Tips for Photographing Fireworks

Fireworks paint the sky with a myriad of colours all year around during days of celebration. With a little knowledge you too can light up people's faces when they see what great shots you've captured. There is nothing difficult about capturing great fireworks images. To get the best images from Firework displays you will need to have a camera with some basic setting that you can change to get the best from it.

Location Location, Location

You might think that the fireworks are not going to be that large in the sky so you start a little way away, but on a recent Firework shoot I stood almost ¾ mile away. You are better being able to zoom in when the fireworks start then be to close and not being able to get the whole effect. Tree branches, street/flood lights, people and fireworks don't mix, so be sure to find a good location where none of these are going to be in the feel of view.. You probably won't be moving around, so search for a position where buildings and people won't obstruct your view

An interrupted view is key to capturing great pictures of fireworks.

Use a tripod and remote

For the best fireworks shots, a tripod and remote release are essential. As you are going to be trying to get the firework in full then you will also need to get the camera to have a longer shutter speed. If you do not have a remote release then all you images will be blurred because you are creating movement when pressing the shutter. Though you can use the timer to help out if you do not have a remote release or you camera doe not support this option. Set the timer to as near to 1 second as possible, this way you can press the timer as the firework explodes and you will get the full effect that you are after.

A tripod is also an essential piece of kit for firework photography. You need to do everything you can to stop Blur. You have to remember that even though the fireworks are very bright the camera’s metering system will see lots are dark areas so expose accordingly and because of this you will have a slow shutter speed.

Get in the right mode

Fireworks photos are taken at night (obviously), so on you compact digitals switch to night mode to make the most of available light. Night mode adjusts the camera settings for low-light conditions, allowing for a slightly longer exposure. If you have a DSLR with manual mode then you can either use this or Shutter priority mode. What you are after is a wide aperture and a shutter speed to enable you to get the firework in full motion. As a fire work explodes it is bright in the middle, as the exposhion spreads out the edge is bright but the middle is now darker. To the full effect you need to have a longer shutter speed to capture all the explosion from the centre to the edge. This is a little Bit of trial and error, but if you have a DSLR with the Bulb function then this will be the option to use. This option with a remote release will open the shutter when you press the remote and leave the shutter open as long as you are holding the remote release down, as soon as you let go then the shutter will close.

I know that fireworks shows are short and getting some of these settings right first time is hard, try not to panic and you will get some shots that you will be happy with.

Beat blur at its own game