Tom Glander Media

Fireworks Plan

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by

Tom
in

28 July, 2025 — During the next visit to Disneyland, plan on shooting fireworks from Galaxy’s Edge. Scope out a good location with recognizable stuctures in the foreground. Use a tripod for two cameras, to be set up as follows.

31 July, 2025 Update — The photo below is the result of applying the principles outlined below, with the addition of using Photoshop to composite several images into one final. I followed the “prescription” below exactly, and the results were nothing short of magnificent. See the full 2-minute timelapse video of the entire show at the bottom of this post.

Wide angle shot of the night, but even this does not include the full 14mm field of view of the original.
ABOVE: Cropped from the wider angle of the top photo.

A7R5 — Use this for timelapse, 1-second intervals. RAW medium quality. Capture entire show.

A1 ii — Use for video and burst photography, also on tripod. Shoot burst in L setting, at 5 bursts per second. Switch between video and stills as desired.

Manual mode, 2-5 seconds, ISO 100, f/8 to f/11

FOCUS — Find the focus on the first firework, then lock the focus. The remainder of the show will be perfect focus. Be sure Manual focus is selected.

All the tips:

  1. Use a tripod
  2. Get to location early and own the spot.
  3. Use a wide lens, like the Sigma 28-105. Try the Sigma 14mm as well to include more surroundings.
  4. ISO – around 50 to 200. The lower the better. No need for higher ISO. Firworks are bright.
  5. Aperture should be f/8 to f/11. Take sample pics and evaluate. Fireworks are very bright.
  6. Manual exposure only.
  7. Bulb mode for most shots. Use cable release. How many seconds? 2 seconds to 5 seconds. Small aperture, low ISO. The brilliant light will be picked up much better than usual.
  8. Anticipate the explosion. Want the entire trajectory? The explosion? Trial and error. Play with it.
  9. Turn off autofocus. On the first firework, use the light in the sky to focus. Lock it in, then don’t think about it.
  10. Composite various layers in post if desired.
  11. Bring red light headlight.
  12. Include reflections if water is present.
  13. Evaluate the images as you take them in the beginning. Make changes as needed. There is plenty of time to get the numbers dialed in.