Fireworks...post em here!

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Just-Clayton

Senior Member
the first few werent lined up and my focal length was at 18mm and f/3.5 so i adjusted it to take a closer shot. i used the 18-55, bulb setting,f/5.6. i wasnt sure what to set it at since it was my first attempt. so i started there. i held the shutter open between 1 sec-14sec. i think i took about 70 shots. i ended up with 60 pictures.
 
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JoeLewisPhotography

Senior Member
I used my D300s with 17-55 f/2.8 with a cpl filter. aperture varied from f/8 to f/14 and shutter speeds varied from 10 to 20 seconds. ISO 100 on all. I did not use bulb...i just used a sturdy tripod and my finger. conditions were perfect.
 
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AxeMan - Rick S.

Senior Member
JoeLewisPhoto said:
I did not use bulb...i just used a sturdy tripod and my finger.
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Since we are sharing setting and techniques here, I don't want to go off topic but for informational proposes here for any one who want to try this or any night photography and use the shutter button instead of the remote. I have to ask, your tripod is not one of those cheap ones you find at Wal-Mart is it? I have found by experience the Wal-Mart cheapies do hold your camera still, but you can not touch the camera as you would if you had a higher end tripod and not get camera shake. This would include pressing the shutter button with your "steady" finger. A good tripod talking round numbers is going to cost your $100 and will not come with a ball head and you will spend another $75 for a ball head. I don't think your going to find this kind of tripod at your Wal-Mart discount stores. I have a higher end tripod and ball mount and found it to be 1000 times better then the Wal-Mart type.
 
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JoeLewisPhotography

Senior Member
LOL Rick, i have a $3000+ body and lens....why on EARTH would you ask if I was using a "wal-mart" tripod? I care TOO much about my equipment to leave it in the hands of wally world.

Seriously...
I have a very good promaster tripod with ball head....HOWEVER, i did not use that one in this case. It is plenty sturdy, but not sturdy enough for not using without a remote. Instead, I actually have an old, Ambico tripod, originally meant for an older shoulder hold video cameras. Its aluminum and light weight, but thicker and more sturdy than any tripod you can go out and buy today (under $300). It extends to over 6 feet in height, and has a fluid filled head. I should also mention that my tripod was at its lowest possibly height. Therefore, the skinnier, weaker legs are all tucked away. Hence the rigidity.
 
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AxeMan - Rick S.

Senior Member
I was trying to get the point across (at your expense) that someone should not use a tripod bought at Wally World, and how important a good tripod is, just like a good lens is. Just because you own a tripod doesn't mean life is good, you get what you pay for. Just because the box says "Professional" doesn't mean it is, IE Wal-Mart type packaging.

For years I used Wal-Mart brand tripods mostly due to ignorance. I don't want to see someone new go down this misguided road. For over a year my D3000 was in the hands of Wal-Mart and for 3 months my D90 and my $1000 lens was also. It was an easy dumb move on my part and I'm lucky anything didn't happen. Now I get hives just thinking about it.
 
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Just-Clayton

Senior Member
well right now due to a small budget my cheap tripod and remote switch will do. with me i am buying needed items paycheck to paycheck. when i do get needed items i will get better then walmart.if you feel we need better equipment then some of us have. we will send you our address.
 
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Mike150

Senior Member
This thread is moving rapidly toward becoming an argument. I was initially offended by a few of the comments in some of the posts. After typing a flaming reply which I did not post, I realized that no real insult was intended therefore I had no reason to be offended.

I vote we get this thread back to Fireworks and away from Tripod quality.
 
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Eye-level

Banned
Tripods??? WTF??? :) :) :)

Well we ain't gonna get to see tonight what the F2 with 28/3.5 resting on a towel resting on the roof of a car shot at 200 with the finger and the brain dictating the shutter time did...the reason why???

I took my roll of film into Walgreen's today and was told the printer is broke...I said that is ok I just want processing and scanned to CD...I ask what machine processes my film and what does it do? "That Fujitsu right there...it processes and scans the films. Unfortunately our printer is the device that makes the CD...we have 8 more orders waiting to be made into prints...you should be done at 8 tonight..."

I said cool man hope they get it fixed see you tomorrow !... LOL

I put you all through all this 4th of July photography drama and I bet all of them come out blury...LOL

Stay tuned! :)

Now that I think about really the only thing I care about is I want to see the pictures of the damn fireworks!!!! LOL
 
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Just-Clayton

Senior Member
sorry. i went off only because i have have been getting insults from my own family just this week for the pictures i take. they tell me to get a real hobby or the honey do list isnt big enough etc. so the comments about walmart and cheap boiled me over. so lets get back to the pictures at hand no matter what you have for equipment. its how you use it.
 
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AxeMan - Rick S.

Senior Member
I'm sorry for taking it off track, I was just trying to offer some advise. If the moderators would like they can remove my post. I'm not commenting anymore.

Further discussion about my tripod comment has been taken up in private messages. If there were any issues between me and newbshooter they were resolved. Anyone else please PM me and do not reply to this thread regarding tripods.

Thank you
 
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Rick M

Senior Member
newbshooter said:
sorry. i went off only because i have have been getting insults from my own family just this week for the pictures i take. they tell me to get a real hobby or the honey do list isnt big enough etc. so the comments about walmart and cheap boiled me over. so lets get back to the pictures at hand no matter what you have for equipment. its how you use it.
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Those are the kind of relatives which I would take really embarrasing photos of and post them on facebook :)
 
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Carolina Photo Guy

Senior Member
newbshooter said:
sorry. i went off only because i have have been getting insults from my own family just this week for the pictures i take. they tell me to get a real hobby or the honey do list isnt big enough etc. so the comments about walmart and cheap boiled me over. so lets get back to the pictures at hand no matter what you have for equipment. its how you use it.
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Dude, you can choose your friends. Seems to me that you got screwed in the family department.
 
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Eye-level

Banned
OK Wlagreen's got their crap together so I now have some fireworks pics...for the most part my aim was way off and exposure time lackluster...I did get what I think is one pretty decent one though so I am happy. All of the rest look like the second one...

fireworks1.jpg


fireworks2.jpg
 
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Eye-level

Banned
No that is how they are...I just checked the negatives...these shots are of some roman candle type thing my kid shot off maybe the sparklies were just blowing up!

They do look better when you flip them over though... :)

Here is my feeble attempt at shooting the muncipal fireworks show which is about a mile or so away...proof of gravy (oops gravity) in Oklahoma...

LOL

municipalfireworks.jpg
 
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