Wedding shot & Fireworks

Got a wedding booked in for next year on 5th November - Bonfire night in UK.


The couple want some photos of them watching the fireworks...sooo I need a few tips here as I have never done this before and don't want to get it wrong!

So I need some fill flash, followed by a few seconds exposure to get the fireworks, and then also getting them to stand still!

Any tips or techniques for this? I have seen some photos of this but it just looks them the couple super imposed on top ofa fireworks photo with them standing out due to the harsh flash.

Also, with it being the UK, it will all be down to weather permitting! lol, but want to be prepared for then so I can try it out this years bonfire night.

Bryan has a related article, check it out.


November next year? wow... that's far away.

ah yeh, will look at that now, and yes, it is far away, but then I have some weddings in for June 2011!! People like to be prepared! lol

Check this article out. It's regarding a family photo watching a shuttle launch but the same concepts apply.


Night Shuttle

If the fireworks are going to be behind them, then, I'd approach this same way as exposing someone in low light with the city lights behind the subject. It's definitely going to be a long exposure, followed by a second curtain flash. If you fire the flash at the beginning of exposure, you'll have "ghosting" problems on the subject because they won't stand perfectly still that long. I'd start with ISO 100, 5 seconds, f/5.6 and adjust from there.

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Originally Posted by Mark Elberson

Check this article out. It's regarding a family photo watching a shuttle launch but the same concepts apply.


[url="http://strobist.blogspot.com/2009/09/night-shuttle.html]Night Shuttle[/url]
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That strobist article was the first thing I thought of too.

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Have you shot fireworks before? Getting the exposure and effect you are after on the fireworks/background is going to be harder than lighting the couple properly. I would suggest a fireworks self-assignment (if you haven't already done some) and then adding flash light as required to expose the people. If you already have a bunch of fireworks photos, check out the settings you used there (in shots that provide the effect you are after), and use those as a starting point.


I think 5 seconds would be too long for most fireworks,and depending on the focal length, you may want more depth of field for the foreground than f/5.6. The last time I shot fireworks (this July 4th) my shutter speeds were closer to 1/2 second and showed really nice bursts. If you want the "tail" of the fireworks from the launch, you may want a longer shutter. I would try the fireworks exposure ahead of time.
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I shot fireworks this summer for the first time. Must have gotten very lucky because I had a lot of great shots. Low ISO, wide open 24-70l and I used the bulb setting. I listened for the launch of the fireworks before using a wireless shutter release. After I reviewed the first few shots I got a good feel for it.


Follow that by a second curtain flash to get the loving couple should work.


Good thing you have a lot of time to practice. If all else fails, Photoshop it.


Tom

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Originally Posted by Maleko

sooo I need a few tips here as I have never done this before and don't want to get it wrong!

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My only tip: Composite!!


With the camera on a tripod, get a great photo of the fireworks with whatever scene your using. Then, without moving the camera place the couple in the scene and shoot them. Use a snooted back light(s) (Gelled to prefered color) high behind to simulate the light from the fireworks. Combine in Photoshop. This will allow you to mix and match scene with subject. Think Hollywood!

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Originally Posted by Chuck Lee

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Originally Posted by Maleko

sooo I need a few tips here as I have never done this before and don't want to get it wrong!

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My only tip: Composite!!


With the camera on a tripod, get a great photo of the fireworks with whatever scene your using. Then, without moving the camera place the couple in the scene and shoot them. Use a snooted back light(s) (Gelled to prefered color) high behind to simulate the light from the fireworks. Combine in Photoshop. This will allow you to mix and match scene with subject. Think Hollywood!
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Great advice Chuck. Since that strobist article shot referenced earlier was a composite, I was leaning that way too. However, the gelled rimlight is a fantastic suggestion I hadn't thought of.