Riverfire - F-111 composite (2010)

[dadegroot]

'twas Riverfire in Brisbane tonight, the annual fireworks spectacular which since it's inception in 1998 has featured the F-111's doing a dump'n'burn flyby.

Due to these aircraft being decommissioned at the end of this year, this was the last Riverfire they are partaking in (apparently).

Therefore, I made the trek into the city again this year, but just for an added challenge, held a workshop on how to shoot fireworks at the same time.

My business partner, Kane, and I arrived at 4am to ensure we could grab the best possible location. Rumours of safety fencing proved to be correct for the best location, so we went to plan B. There was an unfenced section so we setup our chairs and tripods and began the looooong wait (show starts at 7pm).

By 7:30am, contractors had arrived and demanded we move from our prime position as they were installing more safety fencing where we were. Why is this an issue - well in order to not get the regular fence in your shot, you need to have the tripod right up next to it. The safety fencing was placed over 1m from the regular fence, meaning that at wide-angles it was impossible to not get the regular fence in your frame.
To say we were unimpressed was an understatement. After much calling around trying to get hold of the organisers, we capitulated and moved back far enough for the fence to be installed.
The plan was then to place the tripods between the two fences and just use remotes to trigger the cameras. All well and good until around midday the Hired Goons turned up and made everyone remove the tripods from between the fences and place them back on the outside of the safety fence. Things clearly weren't going our way.
Still, eventually the students showed up and we ran through the course material, fed them pizza, and as it was getting close to the show time, re-installed the tripods between the fences.
Alas, more Goons turned up (different ones, but equally fascist), and demanded the tripods once again be moved back behind the safety fence.
So it was up to full extension on the 'pods with the view of minimising the damage. Everyone still had parts of the regular fence in the frame but small enough due to careful composition that it was salvageable.

Finally the show began with not a hint of what was going on (no countdown to the flyby, etc). We all rushed to set off the cameras and then began the (slightly less than 30 min) show with 4 chances at shooting the F-111s.

I caught all four partial or full flybys and have made the following composite image:


Riverfire 2010 - Composite by David de Groot, on Flickr

[Kow]

It's pretty nice but it's fairly blown out in the middle. Bring that back and it would be a winner!

[[kane]]

Money shot David.
Highlights are fine -its fireworks worked very well.

Thanks
Kane

[Invictus]

Excellent work (again) Dave.
I wondered if you would be able to top your 2008 shot, and this one really does. Congrats

[dadegroot]

Originally Posted by Kow

It's pretty nice but it's fairly blown out in the middle. Bring that back and it would be a winner!

Actually on properly calibrated screens it's quite within acceptable limits. There's detail in the middle but due to the nature of fireworks and the huge amount of light thrown off from the F-111s, it is bright.

Originally Posted by [kane]

Money shot David.
Highlights are fine -its fireworks worked very well.

Turned out ok ;-)

Originally Posted by Invictus

Excellent work (again) Dave.
I wondered if you would be able to top your 2008 shot, and this one really does. Congrats

Thanks. Always tough coming up with a new angle on something, especially when there are so many factors out of our control.

[triggerpeg]

Oh mate. thats awesome. I can still smell the humid salty air when i look at Story bridge.

This photo just ads burn fireworks and jet fuel to that memory.. lol

[Kow]

Originally Posted by dadegroot

Actually on properly calibrated screens it's quite within acceptable limits. There's detail in the middle but due to the nature of fireworks and the huge amount of light thrown off from the F-111s, it is bright.

My monitor is properly calibrated, i still think a slight darkening on the center area would look a little better but that's probably just me i guess

[BuD]

pretty fab mate

[Snobility]

Great colour. I am guessing you used the dump and burn that goes behind the fireworks as your base layer and added the others on top?

[DionM]

Nice composite. The F1-11 flyovers were certainly different this year.

I note the foreground brightness in your shots. Is that from the multitude of people firing away with their PnS cameras trying in vain to illuminate the bridge and city with their inbuilt flashes?

[dadegroot]

Originally Posted by triggerpeg

Oh mate. thats awesome. I can still smell the humid salty air when i look at Story bridge.

This photo just ads burn fireworks and jet fuel to that memory.. lol

Thanks - 'twasn't a bad show, even if the pyrotechnics timing was a bit out.

Originally Posted by Kow

My monitor is properly calibrated, i still think a slight darkening on the center area would look a little better but that's probably just me i guess

Pretty unavoidable really, although I still maintain it's not blown. Burning in post looks like crap.

Originally Posted by BuD

pretty fab mate

Thanks!

Originally Posted by Snobility

Great colour. I am guessing you used the dump and burn that goes behind the fireworks as your base layer and added the others on top?

Actually, the base was a blue hour shot taken 30 mins or so before the fireworks began. Then layered each of the f-111 passes on top.

Originally Posted by DionM

Nice composite. The F1-11 flyovers were certainly different this year.

I note the foreground brightness in your shots. Is that from the multitude of people firing away with their PnS cameras trying in vain to illuminate the bridge and city with their inbuilt flashes?

hehehe, no, there was a street light nearby. I did think it very amusing on the first flyover to see all the flashes emanating from high-rises in the city.