Get the Goods: Tips and Tricks for Shooting Fireworks

Tired of the same hum-drum firework shots year after year? Use some of these great tips and tricks culled from my favorite photography sites to take your shots from run-of-the-mill to thrill this Fourth of July!

Tip and Photo by Frank Siteman, a Boston Digital Photography Academy Instructor: TAKE THE LENS CAP OFF


Yes, it may seem simple enough, all you have to remember to do is " take the lens cap off". But Wait, maybe you don't want it to be so simple. Imagine what you can achieve if you're willing to shake things up a bit.

Try this:

With your camera on a tripod and the shutter set to B for bulb, you can easily obtain multiple exposures of fireworks.

First, hit the shutter. The shutter will open...but with a lens cap on, no light will enter the camera.

Then, as you hear the dull thud of the launcher and see the streaking fuse heading to the heights, you can pretty well judge when a big burst will happen.

So, just before that explosion of shape and color, and with that shutter still open (on bulb), remove the lens cap and capture just the climax of the pyrotechnic. Then, cover the lens and wait for the next launch, repeating the process until the entire field of the photo is filled. Obviously, some experimentation will be required, but you'll have a blast with this one, cobbling together an unending variety of color, motion and dazzling sparkles.

And don't forget that you have the option to point the camera at different areas of the sky.



10 Tips from Digital Photography School

Photo by Hupaishi

This post from the DPS Forum is chock full of the most important techniques for shooting fireworks shared by fellow photographers and the book "Digital Photography: Top 100 Simplified Tips & Tricks (Top 100 Simplified Tips & Tricks)" by Rob Sheppard.

The greatest drama from the night may not be in the skies, reminds photographer Jon Sienkiewicz, who wrote about Metering Fireworks at takegreatpictures.com

Keep a look out for crowd reactions, such as this photo of an amazed and wary looking child shared on the Huff family blog