod
• Use a shutter release of some sort (doesn’t matter what kind, so long as you’re not pushing the shutter yourself AND you are looking at the sky, not through the viewfinder)
• Set your shutter speed to 4 seconds
• Set your aperture to f/11 (go to full manual)

That’s it. Courtesy of Photoshop Insider Blog By Scott Kelby » Blog Archive » How to Shoot Fireworks

Here’s a link to a great article on how to shoot holiday lights from Ritz Camera.

Harvest moon,
originally uploaded by billspaced.

Taking photographs of the moon can be challenging, if you don’t know how. However, once you know how, it’s super-easy. You’ll get great results if you follow these simple rules:

1. Set your camera to full Manual mode
2. Set your shutter to 1/250
3. Set your aperature to f/11
4. Shoot on a tripod
5. Use a shutter release or your timer to minimize shake
6. Zoom in as close as you can get (a 200mm to 300mm telephoto lens works well)
7. Set ISO to lowest possible value (generally, ISO 100 or on some cameras ISO 50)

That’s about it. Your image most likely will need some touch up in Photoshop, but it shouldn’t require a lot of modification. If it does, shoot again!

Choose burst mode. The second or third bursted photo will usually be much more in focus (i.e., clearer) than the first.

Here’s why: When hand-holding (i.e., not using a tripod or remote shutter release), pressing the shutter button moves the camera, if only slightly. This movement, especially in low light or with moving objects, can really blur a photo. However, when using burst mode, that first shutter press is the only one you’ll need to get 2 or 3 (or more) photos. Since the second and third photos do not require a shutter press, those photos will be clearer.

Half Dome Near Dusk,
originally uploaded by billspaced.

Here’s a photo I took while on vacation with my family. This was taken in the Yosemite valley floor near sunset. Simple set up:

Tripod
Polarizing filter
Tamron 28-300mm zoom
Canon Digital Rebel XT

Fireworks,
originally uploaded by billspaced.

Fourth of July 2005. I took this picture with my new Canon Rebel XT. It’s not a perfect representation of the actual fireworks that took place, but I think it’s a really cool image.

What do you think? Let me know!