Incredible fireworks photos

Evo

These effects create a stunning new look at fireworks. Enjoy.

http://news.yahoo.com/photos/things-...346344009.html

Pengwuino

Fake.

Andre

I don't think so, I think I understand how it's done. Just refocus manually during exposure with a large aperture lens. Would need a keen reaction. Nicely done.

phinds

I think it has to be time-lapse, and I'm not sure it would need refocus

EDIT: had to laugh after I posted that. An artistic type would just go ... WOW, how beautiful, but we all have to figure out how it WORKS. Buncha damn technical types, that's us.

Except for Evo. Thanks for posting Evo.

Andre

That's what this site is all about' isn't it? Figuring out how it works and marvel at the guy who thought of it first. Now we can reproduce it, but we're not the first.

Put your camera on a tripod. Have a moderate telelens, like maybe 100mm, at F2.8. Prefocus manually as close as possible. Open the shutter with bulb exposure (B) when the skyrocked is launched and turn the focus ring towards infinity quickly, when it bursts. That's how I would have tried it.

DaveyJPhoto

Hey Guys!

David Johnson, the photographer here.

The effect is quite simple:
I was using a 5D mark II with a 50mm lens. I had a neutral density filter, the light was too bright otherwise. Hold bulb mode when the fireworks was on it's way up, and when the explosion begins you quickly refocus. You can try starting out of focus and pulling inwards, or visa versa... both create bizarre effects!

There are some more photos like so on my website, www.daveyjphoto.com.

Thanks for the interest in the pics!

Evo

Hey Davey, welcome to our forum, we have a lot of camera enthusiasts here and a forum dedicated to photography.

Absolutely loved your pictures!

berkeman

Nicely done, Davey! Very creative.

Borek

My first idea was not about refocusing, but about zooming in/out (which - depending on the lens - sometimes also means refocusing).

But the effect is incredible

M Quack

Very nice effect. At first I thought focus-and-pan.

The ND filter is a nice idea. When I try to photograph fireworks I often get loads of smoke illuminated by the real fireworks in my pics.

dlgoff

Wow. Look out PF Photo Contests. :)

Ben Niehoff

As soon as I saw the first image I thought "Oh, turning the focus ring while the shutter's open, neat idea." Being close and using a 50mm lens helps the effect a lot.

Last time I had the opportunity to shoot fireworks, I was miles away and using a 180mm lens. It didn't occur to me to twist the focus ring during the exposure, but the effect wouldn't have been so dramatic, I think.

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Evo Mentor Blog Entries: 4	Incredible fireworks photos Tweet These effects create a stunning new look at fireworks. Enjoy. http://news.yahoo.com/photos/things-...346344009.html

Andre Blog Entries: 2 Recognitions: Gold Member	I don't think so, I think I understand how it's done. Just refocus manually during exposure with a large aperture lens. Would need a keen reaction. Nicely done.

phinds Recognitions: Gold Member	Incredible fireworks photos I think it has to be time-lapse, and I'm not sure it would need refocus EDIT: had to laugh after I posted that. An artistic type would just go ... WOW, how beautiful, but we all have to figure out how it WORKS. Buncha damn technical types, that's us. Except for Evo. Thanks for posting Evo.

Borek Admin	My first idea was not about refocusing, but about zooming in/out (which - depending on the lens - sometimes also means refocusing). But the effect is incredible

M Quack	Very nice effect. At first I thought focus-and-pan. The ND filter is a nice idea. When I try to photograph fireworks I often get loads of smoke illuminated by the real fireworks in my pics.

dlgoff Recognitions: Gold Member Science Advisor	Wow. Look out PF Photo Contests. :)

Ben Niehoff Recognitions: Science Advisor	As soon as I saw the first image I thought "Oh, turning the focus ring while the shutter's open, neat idea." Being close and using a 50mm lens helps the effect a lot. Last time I had the opportunity to shoot fireworks, I was miles away and using a 180mm lens. It didn't occur to me to twist the focus ring during the exposure, but the effect wouldn't have been so dramatic, I think.