FIREWORKS PHOTOGRAPHY, CAMERA SETTINGS HOW TO

The great American holiday of The Fourth of July is next week. At the local fireworks show, you will see people taking photos with what they have including flip phones, smart phones, iPADs and point and shoot cameras(turn off the flash). A few photographers will have cameras set on tripods and will look seriously ready for the show to begin. Others will be fumbling with the tripod, fumbling with camera settings and moving around to find the best place to stand. A few might embarrassingly trip in the dark. I know how easy that is to do 

This is a short tutorial how-to on taking photos of fireworks displays at night.  If you have a camera with manual settings you will do much better than using settings such as “P” or automatic program which lets the camera choose what to do.  Bright light against a dark background will often confuse the camera’s control and you will not get the photos you want.  This tutorial on taking photographs of fireworks tells the methods and camera settings which worked for me last year.  Other photographers will use different settings that  add up to about the same overall exposure.

First, use manual on the camera.  This means you set the shutter speed and set the aperture (lens opening also called “f stop”) and go with that for most of the photos.  You definitely need a tripod or very sturdy support.

If your camera has a “bulb” or “manual shutter” setting, use that.  What this does is allow you to open and close the shutter when you decide enough time has passed. The camera must be very, very steady for this procedure.  With more advanced cameras, there will be a means for using a remote switch for opening and closing the shutter, making it much easier to do without concern that you will shake the camera.  If you do not have bulb or manual shutter controls, then set the camera to manual using one of the settings shown with the photos in this fireworks tutorial.  Go easy when you push the shutter and you should get good photographs of the fiery display.

Here are the photographs from July 4, 2011.  The information is in the caption to each photo. Note how more or less of the tail and blast of the firework device shows in the shot, depending on the shutter time.   Since I had a remote shutter control, the times were what I wanted right then and I did play with the time somewhat.  I suggest without a remote shutter control that you pick a shutter time from the sort of photo you like from that shown.

Camera Settings:  These settings were used for all the fireworks photographs shown. The only setting changed was shutter speed. See shutter speed with each photo caption. 

• ISO(considered digital film speed):  ISO 100
• F Stop, the lens aperture: f/9
• If your camera does not go down to ISO 100, you may try a tighter aperture, maybe close to f/16 with ISO 200.  Experiment with the situation to find what is working for you.

This is a relatively long exposure with a shutter speed of 3.6 seconds.

You will notice how the smoke shows in the light and some of the

local terrain is lit enough to barely show up.

AS with all the photographs of fireworks display, the ISO was 100

and the f stop was f/9.

Shutter exposure time: 1.6 seconds

Fireworks Shutter exposure time:  1.4 seconds

Fireworks Shutter exposure time:  1.2 seconds

Fireworks Shutter exposure time:  1.0 seconds

Fireworks Shutter exposure time:  0.8 seconds

You will easily see how the relatively short shutter speed of 0.8 seconds(above) does not show the tail of fire from the fireworks shell prior to the blast of color.  I will likely be using a shutter opening time of 1 second to 1.5 seconds on the night of July 4 to take fireworks photos.  Try what you like and experiment during the show!  Best results wished for you with your photos of July 4 fireworks displays.

New Photo Website..new site, temporary name:! Thomas Haynes Photography

I am working on a photo gallery website and although not finished I need to announce that here.  The site is Thomas Haynes Photography  a gallery hosting website.   I hope to be using a more marketable name in the not too distant future, one not relying on my personal name and also better in search engine location. The new name name is not yet chosen, considering the one I had selected is taken already. However, the new name will end with less emphasis  on "Thomas Haynes". Our intent as photographer has always been to take the desire and vision of the client..perhaps you..and combine that with our creative perspective and technical abilities to produce an image capturing the vision of the customer with remarkable clarity of meaning.  We are not speaking of photos simply technically on the mark because it is more than that:  The photograph ideally will relate what the customer sees in  personal vision combined with our rendering of that vision in a most appropriate manner: We want you to see the image and feel, well, "Oh my, that is it!"

Of course, some photos are simply fun, fill the memories of the moments and record the faces of loved ones on a rare occasion together...that sort of photo..the kids in the pool or the cat hanging from the curtain.  These are small events in the scheme of life but important in a box of little joys and smiles of memory.


 For now our host is Zenfolio and each day we add a touch here or there to improve the presence of Thomas Haynes there. As galleries are added with more photos, will the more complete and newly named version stay on Zenfolio? I  do not have all the answers yet and it is much too early to judge any success I might yet have in being seen by search engines. That does not happen without much effort and certainly not this soon do we reach our goal.
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 Rowing Through Silver..posted previously in this blog but appropriate for now.

All is in the works.  Guests and users of the present website will be notified when any change takes place.   For now, please visit and take a look. Yes, some photos were first published in this blog and others are more recent, including private viewing galleries for clients.  Sign the guest page.  Every visit and guest comment is encouragement to reach for the full realization of photography with Thomas Haynes and get that going strong, renamed and branded.

MORE NEWS WITH ALPHA HOUSE AND SERVICE TO OTHERS AT WORK IN THE EAST TENNESSEE OAK RIDGE-OLIVER SPRINGS AREA

 Christian Band from a recent "block party" at the Alpha House Transitional Home

This band is a special story of healing from addiction.

A post on fix-up efforts at Alpha House will be written and illustrated fully with photos.  If you have a heart for helping others through personal or organizational efforts, you will need to read this story.  The author and photographer has promised to do his very best on this one, using the fix-up day to tell the story of the organization and the needs they must regularly meet to stay operational..  What a way to put myself on the spot!  

The event is Saturday, June 30, 2012, a day for volunteers and residents to fix-up, paint, landscape, shine and repair the home occupied by the Alpha House organization and ladies in transition.

Fun at the party at Alpha House.

Find it here:  Alpha House     This is a transitional home for women who are recently out of incarceration. If you are not sure what that means, they are now freed from jail and are trying their best to make a transition to a normal and straight life.  Hear a testimonial and you will quickly realize the transition for most is a daunting task and often more difficult once they are back fully in society. Will the old "friends", and for some their own dysfunctional families pull them right back down that hill?  These girls pray for endurance and strength. Alpha House is God based, Faith based, Jesus Christ based.  The strength of faith and prayer has been proven in these women.  It works.  Yes, some do not do well after a time facing life all over again, a new way of life.  Those who share faith with them and close support may be far away. These ladies may face ridicule and temptations alone. Believe me, they will give it all they have to stay well and faithful to their God and to the new life they intend to accomplish.  When this story is written about "one day of volunteer work" at the Alpha House home, I believe it is to be read and shared. Remember, the author and photographer promised me his best.

Breaking News--December 19, 2012: Due to a dire shortage of funding  through October of 2012, Alpha House was forced to close.  With renewed efforts to streamline the money flow and start in a new location, the announcement was made that a small house was found in Oliver Springs, Tennessee. This will be able to take in four women for the program. Hopes are to continue at the new location and from this now smaller new beginning to reach up to God and renewed effort to grow in to again a larger facility.  Determination and prayer is at work here.  One woman remains in the program and is housed in specially provided location so she may complete the program soon.  We pray for income to sustain the Alpha House program and wise decisions by all involved.

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Now, believing Internet technology will work, this post should show on the blog feed from here to there on the new website, Thomas Haynes Photography

Fledgling Eastern Screech Owls..Real Cuties

Screech Owls are the quite small owls with a baneful screech, a sound that has frightened many visitors to unfamiliar night woods. To imagine what creature was calling out would not bring thoughts of the small Eastern Screech Owl.  Once heard and recognized, there is no fear in the sound but rather an appreciation of nature around you. Follow the link to  hear sounds of the screech owl.

There is a new group of fledgling screeches at the Clinch River Raptor Center and also a group of young Kestrel falcons.  The owls came from different places and vary slightly in growth and development of feathers. In these photos, you may see a reddish coloration.  Otherwise, the color is mostly gray.  In the wild the owls are seen in both red and gray versions. Full color will develop as the owls mature.

 Notice the talons: Owls have four toes, with three front toes and one in the back just as do hawks. However, when owls perch they put two toes forward and move one to the back.

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Is this owl saying you almost deserve a wink?

Fledgling birds are those old enough to leave the nest but still developing their feathers. They fly but not easily or with expertise and generally would be under the watchful eye of parents for a while longer. They are not really grown enough to be out on their own.  The birds shown will be cared for and assisted in learning to hunt for food.  All of this must be done without allowing the birds to become trusting of humans.  They must remain owls in all aspects and know they are wild and not closely associated with people.  If all goes well, when ready and able the screech owls will be released into the wild.

I was with these owls about a minute, not longer. With five youngsters in the area they each had found a place to perch and did not try to fly with me present. They made soft little owl sounds and no screeches. 

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Thomas Haynes is a photographer working out of Clinton, Tennessee, a city just north of Knoxville. His photography is often of a fine arts direction but as in this post, his love of nature takes him again to the Clinch River Raptor Center, a rehabilitation and educational not-for-profit organization.. Visit Thomas and see more of his photography at  Facebook

 Contact Thomas to discuss photography you want done. 

Amicalola Falls State Park, Snakes, Moonshine Whisky and Appalachian Trail

This post is about two short hikes in Amicalola Falls State Park and the interesting critters and objects seen along the way. One interesting object spotted in the woods is said to be a remnant of the moonshine business in the north Georgia mountains. Photos of that are at the end of the post. Amicalola Falls State Park is near the southern start of the Appalachian Trail in the state of Georgia, USA.

The AT (as hikers call it) is the 2,184 mile trail mostly through wilderness areas of the Appalachian Mountain System from Springer Mountain, Georgia to Mount Katahdin, Maine. Springer Mountain and the southern end of the AT is just outside the state park. The Wiki link below goes to a sketch of the Appalachians on a map of the United States and the second link shows the Appalachian Trail as a line along the mountains. At the bottom end of the trail line is Springer Mountain. Go 8.1 miles (13km) south and you will be at Amicalola Falls, the ending point of the two hikes combined in this post.

Appalachian Mountains System

Appalachian Trail, Wiki

Amicalola Falls, top two thirds

Top of waterfall as seen from vantage

point of the previous photograph

While every trail in these mountains has a particular character, much is seen in common where altitudes and general weather conditions are close to the same. Hikers moving northward into the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina would notice the higher altitudes bring different conditions and other forms of plant and animal life. While mostly deciduous trees such as Tulip Poplar fill the area around Amicalola Falls, the higher Smoky Mountains graduate into evergreens and mountain laurel shaded streams. Going to lower altitudes the evergreens are again replaced with hardwood deciduous trees.

This post does not venture north of Amicalola Falls but does provide a lot to see without going deeply into the woods.

 Steps were constructed fairly recently from the falls top to the level shown in first photograph, 426 steps down and slightly over 200 more to the fall base.

Warming up is recommended prior to going up.

The hike into Amicalola Falls at the level shown is more of a short walk than a hike. Approximately 0.3 mile long, the trail gently descends and is paved with recycled rubber from tires.  This very gentle pathway makes the falls accessible to most everyone. Still, the woods surrounding the walkway is the same woods found on the moderate and strenuous trails and will allow you to see many of the same features if you look around at the large and small provisions of nature.  We had seen the falls and did enjoy that. We went up the steps to the top and back down again. On the walk out other visitors stepped quickly passed us as we looked for surprises and found a few.

 Can you identify this egg case?

The most damp part of the trail edge revealed a lot of snails almost hidden in the foliage. A granddaddy long legs walked across
this snail and stopped to "take a drink" from the wet back of the snail's head.  At least, it appeared to take a drink...

Its web under an outcrop at the woods edge, this spider has a tunnel web.  It would sit in the doorway and wait for insects to be caught in the web away from the tunnel.

The Appalachian Approach Trail begins at the park visitor center then to the base of the falls.  At the onset and along this trail we saw the snakes.  Following the trail on and upward past the falls is the trail to Springer Mountain and the official southern end of the Appalachian Trail.  Those hiking the AT would generally begin at the trail access above the waterfall.  We took the trail toward the base. 

The trail passed a developed pond where visitors fished for trout.

Sunning on the pond edge was this stout water snake. Keep in mind, killing snakes or capturing for pets is illegal in most states. Georgia imposes a $1000 fine for killing snakes.

 

Copperhead! It is amazing how seeing a snake in the wild and only getting a partial view will lead to a mistaken identification.  This was on the trail edge in downed trees and bramble  We could not see its head clearly at the time. The back pattern should have been enough to tell us it was not a copperhead.

Copperhead and timber rattler are the two venomous snakes in northern Georgia. This snake was neither. The pattern on the back is that of a water snake. The darker markings are the opposite of the copperhead: Copperhead  darker markings become narrow along the back and not wide as in this snake. It took seeing this photo to know what we had really seen. The head appeared clearly only for a split second and we did not see it neatly while on the trail.  Still, the practice is not to approach the snake or ever reach for it, even if you think you know what it is. Thinking back, we were fairly close to water at the time.  Who knows, I believe it to be a water snake but may yet be wrong. I do know it is not a copperhead.

All in all, Amicalola State Park in northern Georgia makes for a fun and  pleasing long weekend. This is not a large park with trail after trail after trail. It does offer trails enough for the weekender and is quite pretty and resting to the eyes and spirit.  

 From our accommodations in the park lodge, this is an evening view of foggy clouds coming over the mountains nearby.  

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The Secret seen by those who take the time to look into the woods, something most folks did not do and simply missed seeing...

Those familiar with old time history of moonshine know the mountains of North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia were home to a few inventive folks who made white lightning.  This illegal "whisky" was almost pure alcohol.  How did it get to town? Sometimes the transportation was tanker trucks or cars, ordinary vehicles with hidden tanks or storage areas to carry the moonshine.

Most of us have heard of moonshiners in souped up cars running from the law. As I was told by the locals, this truck we spied in the woods was a tanker truck.  To be where it was meant a long drop..a crunching roll down several hundred feet of very steep mountain side.  The photos do not do justice to the steep grade of the mountain.  The road runs on up to above the falls but at this point we were on a trail below the falls.  What happened really? Was anyone in the truck when it tumbled down the mountain? No one knew the full story but all said it was a moonshiner's tanker.

Notice in this closer view how the poplar tree has grown 

around the front of the truck.  That is the hood against the tree

and the smashed remains of the roof bent down and onto the hood.

The end of this post

Cats at Screen Door...Specializing in Pet Photography

My business as a pet photographer is in the early stages. I have been a photographer for a while but as a business effort will now specialize more in pet and animal photography.  Prior to the publication of my photographers website, I will upload a few photos of pets and animals to the Landing Heron blog.  You will notice a wide range of styles in the photographs yet one common thread will run through most all:  The animals will be photographed in their own settings, their homes, their places to play and live with their family.

There is a move away from the formal posed image in many types of personal photography. Whether a couple in love, a graduating senior, your family or your animals, there is a preference for natural and outdoor photos. The photos we take are intended to show your  pet as you recognize and know it.   Whether curled on your lap or running to you in yard or field, I want your pet to be as you know it everyday. After all, these are the memories and mental images we have of the animals in our lives. (Formal photos may be arranged as the client desires.)

The apparent starkness of the photo below speaks strongly to the family where these cats reside. Yes, we have beauty shots of these kitties and we have them as seen here...wanting to go outside knowing they must wait for another day.  Standing in a sun beam, they breath the air following a rain that left the screen littered with debris. They soak in a taste of the woods behind their home.

I plan to have my website up fairly soon.  There you may see much more of  my work, purchase images or schedule a time for me to visit, meet your animals and plan a session of photography in familiar settings.  Of course, photos may include you with your pets and photos of family members in natural settings. One secret to great pet and family photos is to walk around, sit down and talk with the photographer about what you have in mind. By taking this time with the photographer, you see if  there is a good match of your ideas and his/her styles and techniques. Pets are not expected to pose, quite the opposite is generally true!  We take the time, work with you and your animals to get the photos you will call "keepers" now and treasures later.

This is a photo of Molly, the same cat at the right in the previous photograph.  I did both shots in monotone for easier comparison.  The two photos show examples of different moods and moments. 
You may see Molly elsewhere in this blog. I am writing her story, tiny piece by tiny piece.


The kitties shown live in my house.  When the website is up and running, you will see a variety of pets and animals, including horses and perhaps a llama or two.  While cats and dogs are the family pets most seen, other animals are certainly included in what we do with photography.

Capturing the essence of personality with a still photograph is very difficult and often calls for a little good fortune. For example, this Great Pyrenees mix is a quite large dog but its personality instills calm and brings forth smiles.  

As part of  H.A.B.I.T. , the Human Animal Bond in Tennessee organization out of the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine,  this dog visits residents in a nursing and personal care facility. The face you see is the face seen by the residents.  Of course, they run their hands on the thick fur and spend time with this "friend".  A kind volunteer allowed us to take the photo.  That face does catch some of the personality and the intent was achieved.

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Thomas Haynes is a photographer working out of Clinton, Tennessee, a city just north of Knoxville. His photography is often of a fine arts direction but as in this post, his love of nature takes him again to the Clinch River Raptor Center, a rehabilitation and educational not-for-profit organization.. Visit Thomas and see more of his photography at  Facebook

 Contact Thomas to discuss photography you want done.