We can always count on fireworks photo opportunities at Independence Day celebration. Almost everyone likes them and it seems there are always some people photographing them. It’s really not all that difficult to get good shots, and here are some tips for photographing fireworks that will help you capture the beauty, color, and excitement.
1. You need to secure the camera so that it can’t move during the long exposures required. A tripod works well and unlike clamps, doesn’t require anything else to give a stable and stationary support for your camera.
2. Use a remote release if at all possible because it allows you to activate the shutter without causing the camera to move. The specifics vary by camera but releases are available for most of them. If none are made for your camera or you don’t want to buy one then you can try the self timer to trip the shutter, but it is very difficult to time fireworks this way.
3. Bring a small flashlight so you can deal with the unexpected.
4. Arrive early to scope out the scene and reserve a spot that gives you a clear view without people moving around between you and the action. Be sensible, of course. Everyone else wants to see the fireworks too, so don’t pick a place that obstructs the view of others. If there is wind it is best to find a position where the smoke will blow away from you so that it doesn’t interfere with getting sharp images of the fireworks.
5. Decide if the scene is best rendered in horizontal or vertical format and how you might want to frame the pyrotechnics. Then set up the tripod for whichever format you think you’ll use most. This is a good time to try several focal lengths to get an idea of what lenses you might want to have ready for use. Consider putting the camera on manual focus and preset the focus so that everything you care about will be within the range of acceptable sharpness. Get the tripod level, too. The horizon and any leveling devices you might have will be more difficult to use once darkness arrives.
6. Turn off the flash. It won’t help capture anything and it drains your battery.
7. Dial in the exposure settings. ISO 100 is a good choice for sensitivity because it produces high quality images with a minimum of noise in dark areas. Shoot in manual mode if your camera allows it. Start with an aperture of f/8 to f/16, depending on how much depth of field you want. F/16 will help in getting both the foreground and background sharply rendered; if the fireworks are too dark in your images then try opening up to f/11 or f/8.
The bulb setting for the shutter is a good choice because you can open the shutter when you hear the lifting charge go off, and close it as soon as when the light from the burst has died out. If you don’t have a bulb setting then experiment, starting in the 3 to 10 second range and adjust as needed.
8. Try for multiple bursts in a single image. Use the bulb mode and open the shutter when you hear the lifting charge. After the burst cover then lens with a dark hat or piece of black foam core and wait for the next lifting charge. Uncover the lens to capture the burst and then cover it again. Repeat as desired, but check your results as you shoot. Too many bursts in the same region of the frame could cause the image to be overexposed. If the wind or noise obscures the sound of the lifting charges then watch for the streaks caused by the fuses as the pyrotechnics travel upward from their launching tubes.
9. Experiment with zooming in and out so that you end up with variety in your images, and look for the opportunity to include silhouettes, people, vegetation, buildings, bridges, etc. And trying longer exposure times could give you images that show people and scenery that look as though they were shot at twilight or even before sunset. Fireworks won’t show up well at the long exposures, but crowd shots at outdoor events can be quite interesting.
9. Pack up carefully so that you go home with all the gear you brought.
10. Next time study your results a few days in advance, looking for what worked, what didn’t, and what you might try in the future. Consider making your tip list for photographing fireworks.
© 2011, TheDigitalPhotoCoach.com. All rights reserved.
© 2011, TheDigitalPhotoCoach.com. All rights reserved.
