Olympic Torch Relay

[3ntreri]

Hi!
The Olympic Torch Relay is coming through my home town this weekend, as well as some fireworks and a big street party and I was hoping to get some tips and maybe ideas for shots before it happens.

I've never really shot anything like this before and am not sure what to expect. I'm assuming I'll have to use my 55-250mm telephoto to get above the crowds but it'd be nice to get up close with my 50mm f/1.8 + flash.

What can I do to bring out the flame on the torch while reducing motion blur as much as possible? Should I shoot hand-held or tripod-mounted? Any tips for shooting fireworks?

I'm still new to this so I don't have much gear yet:
Canon Rebel T1i
- 18-55mm IS (kit lens)
- 50mm f/1.8
- 55-250mm IS telephoto
- Speedlite 380EX flash

Should I shoot 1080p/20 or 720p/30 video instead of stills?

Thanks!
- Dave