fireworks photography tips

4th of July fireworks photography tips

Wed Jun 24, 2009 4:31PM EDT

Buzz up!36 votes The 4th of July is nearly upon us, and that means it's time to to go watch things explode violently and colorfully in the sky... and impressing your friends with the photos you take of said explosions.

Taking good fireworks pictures isn't actually all that easy, so I've cobbled together my favorite fireworks pic-taking tips -- something of an annual tradition now at Yahoo! Tech -- to help you on your way. After all, you only get one day a year (maybe two) to snap a big fireworks show.

Don't forget to charge your batteries and clear out some space on your memory card first!

4th of July Fireworks Tips

Forget the Flash

You're shooting at night or dusk, and unless you change it, your camera's auto-flash setting will want to go off with ever shutter press. Turn it off before you get started: You can no more illuminate a fireworks display with your tiny flash than you can the moon. The flash will even work against you by slowing down your camera, causing you to miss shots.

Tripods Are Your Friend

Low-light photography means keeping things as still as possible during the shot. A tripod will help immensely here. If you're comfortable with manual settings, change the aperture to f/8 or f/16 and use ISO 100, which pros say are the best settings for pyrotechnics. (Many cameras also have a special fireworks mode, obviously also worth a shot.)

Try the Rapid-Fire Mode

Most cameras have a speed mode that lets you capture 5, 10, or more shots in rapid succession with a single shutter press. Give it a try when you know a big volley is coming up. You never know what you're going to catch.

Vary Your Angles

You'll naturally feel like zooming in on the explosions in the sky, but more interesting shots often include the environment -- the crowd, surrounding buildings or landscape, clouds, and anything else nearby. Consider getting a seat further away than you might ordinarily try for so you have this option. At the same time, ultra-close zoom shots of fireworks can yield very interesting and unusual results.