For years I've been bored with photographing fireworks. Fighting the crowds to get a good spot, dealing with hot and humid July weather, bugs, crying children… the list goes on. I'd rather stay home and chill-out with the Mrs. – UNTIL NOW!
A few years ago, I read an article by a photographer who captured some amazing fireworks photos. He gave the technical settings that he used for beautiful shots over a scenic lake. He inspired me to see if I could create images unlike any I've made before.
So I set out for the annual fireworks display in my town – North Ridgeville, Ohio. The weather was cool and comfortable for a July evening. I was able to stake out a spot by the lake where the fireworks would be launched. The bugs weren't annoying either (I think they preferred the taste of those around me.) And the crying children? It's amazing what ear plugs can mask out!
For 20+ minutes I shot photos with my Nikon camera mounted on a tripod with exposures ranging from one to four seconds at f/11 at ISO 100. If you don't have a clue about those settings – have no fear! It seems that anyone can get decent photos with just about any camera – even with smart phones. Even if you have firework photos from previous years that you wish to add some excitement to – read on!
Upon returning home, I loaded the photos onto my computer. Sadly, I was UNDERwhelmed by what I had captured. They looked similar to the old, boring fireworks photos I'd taken in the past.
Instead of using an expensive software program called Adobe Photoshop; I opened the photo, above, in an affordable program called “Studio“ by Topaz Labs. I've used this software to spice up photos from my previous travels with amazing results. The three variations of the original photo in this article were created with just a couple mouse clicks using Studio!
Pro tip: To achieve similar results in Topaz Studio, choose “Add Filter” > click the “STYLISTIC” tab > choose “Flare”. Then you can experiment with the various adjustments to make each star unique.
Topaz Labs is a company that has created several easy-to-use photo enhancement programs that can be used without even reading the instructions. It has a simple user interface that will have you creating photo masterpieces in minutes.
I found myself immersed in the software for hours as I created countless variations of each image.
See the rest of Topaz Labs photo enhancing software here: www.SpectraLight.com/TopazSoftware (NOTE: You won't see Topaz Studio on this page.)
Have fun!
NOTE: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, you'll help support this blog at no cost to you – allowing us to continue sharing information like this for your education and enjoyment. Win/Win! Thanks!
Impressive effects added by the software. Especially the starlight effects.
Thanks for your comment, Steve. I’ve really enjoyed “playing” with the software and discovering new ways of improving my photos. It’s fun going through my library of photos from years ago and making something interesting of what was once a boring photo.