The 4th of July is upon us and of course we all want to capture a majestic photo of fireworks like those we see everywhere around this time. Getting a good shot of the fireworks display can be a little frustrating simply because, for most of us anyhow, we only get one chance a year to practice. And sometimes it can be a little difficult to enjoy the fireworks when fussing with equipment and trying to time shots just right. It doesn’t have to be though, whether you are using a DSLR or a Point & Shoot you can get great photos of the show and enjoy it with little to no hassle.
First, don’t panic. As long as you have a camera of some kind it’s possible to get a decent shot and besides there is always next year. The most useful accessory for these kinds of shots is a tripod. You can of course improvise by using walls and other sturdy stationary objects to steady your camera but NOTHING beats a high quality tripod for subjects like these. The other key ingredient is having a way to press your shutter without upsetting the camera. The best thing to use is a remote control or shutter release cable of some kind but you can use the self-timer as a fix (it is best to set it to the shorter time setting, usually 2 seconds).
If you are photographing the display in your local area that you see every year you probably already know the best vantage points. If you are unfamiliar with the display it may take a little more planning but it certainly doesn’t hurt to ask around. Assuming you are using a tripod and a remote of some kind (timer works too) it is best to set up a chair next to your camera so you are in a position that allows you to access your settings and adjust your camera’s position easily. You will not need to be able to look through or even at your camera once you get the camera dialed in (except to check every now and again to make sure things haven’t shifted).
The technique is pretty straight forward; it’s all about settings and timing. Timing is pretty easy; hit the shutter when you see the streak of smoke and light from a speeding rocket. For those who like automatic the easiest thing to do is to use the either the “fireworks†or the “nighttime landscape†modes. You can set up your Point & Shoot camera yourself however, turn the flash off, set the ISO to be as low as you can and your focus needs to be set at infinity (you may need to reference your user manual to figure out how to do that). If you have the capability to do manual settings use those same settings (flash off, low ISO, focus at infinity) but you have a few others to play with. A shutter speed called “Bulb†is best to use in concert with a shutter release cable; just leave it open until a few go off. You can also use shutter speeds of 2 seconds all the way up to 30 seconds but you won’t have as much control over how many fireworks are recorded. For optimal results use F-stops anywhere between F8 and F16; I like to start in the middle at about F11 and play around a little. It’s going to change depending on your focal length and physical distance from the explosions; the closer you are the more stopped down you will want to be. Once everything is framed the way you want and you are satisfied with the exposure, sit back with your finger on the “trigger†and just shoot away.
If you enjoy shooting fireworks but don’t really have the money to set them off all year round you may want to try photographing lightning. It is probably the most similar subject to photographing fireworks and is good practice for fireworks displays. It’s quite a bit more unpredictable, but it is a lot of fun.
post image by Flickr user bayasaa