There was a display at the Grand Pier in Weston yesterday evening and SWMBO and I went along to try our hand at photographing fireworks.
Unfortunately, not for us the grandeur of a cliff-top vantage point and the chance to sit in a deck chair in the garden, G&T to hand, firing off the occasional shot as enjoyed by ColytonJohn at the recent Paignton display.
No, we had to settle for the hurly-burly of the promenade and found ourselves about 150 yards from the firing point, looking over the wall onto the golden sands (read mud) of Weston.
Following the advice so kindly given by ColytonJohn, I set the camera up on manual, 100 ISO, f11 and 8 seconds. I used the 24-105 and set the camera to portrait, since I was hoping for some high bursts. In the event, although the display was enjoyable, the bursts were only at a medium height and the organisers had set them in a fan shape, so I lost the outer edges of some of the bursts (there was no time to *rse about changing orientation).
Nonetheless, I am pleased with the results, which are far better than I have achieved before. I suspect though, that the end of term report will say "improving, but could do better".
Weston 01 by John Liddle, on Flickr
Weston 02 by John Liddle, on Flickr
Unfortunately, not for us the grandeur of a cliff-top vantage point and the chance to sit in a deck chair in the garden, G&T to hand, firing off the occasional shot as enjoyed by ColytonJohn at the recent Paignton display.
No, we had to settle for the hurly-burly of the promenade and found ourselves about 150 yards from the firing point, looking over the wall onto the golden sands (read mud) of Weston.
Following the advice so kindly given by ColytonJohn, I set the camera up on manual, 100 ISO, f11 and 8 seconds. I used the 24-105 and set the camera to portrait, since I was hoping for some high bursts. In the event, although the display was enjoyable, the bursts were only at a medium height and the organisers had set them in a fan shape, so I lost the outer edges of some of the bursts (there was no time to *rse about changing orientation).
Nonetheless, I am pleased with the results, which are far better than I have achieved before. I suspect though, that the end of term report will say "improving, but could do better".
Weston 01 by John Liddle, on FlickrWeston 02 by John Liddle, on Flickr
Comment