{"id":379672,"date":"2025-12-31T15:58:13","date_gmt":"2025-12-31T15:58:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/379672\/"},"modified":"2025-12-31T15:58:13","modified_gmt":"2025-12-31T15:58:13","slug":"photographers-stunning-abstract-fireworks-pictures-defy-convention","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/379672\/","title":{"rendered":"Photographer’s Stunning Abstract Fireworks Pictures Defy Convention"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"BrightBenjamin Sunkyong Kim <\/p>\n

Firework displays are few and far between, making it hard to practice photographing them. Fortunately for Benjamin Sunkyong Kim, he lives in New York and every Friday night from July to September there is a fireworks display at Coney Island. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s just as well because the defocusing technique Kim practices requires a lot of patience and skill. \u201cIt is more complicated than it seems,\u201d Kim tells PetaPixel. \u201cEach photo requires a specific workflow: track the fireball, predict the explosion time and location, aim, lock the tripod head, press the shutter right as it explodes, and defocus steadily at a consistent speed.\u201d <\/p>\n

Kim says he must stay \u201cvery calm\u201d while photographing the explosives as each step is repeated with care over the course of a display. <\/p>\n

\u201cI have one special piece of equipment for fireworks, which is the Sony A-mount 135mm f\/2.8 T\/4.5 STF lens,\u201d Kim explains. \u201cWhile regular lenses often produce sharp or busy bokeh and blurs, an STF lens provides smooth transitions and perfectly round bokeh, making it the perfect choice for my work.\u201d <\/p>\n

He also uses an Olympus EE-1 dot sight<\/a> because a wide view is needed to track the fireballs. \u201cBoth the viewfinder and LCD screen are too narrow to monitor the surrounding area, which makes predicting and shooting very difficult,\u201d he adds. <\/p>\n

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It took Kim four years to figure out the correct technique. \u201cThere was a lot of trial and error,\u201d he says. \u201cI had to start from scratch, find the right equipment, such as the lens, tripod head, and accessories.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been shooting fireworks at Coney Island for more than eight years,\u201d he adds. \u201cAnd now I want to travel around the world to shoot different fireworks. I don\u2019t want to shoot from the same locations over and over again, as that will eventually limit my creativity and vision. Besides, it\u2019s a good way to justify traveling around the world, so hopefully, I can make that happen.\u201d <\/p>\n

Earlier this year, PetaPixel featured the work of photographer Bryan Szucs<\/a>, who uses a similar technique to Kim. He explained that it was after seeing an article on PetaPixel about creatively capturing fireworks<\/a> that he decided to pursue the technique. <\/p>\n

More of Kim\u2019s work can be found on his website<\/a> and Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Image credits: Photographs by Benjamin Sunkyong Kim <\/p>\n