Photography: How to Photograph Fireworks

orginal post by dps blogWho doesn't like fireworks? I think thy are great and they put on quite the show. But how do you capture them on camera? Well read on and you will find out!

1. Stability

You will need a very stable surface, where the camera is steady. A tripod or a monopod or anything that will hold the camera in the position you want will work.



2. Remote Releases

Try using a remote release of some sort to fire of the shutter of your camera. This will make sure that the shot is 100% steady. If you dont have the remote release you could try your luck at the 10second timer or just press the shutter, which in most cases isn't going to render any blur but you can never be 100% certain.



3. Framing your image

Wow, this sounds hard? Well its is kind of hard to frame your fireworks shots, because you cant really be 100% sure were they are going to explode so to speak. And to make the fire works shots some what special you want to have something else but along with the fireworks in the frame right? To make ti better then all the other fireworks shots that are out there. So picture in your mind what you want to capture (lean towards the wider angle here) and if you capture to much you can just crop the image later on in post processing.



4. Focal length?

If you want to be on the sure side, always lean towards the wider angle so to speak, as this will capture more in your frame. But if you know exactly (or have a very good idea) where the fireworks is going to explode into a very beatiful pattern then feel free to zoom in as this will render some very interesting results.

5. Aperture?

I would suggest anything from f/8 to f/22, nothing below that that is for sure as you want to get as much as you possible can in focus (not to mention that the smaller apertures renders the "start" like shaping of strong lights)



6. Shutter Speed?

I use the bulb mode on my camera when capturing fireworks. Why? As soon as i see the fireworks trailing towards the sky i open the shutter and just leave it open till the explosion has passed and you will get the entire firework in your image. From the long trail (or tail) till the beatiful explosion.

7. ISO?

100/200 should be more then enough, as your using bulb mode and the fireworks can be very bright, you don't want to overexpose the shot!