This blog is inspired by the story app we are currently creating. This post is about what the story game characters do in their free time. In this series, the cast of characters is shooting artistic fireworks in the Cranberry Moon Empire. CB’s media and photo company, World Photo Works holds photo contests for major holidays such as New Year’s, July 4th, and etc. They love seeing pictures with an artistic flair, though love the professional ones too. Recently, they have been hosting fireworks photos shot by aspiring photographers and professionals. They welcome anyone to submit the pictures from any part of the world.
For Tonight
While writing the story app, we decided to take a break and go shoot some holiday fireworks like the cast of characters would. Shooting moving objects, like fireworks, we learned could be an artistic venture or not. All those lights in the sky are so fun to capture with whatever camera you have, depending on your goal.
CB, Newton, Victoria, Nina, and Evie
Just the year before CB moved, CB and CB’s fiancé, Newton, and their friends Victoria, Evie, and Nina and few others entered the photo contest because they all love to watch holiday fireworks.
Getting ready for fireworks
Newton dabbles with the camera, a few minutes before the show to set it up how he wants it. He is somewhere between an amateur and a professional.
Victoria, she can maneuver that iPhone but really has no patience to set up a tripod. However, she borrowed Evie’s camera and took a few shots.
Nina, she likes anywhere there is a party. She does take her camera with her, and she knows how to take a good firework when she wants to, but tonight she rather chooses to have a laid back night without trying to shoot like a pro.
Evie, she likes to see fireworks and is always forgetting her camera when she goes to an outdoor party. Really, it is that she has a hard time taking pictures at night because they don’t turn out well. She prefers to take photos of her mocktail glasswares.
Those Fireworks
The day of the fireworks, CB, Newton, and their friends gathered around on a cloudy July 4th to have grilled food and to play a board game. Around 9 pm, they went to a PNW fireworks show to shoot some pictures.
When Newton started shooting fireworks, he was disappointed at his photographs for a few reasons.
At first, the weather was not cooperating, but it did all right as he kept taking them. Then he got busy talking to Victoria and Evie that he forget to set up his tripod.
A conversation started taking place, who could submit the best fireworks photo?
I would say it would be…CB, but she didn’t enter the contest because she was watching her friends take photos. Victoria started taking fireworks on her iPhone, playing with her
Artistic Fireworks
Nina and Evie did bring their camera and started shooting ten minutes into the show, but neither brought a tripod.
Their pictures looked like this.
And like this…
There is more. This is Nina’s favorite, shot taken by Victoria.
Evie’s favorite. She took the shot herself.
Newton’s favorite. He took the shot laying down on the grass.
Victoria’s favorite. She was actually aiming for the bright star while taking this shot, but what she got was a galactic ship.
Yea, CB is not surprised by Victoria’s choice. Here is CB’s favorite, taken by Nina.
If you want less artistic flair, here is what they learned about shooting fireworks. Below is a shot that the app developer who I am collaborating with took on a tripod.
4 Essential Tips for Shooting Fireworks
- Set up a tripod
- Set AF setting to manual setting.
- Turn your appetite to anything but to A, maybe 8 or 11.
- Set a long exposure
As far as CB, Newton, Nina, Victoria, and Evie, they were happy how their artistic fireworks images turned out because it is not every day they get to see a silver ship in the sky.
To see more photos of artistic and tripod fireworks in the Cranberry Moon Empire, visit the Pinterest board.