Want Impressive Fireworks Images? Add Contrasting, Opaque Subject Matter!
"No concept can exist without its opposite" ... or so it is philosophically pondered.
In concrete terms, light is the natural agent that stimulates sight and makes things visible. On the other hand, darkness is the partial or total absence of light.
If I had a third hand, I'd state that shadow is a dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface. And then there is contrast, the state of being strikingly different from something else, typically something in juxtaposition or close association.
Octopus that I try to be at times, three more things ... transparent, translucent and opaque .
A transparent object or substance allows light to pass through ... clear glass, water, air (to an extent), a translucent object/substance allows some light to pass through ... like stained glass. And finally, an object absorbs some light, reflects some but allows none to be transmitted through.
I contend that awareness of these phenomena will make any photographer more competent than he/she was prior to the time they were exploited by that photographer!
The images and their captions will hopefully be helpful to those who like to take fireworks photos.
All Rights Reserved/Photos and Text/A. Macarthur
This image has a bit of everything light-related; the exploding fireworks give off transmitted light which in turn is reflected from the smoke columns they generate. The castle is illuminated by powerful spotlights on the ground all around it, otherwise its walls are opaque and its windows translucent. The tree in the lower foreground is opaque and in shadow/silhouette standing out in bold contrast to the rest. The overall drama of this image is the result of all the phenomena enumerated. Further, because the "typical" fireworks photo is comprised of just dark sky and bright light, the inclusion of the castle and tree are contrary to the expected cliche ... therefore a "fresh" portrayal of a well-worn subject.
Finally, compositionally, the castle and brightest area of the image occupies the left, vertical third ...
Prefocus on an opaque object in advance and anticipation of the imminent fireworks likely moments away; the distance from the lens to the opaque object, as it increases, so will the depth-of-field of your image ... wide angle lenses are best in this situation. If the opaque objects in the foreground and middle ground are in reasonably sharp focus, the fireworks backdrop need not be ... their light trails will add drama and many will likely be of reasonable detail. IMPORTANT NOTE: AFTER PREFOCUSING, KEEP YOUR CAMERA IN THE SAME POSITION ... ON A TRIPOD (A REAL MUST) BUT DO NOT KEEP THE SHUTTER RELEASE DEPRESSED BECAUSE IT WILL MAINTAIN THE EXPOSURE FOR THE OPAQUE (darker) OBJECT(S). Release the shutter when the fireworks illuminate the scene ... in that way the fireworks will be correctly exposed and the opaque objects will remain dark and without detail ... perfect foils to the light show!