feu d'artifice � la Tour Eiffel le jour de la Bastille

[David Gethin]

Here are a selection of photos taken from this week's fireworks display to mark 14 juillet (Bastille Day) in Paris. I did find the evening a challenge. I started with the 'typical' fireworks setting of f8, 2 sec, ISO 100 but struggled for a while to get things right.

Looking at flickr photos the fireworks always seem to extend to backlight the entire Eiffel Tower whereas on Wednesday evening they only extended less than half way up from my vantage point of 1/2-2/3 back on the Champs de Mars. Maybe this was because of the poor weather (heavy rain and winds during the day).

Anyway, these are as shot bar from Lightroom adjustments to improve black clipping, clarity and saturation adjustments as well as some cropping.

C+C would be very welcome.


Number 1 (pre-fireworks)


Number 2 (a b+w treatment)


Number 3


Number 4


Number 5

I was initially disappointed, but less so having seen this offering from Reuters today:

http://news.uk.msn.com/photos/photos.aspx?cp-documentid=154135776&page=36

Thanks for looking

[sapper]

[BobS]

[snaarman]

[maccabeej]

[CaptainD]

[pepper]

[Guest]

[David Gethin]

[David Gethin]

vs After

In contrast the 'colour' shots with that much more punch were quite heavily saturated. I have a number of Lightroom presets downloaded from the web, including a number intended to recreate certain film types - I used the "ADB_Fuji Velvia 50" preset and the effect is quite noticeable in giving much deeper colours and contrast.

Before vs After

Oh, and I did get to La Defense but sadly not at night. I also now have lust for a 9-18 or better still a 7-14 for that area. I was so glad though that I got my hands on a 12-60 before I went.

[Stephen_M]

[BobS]

BobS, to answer your question about the colours in no. 3 I did add some saturation to this shot but as you'll see from the 'before and after' not all that much from what was out of the camera in RAW.


In contrast the 'colour' shots with that much more punch were quite heavily saturated. I have a number of Lightroom presets downloaded from the web, including a number intended to recreate certain film types - I used the "ADB_Fuji Velvia 50" preset and the effect is quite noticeable in giving much deeper colours and contrast.


Oh, and I did get to La Defense but sadly not at night. I also now have lust for a 9-18 or better still a 7-14 for that area. I was so glad though that I got my hands on a 12-60 before I went.

Thanks for your explanations David. Having made some fireworks when I was young, reckless and fearless, I never attempted to make white ones that appear to have a sepia tone to them!