Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Fireworks

I learned something new this July 4th. And that was how to photograph fireworks displays. I have joined a photo club here, where we have friendly "competitions" every other month. This month's theme is Fireworks.

I need to decide which of these photos to take to the competition - I can take a max of two. So here's where I need your opinion. Which two of these eight photos do you like most? Do tell me your first and second choice. I'll number and title them through this post.

(1) Harvest


(2) Dandelion


We watched the display at Ladybird Lake in downtown Austin this time. Maybe watched is not the right word, because I hardly saw the display. I was frantically working with my tripod and camera, changing lenses and trying to get at least a few good pictures.

(3) Feathers


By the time we got to Ladybird Lake, it was pretty packed with people. The neatest thing we saw was a whole bunch of people out on the lake in their canoes, lit up by the ambient light, paddling toward the area where the downtown skyline and fireworks display would be clearly visible. What a great idea! If I hadn't been in such a hurry to find a good spot and set my tripod up, I would've got a picture of them.

(4) Cotton Candy


(5) Sun Rays


Since we got there so late, I couldn't get a spot where I could photograph the lake and the skyline along with the fireworks. Even as we got close to the lake, the first few fireworks went off, and we hurriedly found a spot under a bridge where there were no other people. Because of this bad location, I could only hope to take close ups of the display, which is what I have here.

(6) Flower


(7) Purple Rays


While I still have a long way to go in getting this right, it was fun to learn how to do it. Next time I will go early and try to get some landscape along with the fireworks.

(8) Hibiscus


Hope you got to watch some great fireworks too. Have a great week, and do let me know your choices.

30 comments:

Neelima Vallangi said...

yes, we definitely got to watch nice fireworks! beautiful captures Bindu. :)
I especially loved the last one and seven the most..purple haze was lovely..

author_number_2 said...

beautiful... great captures. I loved the first fifth and the eighth ones though it was tough making the choices :D

Neelima Vallangi said...

oops... misplelt "first one" as "last one" :-|
my choices 1 and 7.. :D
And yea..it was tough to pick only two..

pink dogwood said...

omg Bindu - this is great work of art. You are so talented. I love all of them - so hard to pick. I love the first one, it is so appropriately named. And I love the second one as well. Good luck with the competition.

Srividya said...

Hi Bindu,

Definitely the first one. It was hard to decide from the rest. I would go for the sixth.

Blu said...

So difficult to decide.

I used the firework setting on my camera and I was not impressed!

1st
Dandylion

2nd
Hibiscus

FABULOUS...

LadyFi said...

Oh - too too difficult to choose. They are all fabulous!

But - if I must:

1st choice. Harvest
2nd choice. Purple rays

ArvindS said...

Great photos. I would say 1, then either 6, 7, or 8.

Ganesh Venkittu said...

my vote = sun rays....

it has character...

and my reason -- if you were to not to tell what it is and show to someone like me, I would have said "noodles while boiling or something like that".....

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Oh, I love these photos, Bindu! They really are amazing. My absolute favourites are firstly, Cotton Candy, and secondly, Purple Rays.

3rdEyeMuse said...

I have never been able to photograph fireworks so well ... nice job! my vote's for #5 and #8, but #1 get's a huge honorable mention. :)

Rajesh said...

Very beautiful shots. Bit confused to choose only two as all of them are equally good. Still my vote is for Harvest and Feathers.

Jude said...

Sun rays and harvest were my favs..but it was a close call.
They were all stunning in their own way.
Hope you are well
x

meb said...

Harvest and Purple Rays...

bindu... these were great. You really do have a talent. Hope you win the competition.

Sekhar said...

Well-captured shots. And loved the names too ;)

Leanne Pizio said...

Wow! I loved them all. Hard to choose from....but if I must....Flower is my favorite and my second choice is Dandelion.
Thanks for sharing these. I didn't get a chance to see fireworks this year and these made up for it.

bindu said...

Thanks, everyone! For your encouraging comments, and for helping me choose. I think a pattern is emerging. :)

Indrani said...

My first choice is Harvest and second is Flower.

Can you please share how you took them, the camera settings and other stuffs.
Pl. reply by mail if you wish. :)

rivergardenstudio said...

These are amazing... the way you captured just one moment in time, and I love finding your blog... Roxanne

myonlyphoto said...

I think you have done amazing job, these are stunning firework effects, I am amazed. Anna :)

Sharodindu said...

1st no 5
2nd no 2

Itz my top of the mind opinion...
but every photograph is really nice...Being a button pusher I would like to know the process of capturing fireworks...I am using fujifilm's Finepix j120...Plz guide.
U can hav a look of my work in my blog "CLICK!"

SG said...

May be I like Rays... but my top two are

1. Purple Rays
2. Sun's Rays

Cotton Candy would be third.

Do update about the competition :)

Chris Daly said...

I love them all, but I think # 1 & 5 are my favorites

Unknown said...

These are beautiful images of the fireworks display. Some are so perfect, did you use a tripod to shoot some of these shots ?

Celeste Maia said...

Wow, these photos are great! They make me feel like I am on something...dreaming? smoking? high?
Really enjoyed your blog!
Come see "my" world if you feel like it, just started a blog about a month ago.

Sailin Gudhka said...

Fantastic, Magnificent & Superb

bindu said...

Thanks for your comments, everyone! Some of you are first-time visitors to my blog and I'm glad you stopped by.

T and S: Yes, I used a tripod for all the pictures. I looked up some info online on how to photograph fireworks, and followed that advice mixed with some trial and error!

Sydney said...

Gee -- totally hard to choose.

#1 would be #1

And #2 would be either 6 or 7

But I have to say, I think these are the best pictures I've seen of them. Very artistic, well framed and so clear -- and I must ay, striking against the black background. Bindu, I have tried to shoot these and again and again get just the long trail of them shooting up or the last, failing hint of what the burst was, when I thought I snapped at the height of the burst. It's a real trick to catch this many magnificent ones to choose from.

I think it's better that you got not lake or people. That's a whole different story.

And if I may give you permission to opt out of the bike race you signed up for... lol. Really, it is TOO hot and unless this is for something you must do like work or your #1 charity, why not wait to challenge yourself (which you already do PLENTY and in many many ways) until fall! Ahhh!

Barbara Martin said...

Fireworks are great to watch, while I wonder what kind will be displayed.

My photo choices are #1 and #3.

GMG said...

Wow! These are stunning! I've to learn also... ;)