Portraits at firework display (Help please).

step72

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Hi everyone, I have a question or looking for advice.

Last week I had a meeting with a young couple who's getting married next June, the bloke helps doing professional firework displays therefore they are having a firework display at there wedding and would like portrait's done whilst the fireworks are going of, I told the couple that I've done nothing like it before but I will meet up with them at any displays before the big day to practice, they was happy with that and have booked with me.

So I'm thinking I need to expose for the couple and the fireworks, I'm not going to use flash because of the recycle time and risk of missing the moment so I'm going to use my rotolight neo to light the couple because it's constant light therefore I can shoot as quick as I need too without worrying about recycle times.
Camera setting slowish shutter speed maybe 1/40 high Iso 1200 and aperture f8 to give a good depth of field.
Have I got this completely wrong or am I thinking along the right tracks?
Any thoughts and advice would be gratefully received.

Thanks Mickey.
 
Wrong IMHO.
Using a low powered light will introduce movement blur on the couple. Flash is the answer to exposing the couple whilst using the long exposure for the fireworks. You don't need to worry about recycle times because:
A; the long exposure time gives you plenty of recycle time
B; the high ISO means that your flash will be nowhere near max output so the recycle time will be tiny.
 
Phil V said:
Wrong IMHO.
Using a low powered light will introduce movement blur on the couple. Flash is the answer to exposing the couple whilst using the long exposure for the fireworks. You don't need to worry about recycle times because:
A; the long exposure time gives you plenty of recycle time
B; the high ISO means that your flash will be nowhere near max output so the recycle time will be tiny.
Click to expand...
Nice one phil I was hoping you would see this post
How long would you say the exposure should be roughly?

Mickey.
 
I did one of these last year. Fireworks as normal then remote flash on second curtain for the couple
 
It's got to be flash IMO.

Also worth bearing in mind the couple might want to enjoy the fireworks themselves. So you need to agree with them beforehand how long you've got to get that shot.
 
Interesting challenge! Not just lighting but getting enough DoF to keep some sharpness in the fireworks as well as the couple, and finding a composition which works. I'm guessing that being close to the action so that you can concentrate on portraits in front of the lower fireworks will work better than something with lots of stuff high in the sky where you'll either (a) have the couple really small in the frame or (b) be looking up their noses with a wide angle lens.

What did you do, @boyfalldown ?
 
I did full length with them on the bottom third. When I did it fireworks were all bursting around the same height. Did pretty much the same for the fireworks as the tutorial linked. 35mm lens and then flash on stand directed at them and triggered via the second curtain. You may find the mixtures of White Balance across the scene high doing this though and need to gel your flash. I'm afraid I'm lazy and did it via a brush in post. You also may struggle if you use this method with 2nd curtain and using bulb. I used 20 secs instead

I can't share the wedding with you. The couple were very private
 
Here's the tutorial (not my work)

Just to add to what Hugh said; give yourself some simple insurance and releive the pressure.

Get the B&G into position before the fireworks and practice your chosen pose(s), shoot these to 'test the flash settings' at a reasonable shutter speed - then worst case scenario if you get a blurry B&G through ambient light levels (given the shutter speed) you'll have a clean shot of the couple to comp back in to your shots. Who will know that's what you did ;)?
 
Thanks Phil. Like that last tip too. Probably never use it but makes perfect sense :)


Gaz
 
Great advice much appreciated, I'm meeting up with the couple on the 14th November at a display he is helping with, this should give me a small opportunity to have a practice

Thanks again Mickey
 
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