Fireworks

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Photographing a firework display is pretty easy and the results can be spectacular.  I recently had two opportunities to photograph fireworks, the first in Italy and the second in Texas during the FIA World Endurance Championship race at Circuit of the Americas near Austin.

A sturdy tripod and a remote release are required to enable you to take long exposure shots.  Pointing the camera towards the firework display I usually set the aperture to f11 and open the shutter for 10 seconds (with the ISO set to 200).  I then review the image and adjust the exposure accordingly.  I also try to include some foreground interest so the images are not just explosions against a dark sky. 
On the final evening of our week long stay in Italy we were treated to a spectacular firework display which was visible from our apartment balcony in San Siro.  

The display was being launched from the headland in Rezzonico, which was north of the commune of San Siro. For twenty minutes we were treated to a feast of explosions and colours, which also gave me time to set the X-T1 on the tripod and capture a couple of pictures.


The second display took place at the Circuit of the Americas in Texas, four hours into the six hour race for the FIA World Endurance Championship.  Using the Fujifilm X-T1 and 10-24mm f4 lens, I set the tripod in the paddock, which was below the track, and set the camera to 10 seconds @ f14 (ISO200) to capture these two images of the display that lasted 15 minutes.




The next scheduled update will be on Saturday 27 September.

Images 1 & 2 taken on a Fujifilm X-T1 and Fujinon XF55-200mm f3.5/4.8R OIS LM + Manfrotto Tripod.

 Images 3 & 4 taken on a Fujifilm X-T1 and Fujinon XF10-24mm f4R OIS + Manfrotto Tripod.

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