We soooooo need a new sticky for Fireworks.
Here are my recomendations (doesn't matter what dSLR you have and also for a P&S its pretty much the same).
Fireworks:
1. Tripod
2. Remote shutter release
Set Camera to Manual
3. ISO: lowest (100 or 200)
4. Aperture: f/8 - f/11
5. Shutter Speed: 2 to 6 seconds (thus the NEED of the tripod and remote shutter release). Try to time your shutter opening to when you hear the first pfffft or launching of the firework. This will help get you the long streaks followed by the big bright colorful bursts.
Now there are some variations you can do. You can do such as:
Use BULB mode and time your shutter opening and closing on your own (be sure to count to yourself so you don't have the shutter open to long and overexpose the image. Anything longer than 10 seconds and you might be asking for trouble. That is unless you have a black piece of paper handy and can cover the front of the lens inbetween bursts to get a different effect as well, however, you can get the same effect in the digital darkroom by doing layers and merging 2 photos.
If you don't have a tripod:
1. ISO Highest you have (P&S cameras are usually 400 or 800, dSLR's are usually 1600 or 3200), however, keep in mind that using a high ISO in this situation will more than likely cause a high amount of noise in the picture.
2. Aperture: Widest you can get. For P&S camera's that usually f/2.8. For dSLR's it depends on the lens. Most kit lenses widest is f/3.5 at the widest end of the focal length (18mm or so). Though depending on the location you picked to view Wishes you probably wont use 18mm. So you might end up somewhere around f/4
3. Shutter Speed: This depends on the person holding the camera. How steady are your hands. If there pretty steady you can probably get away with 1/15th or 1/30th. If you have some sort of Image Stabilization built into the camera or lens, then you can probably go slower, down to 1/10th. Again, it depends on how steady you are. Everyone is a little different. So find the slowest shutter that gets you the clearest picture.
4. With no tripod, you'll want to time your shutter release at the hight of the big colorful burst.
Lastly, don't wait for the great picture to happen. Take lots and lots of pictures. If you try to wait for the good one to happen, it wont. The more you take the more good ones you'll end up with.
For SpectoMagic. Do a search. There was a recent thread with LOTS of info. Spectro is probably one of THE hardest events to take a picture of in Disney.
, find a good spot early!!! Without that it is pointless to even try taking pictures of the parade. This is also important with fireworks, but not as much of an issue b/c they are in the sky. Just try to get a spot without someone in front of you and try to keep people from bumping your tripod. A Gorillapod on a fence or railing might work well.
