Caerphilly Castle - Fireworks

[stevednp3]

Unless Ive missed them I havent seen many firework photos posted this year so thought I'd upload a shot I took on Saturday at Caerphilly Castle.

This was quite a big turn out with over 25,000 people there and finding a good spot to setup was a bit limited, luckly I saw another tog there I knew and managed to share a good angle to take some shots

This is my favourite, would love to know what you think and what could have been done to improve.

Taken on e5 & 12-60mm

[benvendetta]

Re: Caerphilly Castle - Fireworks

Yes you had a great location what with the shape of the castle prominant and the super reflections. I haven't bothered with this sort of photography for years (last time was pre-digital) but given a great iconic location such as Caerphilly Castle you have shown that something above the norm is possible. Well done Steve.

[stevednp3]

Re: Caerphilly Castle - Fireworks

Yes you had a great location what with the shape of the castle prominant and the super reflections. I haven't bothered with this sort of photography for years (last time was pre-digital) but given a great iconic location such as Caerphilly Castle you have shown that something above the norm is possible. Well done Steve.

Thanks Dave, I know what you mean and I too havent bothered for a while as firework photos can usually end up all looking the same, but im glad I went here, as it was an excellent show (plus it was FREE )

[Chevvyf1]

Re: Caerphilly Castle - Fireworks

Stunning shot ! as I scrolled down it just got better AND BETTER !

[stevednp3]

Re: Caerphilly Castle - Fireworks

Stunning shot ! as I scrolled down it just got better AND BETTER !

awwww thank you

[Swordfish]

Re: Caerphilly Castle - Fireworks

Really nice shot.

Looks like a great location and you got yourself in a good position.

Martin

[stevednp3]

Re: Caerphilly Castle - Fireworks

Really nice shot.

Looks like a great location and you got yourself in a good position.

Martin

Thank you very much

[catkins]

Re: Caerphilly Castle - Fireworks

This is my favourite, would love to know what you think and what could have been done to improve.
Taken on e5 & 12-60mm

Lovely shot and would second most of the previous comments. The colours and sharpness of the main fireworks are spot on.

Re improvements . . . . the reflection could have worked better if there had been more reflecting in the pool, but as the fireworks that are reflected are fairly minimal in impact, I might had done two or three things (with the proviso that, as usual, it's a hell of a lot easy to critique than to do, and that this is being really picky but at least it responds to your query ) -

• with the image as is, I might explore lightening up the castle a little and if possible to make it more key to the image
• if possible with your location and the lens, gone for an even wider view and got the better part of the reflecting fireworks
• or with the image as is, tightened up the view and cropped out the pool and possibly some of the left hand firework as I feel the dark strip with little lights jars a little due to its division of the overall image. The benefit of this is that the castle and the fireworks become more central and it would show up the castle more with its amazing mass of fireworks directly above.

Regards
Chris

[crimbo]

Re: Caerphilly Castle - Fireworks

agree with Chris...the image holds together better with the reflections cropped out

[stevednp3]

Re: Caerphilly Castle - Fireworks

Lovely shot and would second most of the previous comments. The colours and sharpness of the main fireworks are spot on.

Re improvements . . . . the reflection could have worked better if there had been more reflecting in the pool, but as the fireworks that are reflected are fairly minimal in impact, I might had done two or three things (with the proviso that, as usual, it's a hell of a lot easy to critique than to do, and that this is being really picky but at least it responds to your query ) -

• with the image as is, I might explore lightening up the castle a little and if possible to make it more key to the image
• if possible with your location and the lens, gone for an even wider view and got the better part of the reflecting fireworks
• or with the image as is, tightened up the view and cropped out the pool and possibly some of the left hand firework as I feel the dark strip with little lights jars a little due to its division of the overall image. The benefit of this is that the castle and the fireworks become more central and it would show up the castle more with its amazing mass of fireworks directly above.

Regards
Chris

Thanks for your comments Chris. Yes I would have liked more reflecting in the pool, but position was a hard thing with the amount of people or getting bushes and trees in my view

but thanks for the suggestions, I'll have a little play with processing as this is pretty much straight out camera, just a basic RAW file import and export.

[rsh1960]

Re: Caerphilly Castle - Fireworks

Nice shot with a lovely background.

[benvendetta]

Re: Caerphilly Castle - Fireworks

It is unusual to see fireworks reflecting in water and I think this lifts the image onto another plain.
I say keep them in Steve.
Crackin'

[stevednp3]

Re: Caerphilly Castle - Fireworks

Thanks rsh and Dave

I seam to have mixed reactions online and offline with this photo, some prefer the reflections and some prefer them cropped out, for myself I like them in as its what I intended to do but interesting to hear how others see it

[catkins]

Re: Caerphilly Castle - Fireworks

Thanks rsh and Dave

I seam to have mixed reactions online and offline with this photo, some prefer the reflections and some prefer them cropped out, for myself I like them in as its what I intended to do but interesting to hear how others see it

I think that it's possibly due not to whether the viewers are keen or not on the reflection but more perhaps due to the thick black line that crosses the image as a result of the high 'causeway' that crosses the pools to the castle. Perhaps as an interesting 'cheat', I'll have a play and remove the majority of the depth of the black line to just have a narrow line with the lights on with the reflection as is below, and then guage people's reactions - I would tend to bet that most 'objectors' would probably then be quite happy with the image?
The quality of the image is unquestionable but sometimes nature conspires to put little features into our views that the artist's mind would perhaps accidentally forget to put into a painting!!

Regards
Chris

[catkins]

Re: Caerphilly Castle - Fireworks

Following my comment above, here's the 'dishonest' approach or perhaps what I might call the artist's approach to your image.
I've cut out the bulk of the deep black slash of the causeway and then cropped the resulting image to remove some of the dark area on the left hand side (possibly taken off too much but I'm just using this edit by way of illustrating points previously made).
Now whether morally it is right to remove the causeway is up to the individual but hopefully this may help illustrate what I feel is the key about some of the points mentioned, and now hopefully most people will enjoy the reflection being a part of the overall image.



Regards
Chris