By Alex
On the first day of the year 2000, British photographer Stewart Marsden came across a particularly unique photograph of New Year’s Eve fireworks. He described it as very different from the typical fireworks images seen in newspapers, and the image stayed imprinted in his mind ever since. Nineteen years later, on New Year’s Eve, he finally had the chance to capture the fireworks scene exactly as he had envisioned—and his work even made it to the front page of a local newspaper.
▲f/27, 16s, ISO 64, 28mm, Hasselblad H6D-100C
Marsden was one of the official photographers for this year’s London fireworks display, which allowed him to shoot from the best possible vantage point: next to the show’s control console right in front of the London Eye. He also prepared extensively for the shoot. First, he used the Hasselblad H6D-100C medium-format digital camera, which has an effective resolution of 100 megapixels, ensuring that even the most subtle details could be captured. He also borrowed a Panasonic Lumix GH5S and FZ2000 for filming 4K video and capturing other interesting moments. In addition, Marsden employed a GoPro Fusion 360° camera to document the live atmosphere on site. In short, he left no angle—wide, close-up, or overhead—uncovered.
The photographer didn’t reveal how the fireworks photo was taken, but analysis of the EXIF data from the single available image shows an exposure time of 16 seconds, an extremely small aperture of f/27, and an ISO setting of 64. Compared to standard settings for photographing fireworks, Marsden appears to have intentionally extended the exposure time—clearly aiming to include more fireworks in a single shot. But there’s always a trade-off: the brightness of the firework trails had to be reduced. As for whether the image underwent any post-processing in Photoshop, that remains a “secret” for now.
He hinted that he might share more fireworks photos later and hopes to provide more details about the shooting process so fellow photographers can learn from them. Photography enthusiasts can find more of Stewart Marsden’s fireworks work on Twitter, Facebook, 500px, and his personal website.
Source: Stewart Marsden (SunPrints)