Lighthaus Camera: How to take fireworks pictures

As we close out 2013 one of the better and more challenging photographs to take are of fireworks.  I have to admit that I've never really tried so I had to look it up on the interweb and here is what I found to be a very informative article to take fireworks photos.

From wikiHow:

http://www.wikihow.com/Photograph-Fireworks

I checked the weather report for South Maui and it looks like it is supposed to rain so I may not get a chance to get those shots.  But if it does clear up, I will try my best.

A stable platform is one of the key tools you will need to have when taking those fireworks shots.  Lighthaus Camera has several tripod brands for you to choose from, including Manfrotto, Canon, Gorilla Pod, and Mefoto in several price ranges to fit your budget.  Be sure to call us before you come down to the store as we have holiday hours at each of our four locations.

Thank you for taking the time to read our posts and for shopping at Lighthaus Camera this past year.  It is greatly appreciated and we look forward to helping you with your photographic needs in 2014.

Your New Camera

So, you are one of the lucky people who Santa blessed by giving you a new camera.  One of the first things you should do is skim your manual so you can gain a working relationship with your new image capturing device.  You don't have to read the whole manual but go to the page where it tells you where and what all those buttons can do.  Refer to the index for more in depth explanations. The next thing you will want to do is play with your camera's different settings and take some practice shots.  You can see what you have done right or wrong by looking at your camera's EXIF data.  The information can usually be found by right clicking while you are on an image and going into the properties window.  Now that you have a generalized idea of how to use your camera, get out there and shoot till your heart's content.

A few ideas about the photographs in this post:
1.  Leading lines: lead your audience's eyes to where you want them to focus.
2.  Bokeh:  This is the term used by photographers to describe the blurry background.  This can be achieved by opening your aperture to its largest (smallest number) opening.  For example f/1.4, F/1.8, F/2.8....
3.  Train your photographers eye by going to the swap meet.  There's so many different subjects to photograph.
4.  Cloudy days can make for some dramatic photographs.
5.  Famous landmarks: here is a picture of Diamond Head that was made a little less "boring" by including the outrigger canoes in the foreground.
6.  Look for interesting patterns and colors.
7.  Silhouettes can be fun.
8.  Of course family, friends, and pets are always fun too.

Please keep in mind that if you take a few shots that you would like to blow up, Lighthaus Camera has the ability to print your pictures up to 24xinfinity sized.  This can be done at the Oahu, Kona, and Kihei locations.  Price is a low $16 per square foot.

Alert Canon Users

It looks like Canon has decided to kill off third party batteries with its current firmware update.  Read the full article below by clicking the link.

Canon and Third Party Batteries

Monday Showcase: Pentax K50

This is the Pentax K50.  This white and black edition is all the rage with the Empire's Stormtroopers.  If you are photographing the Ewoks on the forest moon of Endor, the Jawas on Tatooine or Darth Vader himself on the Death Star, the weather sealing in this cropped sensor Pentax should survive all of the harsh conditions that the universe can throw at the official photographer of the galactic empire.

The Pentax K50 has an ISO maximum setting of 51,200.  A maximum shutter speed of 1/6000 of a second, a 6fps burst rate and a shake reduction system built into the camera body.  Along with the weather sealing this camera has the ability to also use AA batteries when the lithium ion battery has reached its 480 images limit.  This is a fantastic option when you are traveling and power is not available.  If you use the Energizer Lithium AA batteries, the K50 can capture up to 1250 images.  The K50 can be ordered in 120 different color combinations.

The Pentax K50 can be purchased at Lighthaus Camera which is conveniently located on the planet earth in the region known as Hawaii.  Lighthaus Cameras four locations are on the island of Hawaii, Oahu and two location on Maui.  Disclaimer: Lighthaus Camera does not discriminate, if you are rebel or a member of the empire we will happily meet your camera needs.

Alert Nikon Users

Nikon has recently made some firmware updates for several of their cameras that make third party brand batteries useless.  Read the article below by clicking the link.


Third Party Battery Issues

Monday Showcase (sort of): Digital Photography Tips

I came across this article from National Geographic while looking for some tips for my Canon 5D Mark III. I thought it would be a great place to start for people looking to get into digital photography. National Georgraphic's photographers have been taking some of the world's most beautiful photographs for about 100+ years. Why not share their knowledge?

Lighthaus Camera has four locations across the islands to serve your photographic needs. Look for a post later this afternoon on the Pentax K50. 

Tips From National Geographic

Sunday Showcase: Canon Powershot S120

Looking for a small, fast, compact camera that can take pictures in low light conditions? Canon's newest point and shoot camera may just be the one you are looking for. 

The Canon Powershot S120 features a 12.1 MP sensor and the Digic 6 processor forming a powerful combination that can shoot exceptionally well under low-light conditions and has an ISO range of 80-12800. The f/1.8-5.6 lens allows for a shallow depth of field creating the creamy bokeh many photographers love. The S120 can capture 1080p/60p full HD in stereo sound and can be played back on an HDTV via the HDMI output. The built in WiFi lets you share you photographs instantly with your smartphone, tablet or computer.

Want to know about the other features the S120 has? Come on by any one of Lighthaus Camera's four locations to view the camera for yourself. You might want to call ahead to see if it is in stock. This little, innovative camera from Canon is turning out to be a great idea for a Christmas present.