grandpaw

Things you will need…. Any camera that will shoot in manual mode, A tripod, Flashlight,and the knowledge of how to change shooting modes and settings on your camera. Don't wait until you get to the show and it is about to start to try and figure out how to change the settings on your camera because it is too late at that point.

I have been taking fireworks photos for many years and if you follow my instructions I guarantee you will come away with a bunch of exciting and colorful images even if it is your first time.

Choosing your location… Do you want to capture just the bursts of fireworks in the air or add a foreground element, such as some trees or buildings. Once you have made that decision we can work on getting the settings where you need them on your camera.. Whether you are near or far from the action of the fireworks they will cover a very wide area so make sure you bring a wide enough angle lens to capture as much of the color and excitement as you can. It is easier to crop out dead space than cut off half of the fireworks.

These are the settings that I use and they never fail to produce great images. Manual mode, ISO 100, F16 and a 10 second exposure. When the first blast goes off I take a shot at maybe 1/30 of a second and check to make sure my focus is spot on. At that point I switch to a 10 second exposure and what that does is allows me to get several blasts in one image, making it more interesting and colorful. I press the shutter down and at the end of ten seconds when I hear the shutter click I just press it again and start my next exposure, and repeat this during the entire show. This will give you about five exposures a minute so if the show is about 20 minutes long you will end up with approximately a hundred images.

Using ISO 100 will eliminate the grain and give you the best color. Using F16 will give you much more definition in the streaks and bursts. Using a 10 second shutter will give you more blasts in each image and eliminate you having to time your shots. Remember this is all done on a tripod.

Hope this helps. Sorry I didn't post it earlier but I have been in bed sick all week.

WessoJPEG Loc: Cincinnati, Ohio

Thanks for the info.

bedouin Loc: Big Bend area, Texas

Thank you for sharing your valuable experience.

grandpaw

A lot of people think you have to have an expensive camera with a fast lens because it is dark outside but you are actually taking pictures of the fireworks which are well lit and not require anything special at all to get images. Using my method you can get all the pictures you want and actually be able to watch the show at the same time without worrying about your camera and timing your shots.

fbeaston Loc: Vermont

Thanks for the informative post & hope you're on the mend.

PhotoNat Loc: Santa Maria, CA

Thanks for the tips. Sorry you have been sick all week. Hope you feel better.
PhotoNat

grandpaw

I woke and realized it was the 4th and wanted to come in and write something up that might be of some help to others wanting to try shooting firework and now I am headed back to bed. Have a great day and thanks for the kind words.

Tomfl101 Loc: Mount Airy, MD

Really great that you shared your technique. This will save most of us valuable time and. Effort to get it right. THANKS!!!

fourg1b2006 Loc: Long Island New York

Sounds like great advise. Thank you.

Guyserman Loc: Benton, AR

That's pretty much how I do it. Glad you're feeling better.

aikiboy

Sorry to hear you were sick, thanks for the post, will try your technique.
Jonathan

Fred Frank Loc: Roanoke Alabama

Right on time. Thanks

grandpaw

Once you nail the focusing be sure and turn off autofocus on your camera or lens so that it wouldn’t change focus on you during the show. If you are using back button focus instead of your shutter button then you don’t need to worry about turning off the autofocus. Otherwise your camera will refocus each time you press the shutter button and there is no telling what it will be focusing on. Have fun and have a great 4th!!!

abc1234 Loc: Elk Grove Village, Illinois

Let me give you something to think about. Lenses, in general, are sharpest around two stops in. I use Reikan FoCal to determine lens sharpness at different apertures. With my lenses, not only is that two stop generalization true, but past f/11 or so, the lenses are very much less sharp.

Rather than firing the shutter every ten seconds, I keep it open for one or two bursts. That way, I isolate a specific pattern or two. Depending on the venue, I either follow the rockets up and freeze the panning or am far enough away that I keep the camera stationary. A tripod is a must. Regardless of your own method, the ISO and aperture determine your exposure and shutter speed has nothing to do with it. The fireworks supply all the light so check your first exposures to make sure you have decent exposures. Leave the rest to post-processing.

I hope everyone enjoys the day and gets great pictures.

stevesf

Let me give you something to think about. Lenses, in general, are sharpest around two stops in. I use Reikan FoCal to determine lens sharpness at different apertures. With my lenses, not only is that two stop generalization true, but past f/11 or so, the lenses are very much less sharp.

Questions: When you say 'two stops in' do you mean two stops from the smallest aperture? Does 'past f/11 or so' mean in the direction of larger apertures?
Thanks