Happy New Year’s Eve! I hope you all are having a great holiday break with family and friends. If you happen to do sparklers tonight to ring in the New Year, here’s something fun we love to do every year…sparkler pictures that write out the year.
You’ll need a DSLR camera and a tripod to do it. OR if you just have a smart phone camera, you can use the Slow Shutter App.
This method also works great for shooting fireworks on the 4th of July or at Disneyland when Tinker Bell flies over the castle.
Here’s the quick How To:
1. You need to use a tripod. (no movement – a tripod will keep your camera steady)
2. Slow Shutter Speed – 20-30 seconds, Aperture around F8, with a low ISO.
3. Use a wide angle lens 12-18 mm. I just used my kit lens and set it to 18mm.
When you’re ready to take a photo, click the shutter release button and wait. It’ll be awhile before it clicks, and when it does, check your screen and see how the exposure is. If it’s too bright, adjust the aperture and make it smaller (higher number.) You want to leave your shutter speed really slow, because that will pick up all the trails and wonderful movement of the fireworks. And you want to keep your ISO low so your photos won’t be grainy.
Here’s wishing you all a Happy New Year!
