Focus Tricks With Firework Photos

Here is an easy trick with super cool results. David Johnson took the below firework photos like you normally would, with one slight variation. He is not the first person to try this, but these are some great results.

He mounted the camera to a tripod, set up for a one to two second exposure, focused manually, and then unfocused just a bit.

When the firework went off, he opened the shutter with a remote shutter release and waited. When he heard the boom, he then quickly refocused to bring it in sharp. So the resulting photos, show something out of focus, going into focus. He also tried the same thing in reverse. Started in focus, and then unfocused during the exposure.

Cool.