HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH FIREWORKS

Here are the 12 TOP TIPS you need to know to shoot fireworks:

1. Use a tripod.  A good one that offers you decent stability.  Definitely required when shooting fireworks because the tripod keeps the camera steady.  .

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2. Use the remote control or timer. It's practically essential to have a remote control or timer feature on your camera to minimize the amount of shaking when the shutter button is pressed. Even though the shaking may be slight and your camera will be on a tripod, there is still too much shaking going on when you use your finger to press the shutter button on the camera.

Some cameras ship with very small remote control devices, similar to the one for your TV, that allow you to zoom, focus, and press the shutter button without actually touching the camera. If you have one of these remotes, make sure its battery is still working, and use it!

If you don't have a remote for your camera, check to see if your camera has a timer. Most cameras do. The timer is most often used for portrait and group photos in which the photographer wants to be in the shot; she presses the shutter button and runs to the group to be in the shot with them, while the camera counts down a number of seconds and then takes the photo. You can use the same feature to shoot fireworks: After you press the shutter button, remove your hands from the camera so the camera stops shaking; then, the camera waits a number of seconds, and snaps the photo -- clearly, without the shake.

It's a good idea to take a few practice shots with this method before you get to the location and after you've setup, but before the fireworks actually start. You want to make sure you understand how the remote control or self-timer features work. You also want to take this opportunity to review some test photos on the camera's LCD screen to make sure everything looks right before the fireworks begin. Of course, one of the joys of using a digital camera instead of film camera is that you can review and then delete these test photos to make room for the real ones!

3. Long exposure time and shutter speed. Fireworks photos look as good as they do because the camera is actually taking the photo for a number of seconds -- not a fraction of a second as it normally does. (I'll save you the technical details for another time, but if you're interested in the fundamentals, read up on camera or film "exposure".)

Digital cameras vary in the longest exposure they allow. (A long exposure is synonymous with a low shutter speed.) Some cameras may only allow a few seconds, while others may allow for 15 seconds or more. For now, I'd set your camera to 3 or 4 seconds. When you're up to it, this is where you can get creative and try shorter and longer exposures. The length of time depends on the type of fireworks displayed and how you want the final photo to appear. Experiment. You can even experiment after the first few fireworks explode to see what a different exposure time looks like. And be sure not to bump or move the camera during the exposure time, or else you'll see the movement in the photo.

If your camera doesn't allow you to change the exposure time or shutter speed, look for one of the following modes and use one of them if it is available: fireworks mode, nighttime mode, or landscape mode. Fireworks or nighttime modes are preferred over landscape mode when shooting fireworks.


4. Turn off the camera's flash. Be sure you turn off the flash on your camera. Digital cameras usually start with the flash on automatic; since it'll be dark, the camera will think it needs the flash, but it really won't need flash because the fireworks will be bright enough.


5. Location, location, location. Location and timing are extremely important in all forms of photography.   It's worth some of your time for analysis and discussion to try to predict the best place to photograph fireworks in your area. Of course, you want your camera to have a clear, unobstructed view of the area in the sky where the fireworks will be shown.

Silhouettes of people, trees, and buildings can sometimes make for interesting fireworks photos, but I would try to avoid them at first. Some silhouettes may be unavoidable, but strive to find an open area if possible, especially when shooting fireworks for the first time.

Arrive early and setup before the show starts to find a place where people will not walk in front of you. And try to avoid other sources of lights, such as illuminated signs on buildings and street lights.


With those 5 tips in mind and a little preparation, you'll have some great fireworks photos. As a bonus, I've included more helpful tips below that you should keep in mind when shooting fireworks.


6. Know your camera. Practice a little and be familiar with your camera before you head out to see the fireworks. Spend an hour or so with the camera, the camera manual, and this article to ensure your camera is setup and ready to go. You don't want to be out there with your camera on the tripod ready to go, with your camera manual in hand trying to figure things out. In any case though, bring a small flashlight to adjust camera settings in the dark, if necessary.


7. Verify your memory cards are empty. This is an important step before heading out anywhere with your digital camera. You want to make sure that you've transferred all of your photos to your computer for safe-keeping before heading out to shoot more photos. This step is just like checking to make sure you had enough film when using film cameras. If you, like most of us, find that transferring photos to your computer is a pain, consider using a memory card reader.


8. Charge your batteries. And bring spare, fully-charged batteries if you have them. You'll probably be using the LCD display a lot, and that uses up the most juice.


9. Zoom out. You can try zooming in to adjust the shot for the fireworks, but zooming out is usually best because you'll want to capture as much of the sky and fireworks as possible. When cameras start up, they are usually zoomed out all of the way, but it can sometimes be too easy to accidentally zoom in.


10. Use the highest photo quality setting. In fact, I recommend that you use the highest quality, size, and resolution for all of the photos that you take. The only reason to limit the size and resolution of the photos that you take is to reduce the amount of space they take up on your memory card, if you're running out of space. The recommended alternative is to simply buy more storage space with memory cards, whose prices continue to drop.


11. Use a low ISO setting, such as 50 or 100. Some cameras don't allow you to change the ISO setting, and most people don't know what it is and usually don't change it anyway. The higher the ISO setting, the more sensitive to light the camera will be, and the more "noise" will be introduced into the photo, in the form of tiny white or colored dots. You really want the background of the photo, the night sky, as black as possible, to ensure the fireworks stand out against the background. This effect is achieved with a low ISO setting. ISO 200 or 400 will introduce too much noise with the long exposure times needed to shoot fireworks.


12. Hope for or seek out excellent weather conditions. Especially in San Francisco which has notoriously cold and foggy summers, you may need to find areas that have good weather on the 4th of July. Nevertheless, as you can see in photos 13 through 19 on the left, the fog does make for some unusual fireworks shots, especially when the fireworks explode in the fog.

Finally, and most importantly, be sure to enjoy the fireworks display while you're there. Don't just spend your time working on shots, behind the camera. Relax a bit and enjoy the fireworks.