Amateur Photographer & Cinematographer (1936)

November 4th, 1936 iHt AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHER a 6 CIHEMATOGRAPHER o The photography of fireworks is probably the easiest branch of night photography, the rea¬ son being that in most cases the firework is quite reasonably bright, and it matters very little if almost nothing else is shown on the negative. The most attractive subject of this kind, and the easiest to photograph, is a big public display, such as those fre¬ quently given at the Crystal Palace. At first sight it might seem that high shutter speeds are called for, owing to the rapid movements of such things as rockets, Koman candles, and the like. But a strictljr instantaneous photograph of a fireball from a Roman candle would show only a point of light on the negative, whereas the eye appreciates the path of the ball as a whole, and the graceful curves that it traces out in its flight are one of the major attractions of the fire¬ work. The whole path of the ball can be shown on the negative by leaving the shutter of the camera open during the whole time that the firework is in action, and the resulting picture gives a \ery fair interpretation of what the eye actually sees. To photograph fireworks, then, the camera has to be on a stand and focussed usually on infinity. The lens is left open until it is judged that enough fireworks ha\'e been discharged to make an impressive dispiay in the finished picture. They will appear simultane¬ ous though actually they may have been discharged in succession. This procedure is pirticularly effective with rockets. These are inclined to be difficult to photo¬ graph on account of the great height to which they lly. Unless the camera is situated at a very considerable distance irom them the graceful curve at the top of their flight and the flare and splash of their bursting is very liable to be off the film. If it is impossible to get far enough away to include the whole trajec¬ tory of the rockets, similar pictures may be obtained of Roman candles, which throw their fireballs to a much lesser height. At still closer quarters one of the big set pieces of the public display may be photographed, but for these long expo¬ sures are not desir¬ able. One reason for this is that many of these set jDieces move (boxers, fighting cocks, etc.). Also the clouds of smoke they evolve look very well as they are illumin¬ ated by the light from the firework, and if an exposure of much more than a quaiter of a second is given, billowing smoke will be re¬ produced as a formless blur. It is difficult to give more than the vaguest suggestion as to the correct exposure for such subjects. After all, Guy Fawkes’ Day comes only once a year so that it will not be too extravagant to use plenty of film, giving exposures varying from perhaps i/2oth of a second at f/4.5 to one second at the same stop. Home fireworks in the back garden are more difficult to photograph ow'ing to the photographer generally being too near to be able to include the flight of rockets or even Roman candles. The smaller fireworks, such as Catherine wheels, jumping crackers, squibs, etc., which form the mainstay of most home displays are not very good photographi¬ cally. A jack-in-the-box, given an e.xposure lasting from the first lighting to its explosion, makes a fair subject ; so also are golden rain and such “ shortthrow ” fireworks. These may be given half a second or less at full aperture. A more ambitious subject is to photo¬ graph the young operator by the light of his golden rain. Even w'ith ultra-fast pan. film and an exposure of i/8th to ^ second, a very w'ide aperture will be needed. The development of the negatives, since they are of such furiously contrasty subjects, should, if possible, be done with a softworking developer. In any case, the time of development should not exceed two-thirds of that which the particu¬ lar film requires if used for ordinary subjects. If ordinary M.Q. or Pyro is used, the negative should be slipped into cold water for two or three periods of a minute or two each during develop¬ ment. The finished negatives will be hopelessly disap¬ pointing to those unaccustomed to photographing such subjects, but remember that a night photograph must never be con¬ demned as a failure until a print has been made. These are ■ usually unex¬ pectedly good. PHOTOGRAPHING FIREWORKS A Seasonable Topic By A. L. M. SOWERBY. A garden display. At the Crystal Palace.