Good fireworks pictures are tough to take, I discovered tonight.
On Saturdays in May, Darling Harbor ignites a seven-minute display of fireworks from a floating platform. These are the smaller, machine-fired fireworks rather than the exploding shells we associate with major celebrations. But they were still pretty over the water.
Taking fireworks shots involves setting the camera on a tripod and using a remote control to trigger the "bulb" setting that keeps the shutter open. The bright flashes associated with an explosion ruin the picture because they blow out the image. So the goal is to open the shutter immediately after a burst, leave it open for a few seconds and close it before the next burst occurs. This requires a combination of skill and guesswork. About three of the 45 images I shot were usable.
Meanwhile, it's 10 p.m. on a Saturday in Potts Point, which means the party outside has another eight hours to go. Some bloke (as the Aussies would say) is directly outside my hotel window with a microphone, a karaoke machine and a loudspeaker. I'd compare his tortured version of the Doors' "Light My Fire" to a strangled cat, but that would insult the cat. It's going to be a long night here in the low-rent district.
On Saturdays in May, Darling Harbor ignites a seven-minute display of fireworks from a floating platform. These are the smaller, machine-fired fireworks rather than the exploding shells we associate with major celebrations. But they were still pretty over the water.
Taking fireworks shots involves setting the camera on a tripod and using a remote control to trigger the "bulb" setting that keeps the shutter open. The bright flashes associated with an explosion ruin the picture because they blow out the image. So the goal is to open the shutter immediately after a burst, leave it open for a few seconds and close it before the next burst occurs. This requires a combination of skill and guesswork. About three of the 45 images I shot were usable.
Meanwhile, it's 10 p.m. on a Saturday in Potts Point, which means the party outside has another eight hours to go. Some bloke (as the Aussies would say) is directly outside my hotel window with a microphone, a karaoke machine and a loudspeaker. I'd compare his tortured version of the Doors' "Light My Fire" to a strangled cat, but that would insult the cat. It's going to be a long night here in the low-rent district.
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