DC Fireworks Photography and Tips

From http://natureandwildlifephotography.blogspot.com/





I've had the upcoming fireworks on the brain. I've been thinking about how last year went, what I might try this year, and what I should do to make the most of it.

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When last year was approaching I was kicking myself because all my decent DC fireworks shots (very few or none) were posted and used already. So I knew I'd probably take tons in 2009 and have at least one to use that was fresh and different to lead in to this year's 4th of July Celebration in the Nation's Capital.



Flickr Description:

Last year (above) was the first year I took the 4th fireworks in DC seriously and set out on a mission to photograph the event.

I went super early and made an entire day of it. This year I want to do something similar but better and different. I liked the view from the VA side of the river, but a review of images from a minute ago and nothing is tight enough, way too much empty space and everything had to be cropped.

What worked was the monuments - to set the location and day in to context.

This year I'm trying to come up with a new plan. I might go over to the DC side, but I don't want to be so close that I can't get at least one monument. I am also thinking about going up towards the Iwo Jima Memorial.

Are folks as psyched as me for the 4th and taking photos?

There are lots of guides and tips out there - briefly: use a tripod, mirror delay, cable release, 2 or 3 second shutter speed, take photos continuously (it ends very quickly), manual focus, ~f/8 for some DoF and if you're in the DC area you probably should get to the spot at least a few hours early, probably more.

Any one have a good spot to recommend? Maybe something high up like a rooftop or somewhere else unique? (if it is a secret, email me)

Here are a few more detailed tips in case you're in need of a little help. It took me a couple of tries to get the right approach and get the shots I got last year.

Fireworks Photography Tips

#1 Find the right spot - The spot you shoot from is key and fundamental to all the rest. In DC getting one or more landmarks is a must. The fireworks are launched from the east side of the reflecting pool, and that area is off limits. I walked around there last year during the day, and late in the afternoon they lock down the fireworks area and neighboring land. A spot that is not too close is good so you can get a good complete shot. However I've also seen some shots from between the Washington Monument and the Capital and they were night, tight, and well done too. Rooftops are a nice shooting location too, I've not done it, but I've seen some nice results.

#2 Use a Tripod - Exposure times should be something like 1 to 2 or 3 seconds so you cannot try to handhold the camera. The tripod should be solid, and if you have a backpack with stuff in it, hang it off the hook in between the legs for extra weight and stability.

#3 Timer, Mirror delay, Cable Release - All of these things will help minimize camera shake and blur. In 2009 I used all 3 things and they helped but also took up considerable precious time. The fireworks take forever to get started, but once they do, it seems like it last a few minutes and is over. Use a 2 or 3 second timer, mirror delay if you have it, and shoot as close to continuously as you can. In 2009 I ONLY took around 150 shots and wished I had gotten more.

#4 Turn OFF in Camera Noise Reduction - Leaving it on will double the time the camera spends on EACH photo, effectively cutting the number of long exposures you can capture in half. So turn off IN-CAMERA-NOISE-REDUCTION! If you only plan to shoot a few shots, keep it on, but see tip #3 if you want to get lots of shots - keep it off.

#5 Get to the spot early - One of my first years trying to shoot the fireworks I made my final approach around 2 hours before dark and I was late, entire areas were full and unavailable to even attempt to park at or shoot from. Use Metro is possible.

#6 Exposure Plan - You need a plan for how you are going to get the right exposure. I didn't my first time and tried to "freeze the action!" Yeah, that doesn't work. What makes the fireworks so cool is a long exposure where the light streaks and blurs and makes huge patterns. So that means you need a longer exposure than you might plan for if you didn't have a plan. A 2 second exposure at ISO 400 and f/5.6 is a very long time if you have anything that's even remotely bright (like fireworks). I'd say with those settings you'd get an over-exposed frame. I shoot in manual mode. This helps to produce consistent results. But it still take some experimenting to find the right values. This shot from last year was adjusted from the RAW but here's the exif
Exposure 1.6 seconds
Aperture f/7.1
Focal Length 48 mm
ISO Speed 100

#7 Shoot in RAW - I used to shoot in JPG, or JPG+RAW and mostly used the JPGs. That was a couple years ago. Now I shoot only RAW. The main thing that changed was I discovered Photoshop Lightroom. Lightroom makes working with RAW files so much easier. And by that I mean easier to get better results than decently exposured JPG in camera. For night photography and fireworks photography RAW probably makes even more of a difference. Getting a couple stops of exposure to adjust in the RAW file lets you shoot and make little mistakes and overcome them. I don't go out planning to shoot mistakes. Fireworks happen so fast, go off some times one at a time, 2 or 3 or 4 at a time and there's just no time to meter for a 3 second exposure that isn't visible before you start exposing the sensor/film. If you aren't the type to work with RAW now, than do yourself a favor and shoot both at the same time, and use what you're comfortable with now, but give yourself options later when you get better at editing the camera's files.

#8 Use a black card to block the lens - One trick to get crazy shots of fireworks is to take multiple sets of launched fireworks and combine them in to one exposure. This can be done a few ways, but the old-school way, ie from film days, is to keep the camera's shutter open for an extended period of time and only let the light in when the fireworks are exploding. To do this block the lens during the in between time with a black card or something that won't let any light in.

#9 Check the Histogram - The histogram can be pretty helpful with fireworks. I'd recommend shooting RAW and trying to get just a touch of the histogram up on the right side, ie clipping just a little. Most of the pixels though should be dark and recorded in middle or left side of the histogram... Note some camera display histograms that are really one color, not full RGB histograms, or maybe they're an average. So be a little careful making all the exposure calculations based on the histogram. Chimp the images too. One more note or word of caution on that - since by now it is dark out and your eyes have adjusted, the camera screen will seem really bright, and I've mistakenly underexposed in situations like this. One more way to get the right in field exposure would be to use the highlight warning feature available on many cameras where the blownout highlights blink bright white on the back of the camera...

#10 Fill the Frame - Far away firework are just that, far away. Shoot with a telephoto lens if you have one and zoom in on the action. Usually you can't get close to the fireworks, so I think this is a valid tip. If you are close, be careful and shoot with a wider angle...

#11 Mode other than Manual - Since not everyone shoots in manual mode, here's another way to try setting up the camera. Pick Aperture mode, select f/8, ISO 200, and -1.0 EV (exposure compensation). Shutter speeds will vary and the -1EV will compensate for the night time vs. bright fireworks. You don't want the camera to turn the night scene in to a day time looking exposure. -1 may be ok, try it and adjust from there.

#12 Shoot from a hill or get a front row spot - Once the action starts you don't want someone walking in front of you so get a front row spot, or shoot from a hill, not necessarily the top but along the hill.

#13 Plan for the Wind! - Wind is a very good thing to have on a night with fireworks. It will help to clear the smoke from the sky. However one way this can backfire is if you are down wind from the fireworks, the smoke will be streaming right towards you and block your view. There's not a lot to do once this happens, it is kind of a bust in my opinion. A related tip is don't shoot from too far away - atmospheric things can get in your way like haze or heat. Perfect conditions would be late afternoon showers and cold air in the evening.


That's it for this year and planning - unless I think of a new one before it is too late. Good luck and don't forget the tripod or the camera/lens mounting plate!

Original content posted at http://natureandwildlifephotography.blogspot.com/

Nikographer.com / Jon

banned from explorer - sort of

I post this on my other blog - reposting here:
http://nikographer.blogspot.com/2010/06/banned-from-flickrs-explorer-well.html

Banned from Flickr's Explorer

Well, almost banned you might say. I've had just one image pop in to Explorer since the one I had on 2/23/2010. I wondered what it was when I didn't get anything in for a few days, then weeks, then months.

I posted something here after googling it about the ban and wondering why(?).

No body but someone on the inside would know for sure, so this is just from pure observation of stats and then guessing as to why or how...

Original content posted at http://natureandwildlifephotography.blogspot.com/

Nikographer.com / Jon

Nesting Birds and Photographs

From: http://natureandwildlifephotography.blogspot.com/2010/06/nesting-birds-and-photographs.html

I consider myself fairly new to wildlife photography - having just been doing it for around 4 years as of 2010. In that time I've gone from knowing very little to now knowing some, with lots more to learn.

One way to I've learned is by observation and trial and error. It's fairly straightforward to understand that if you approach an animal and it backs away, it thought you got too close for comfort. That sounds so simple, because it is.

But as an eager photographer it is also easy to constantly want to get closer. The trick is to be observant and also patient.

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While at Cape May recently I was shooting along the beach. On the beach there, they've roped off some area with simple line and some short posts to act as a human barrier. There's nothing to hide behind, and nothing to stop you from going over or under it beside honor and a desire to do no harm.

One time I approached the line a couple months ago and saw an oystercatcher. It moved back a bit, and that was much like what I'd seen them do before. They don't like being eyed, and will often not just fly away, but back away from you just enough until they're comfortable again.

That visit was before they were on eggs I think. This last visit they already had chicks, this pair had 3 chicks total. It was hot and one adult was covering up the chicks, protecting them from the heat and whatever predators might be lurking.

I approached the rope line and could tell that I'd have better luck if I backed off and gave them some of the space on my side of the rope.

To setup I had my tripod very low, just a foot or two high, and I had my back to the ocean so the sun was roughly over my shoulders. Then I crouched and waited, and tried to remain low and not threatening. After some time one of the adults went looking for food and when it came back a chick went to eat the catch. The first couple of times I wasn't in the right spot. But by the third time or so, I had moved a bit, predicted where the two might meet next time, and I got lucky.

The chick came on my side of the rope to meet the adult and walked right past me.




It was just a year ago that I'd seen Oystercatcher photos from Maryland on flickr I think, and scratch my head as to why I'd never seen them. After some research and hunting and then a few travels to spots that were largely new to me I got to see them in action.

It was at Chincoteague NWR, VA that I saw them mating a couple months ago.


Getting to see new animals, and see their behaviors - be that hunting, or mating, or raising a chick or 3, that's what I really like.

Subject, Behavior, Light, Location... and uniqueness

My advice to anyone photographing nesting birds is to be careful, and don't flush a bird off the nest. Your brief presence can cause the bird to abandon eggs or a chick, for real. It could happen in just a minute or two. And with chicks, be mindful to not get in the adults way, and watch for the signs from them. If they could speak they'd tell you what's on their mind, and quite often their actions will be doing just that...

Original content posted at http://natureandwildlifephotography.blogspot.com/

Nikographer.com / Jon

Delivering The Morning News

From http://natureandwildlifephotography.blogspot.com/2010/06/delivering-morning-news.html

Casco Bay, Maine - just after sunrise.

I'm sort of never satisfied anymore. I want to see and do new things as much as possible, and record new images to me, and maybe new to other folks too.



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I went out on the commuter/sunrise ferry out of Portland Maine with my brother recently and saw the bins of bundled newspapers and then wondered if they'd deliver them as the commuters were picked up. Then I realized on the way out maybe they'd just toss them to the closer docks, and I prepared for that and got lucky and recorded the toss here. (the ferry never stopped for this part, just slowed a bit to make for an accurate delivery.)


In the past 10 or 12 years I've probably visited Maine 40-plus times and in that period I've never done this trip. Just once I've done a Whale-watching trip - we saw 3 whales. This ferry ride was interesting. There are a handful of folks that take the ride out to the islands that early, to go there to work. Most of the riders on the ferry however were people leaving the islands (maybe 5 or 6 stops) and heading to the mainland, to go to work.

My brother and I grew up as boaters and on the water regularly. It was fun to be out again, together, enjoying the sunrise and the rock-and-roll and the swell, the ocean swell, finding its way in to the bay and rocking the ferry a bit.

Looking back now I think it was the time spent as kids on the water that helps me to appreciate nature and wildlife so much now. The slow pace of sailing, enjoying, and relaxing, is something that was a regular and common thing - and photography now helps me to enjoy again.

Me in 1977!

Original content posted at http://natureandwildlifephotography.blogspot.com/

Nikographer.com / Jon

MD Osprey - 2010 my nest update

From: http://natureandwildlifephotography.blogspot.com/2010/06/md-osprey-2010-my-nest-update.html/

I think "my" nest has failed.




From a couple months ago, right after I started my going vertical project and held off posting any horizontal or square images...

Since then the female was on eggs consistently, and then suddenly no one was on the nest at all. That was about a month ago.

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Someone else checked and didn't see an adult actively seeming to tend to eggs or chicks. I've been again in the past week, and the same appears to be true. However a couple of locals said yes, there are chicks... So, I basically think the nest failed, but I'm holding on to a 1% chance that maybe the locals are right. To my eyes the adults were not behaving like they had any eggs or chicks anymore. No feeding, no protecting of chicks, just not on the nest. But they were in the area, and prior to my direct approach I saw them on and off the nest, but not tending to anything.

While watching the "empty nest" I did see some twigs and branches move a bit, but nothing I could say confirms there's a chick or chicks in there out of sight. :(

Here are a few other shots from the same day as the above.

Original content posted at http://natureandwildlifephotography.blogspot.com/

Nikographer.com / Jon

GVP #51 - Great Blue Heron at Blackwater Refuge

From http://natureandwildlifephotography.blogspot.com/2010/06/gvp-51-great-blue-heron-at-blackwater.html.

This Great Blue Heron at Blackwater Refuge caught this big fish, and was cooperative and let me watch him at work.



This guy was located along the Wildlife Drive at the start of the 3rd/last section. There is a spot where water drains out of the embankment area there, and heron will wait patiently for fish to come through it. This morning I drove up to the spot, hoping a bird would be there.
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To pull off an encounter like this at Blackwater the trick is to move slowly and NOT get out of the car. The heron was aware of my presence for sure, and I just managed to stay on the side of not bothering him. I watched for about 20 minutes right at sunrise. Earlier he caught a much smaller fish and gulped it down quickly. Then a short time later he got this large fish. He brought it to land and tried to kill it by poking at it while it was on the rocks. That process took more than 5 minutes. Then it spent another couple of minutes getting the fish in to position to attempt to swallow it. All the while I took lots of images, and made every attempt to not get excited or move too quickly - and scare him away. It worked out pretty well and the heron was comfortable enough to work on his meal right in front of me from start to end. The above photo was towards that end, and he seemed to almost face me show off his prize, it was cool.

Here is a photo from right after the catch where the fish was still kicking. The slow shutter speed shows some of the fight - since the sun was not over the horizon and trees enough to provide proper lighting.



I go to Blackwater Refuge often, and almost every visit begins around sunrise for me. I've never been disappointed with a visit, and would recommend an early-in-the-day visit to all...

Original content posted at http://natureandwildlifephotography.blogspot.com/

Nikographer.com / Jon