Wobbly tripod does fireworks!

[mmroden]

Hi everyone,

So one of the reasons I got a d200 was that a friend had lent me his 50-300 f 4.5 Nikon lens indefinitely, and it seemed like I was hunting for a way to use it. Fireworks! Excellent!

This lens is longer than my forearm, totally manual, and a beast to handle. I'm a pretty big guy (6'3", 200 pounds), and I can't handhold this thing. Here's a review link: http://www.naturfotograf.com/lens_zoom_03.html#MF50-300ED

On the way there, everyone and their brother was launching illegal fireworks on the way over there. That, coupled with the darkness, the smoke from the fireworks, and the fact that all the dogs were completely freaked out, made the journey over very... tense, to say the least. Loud bangs every one or two minutes from people handholding fireworks and launching them in the street while clearly drunk just means someone, somewhere, is going to get really hurt.

Anyway, here's some of the shots:
Firework Moon:
http://mmroden.smugmug.com/photos/169836602-M.jpg

Spiral Wobble:
http://mmroden.smugmug.com/photos/169837745-M.jpg

Suprisingly Straight:
http://mmroden.smugmug.com/photos/169839383-M.jpg

The rest are here:
http://mmroden.smugmug.com/gallery/3105051/1/

[Skippy]

Hi everyone,

So one of the reasons I got a d200 was that a friend had lent me his 50-300 f 4.5 Nikon lens indefinitely, and it seemed like I was hunting for a way to use it. Fireworks! Excellent!

This lens is longer than my forearm, totally manual, and a beast to handle. I'm a pretty big guy (6'3", 200 pounds), and I can't handhold this thing. Here's a review link: http://www.naturfotograf.com/lens_zoom_03.html#MF50-300ED

On the way there, everyone and their brother was launching illegal fireworks on the way over there. That, coupled with the darkness, the smoke from the fireworks, and the fact that all the dogs were completely freaked out, made the journey over very... tense, to say the least. Loud bangs every one or two minutes from people handholding fireworks and launching them in the street while clearly drunk just means someone, somewhere, is going to get really hurt.

Anyway, here's some of the shots:
Firework Moon:
Spiral Wobble:
Suprisingly Straight:
The rest are here:
http://mmroden.smugmug.com/gallery/3105051/1/

Fireworks are illegal in the part of Australia where I live,
they are permitted only with a permit, for the same reasons you pointed out, that people can be so stupid when it comes to fireworks.

You will usually only see them at major celebrations like New Years Eve,
Australia Day, that sort of thing.

... I like your spiral shot, looks like its been done with a laser :clap
Thanks for sharing..... Skippy
.

[Awais Yaqub]

6' 105 kg guy loved your photos a lot :D

[mmroden]

Thanks for looking!

Skippy-- yeah, they're illegal in Tennessee, too, which is why there are huge fireworks emporia set up just across the border, so's you can get your illegal fireworks. LA is even worse; each neighborhood has their different rules, so Silverlake will sell them while Echo Park will say that they're banned. The cops have other things to worry about than people blowing themselves up; it's a crazy night.

Awais, glad you liked-- tho I hope the physical description didn't intimidate you :)

[MrParts]

The green wobbly one is really cool!

I'm gonna try that!

Great catch!

[mmroden]

The green wobbly one is really cool!

I'm gonna try that!

Great catch!

Glad you like!

I wish I could give you real tips beyond 'use a big, heavy lens and a tripod that can't quite hold it', but that's all I know about what happened there.

And it's a manfrotto 3021, not too shabby...

[MrParts]

Well I gave it a shot by tapping the tripod with my foot. This is the only one I got wobbly since I was concentrating on the timing of the firing off of the fireworks, watching the arc, hitting the shutter button, and tapping the tripod with my foot. Too many things to time out for this weak brain. This is also why I'm not a drummer.

Anyhoo ... here it is:

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s171/DuanesDesigns-2007/Fireworks/Wiggly1.jpg

The tripod settled down by the second explosion.