Jack Carlson Photography

It’s Fireworks season–get ready

Look for details during holiday celebrations.

Try shooting multiple bursts.

Add a touch of flash on the crowd.

Yes, it’s the season that’s dreaded by many (if not most) dogs: Fireworks. Our dog was less concerned about the noise as he aged. Hopefully, this could happen to you too. Once you’ve arrived on scene, open the lens to its maximum aperture and dial in a shutter speed that’s less than 1/30 of a second with an ISO around 800. A focal length in the 20-35 mm range should cover the scene. 

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Weekly Photo Tip

Filters can make a difference

18mm, f8 @ 1/30, no filter

18mm, f8 @ 1/80 with 3-stop ND Grad

I received a 3-stop, soft-edge ND grad filter from the Camera Clubhouse cats. They decided to purchase from Breakthrough Photography since I mentioned that one of my students brought Breakthrough Filters to a recent class and, on inspection, the filters seemed to be very well made. An ND Grad filter starts dark and fades to clear so the placement of the dark portion is determined by both the bright part of the scene and the photographer. This filter made quite a difference in holding down the sun in the upper part of the image. Check out the “no-filter” image and ND Grad image. The difference will amaze you. Please note: I have no affiliation with Breakthrough Photography and chose them only based on student referral. 

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About Jack

A classically trained musician since childhood, Jack Carlson always had the “ear” of an artist. It was only a short step to develop the artist’s “eye” as well.

The portfolio of this certified photographer reveals images that emphasize mood and composition. Their purpose is to present a feeling in addition to portrayal of person, place or thing. Sometimes that feeling is nostalgia; other times it is serenity.

Each photograph tells a story.