The Fourth of July immediately brings to mind beautiful bursts of light and color booming and cascading from the
sky. Naturally, it's an ideal opportunity for taking fantastic photos. We'll show you a few creative ideas for
photographing fireworks with your digital camera and simple techniques for capturing unforgettable images.
How to prepare
Before you head off to the show, you're going to need a few things:
Bring memory for the memories. Remember to keep extra memory cards handy, and leave yourself
enough memory for the big finale (you'll be clicking away like crazy). And don't forget a backup set of batteries, just
in case.
Shed some light. When taking photos at night (or under any dark conditions) it's wise to carry
a small flashlight (to find those fresh batteries, for example).
Bring a tripod. For fireworks photos, it's a good idea to use a tripod to keep your camera
steady. If a full-sized tripod is too big for you, consider the
Gorillapod
by Joby. It's the perfect way to steady your camera on almost any object.
(Check out alternatives to using a tripod in the Tips and tricks section).
Make sure you arrive early. You don't want to be running around trying to find that choice spot once everyone is already there.
Avoid setting up near power lines, tree branches, and other obstructions that can ruin your fireworks shot. Also, while bridges
are one of the greatest places for watching fireworks, they're far from ideal for taking slow exposures. Passing vehicles can
cause enough vibration to blur your photos.
Before you begin shooting, there's just one more thing to know: Don't use your flash when photographing fireworks. A
flash freezes the moment, but you want your shots to take a little longer (to capture all those dramatic cascading
light trails). The Night Scenery shooting mode on your camera is designed just for these kinds of low-light, no-flash
situations. For cameras with manual controls, here a couple more options
Adjust shutter speed
If you have a tripod, set your shutter speed to several seconds (3 to 5). This is long enough for a beautiful
fireworks shot.
Adjust ISO
If you don't have a tripod, increasing your ISO (your camera's sensitivity to light) allows for shorter exposures
without blur. The trade off is that you add more grain or "noise" to your photos.
All right, let's get snapping. Sometimes a fireworks display will start before it's completely dark outside. This is
the perfect opportunity to catch the vibrant colors of sunset, along with shots of the colorful bursts of light from
the fireworks. With the lingering twilight, you're also likely to catch a lot of things that you wouldn't normally
see in a night shot (like the capitol building or boats on the river). Most cameras have
a Sunset shooting mode that will help.
It's spectacular when you can get more than one or two bursting fireworks into a single picture. If using the
Night Scenery shooting mode or lowering the ISO doesn't give you enough time for the shot you want, wait for the
show's finale. There will be more light and more simultaneous bursts. As long as you keep your camera still, either
by setting it on a stationary object or using a tripod, you can achieve great results.
A panorama is a series of photos digitally stitched together to form one wide image. You can use this wide format
and include surrounding scenery, even without a flash. The bright lights from a fireworks display will illuminate
a cityscape, a body of water, or other scenic landscape nicely.
It will take some patience to get this shot right. Photograph one burst and wait for those fireworks to
dissapate. Move your frame and capture the next explosion, and so on. In the end you'll have a photo that
appears to have several bursts happening at once—in all their panoramic glory!
Several digital cameras offer in-camera panorama stitching—a feature that fuses up to five single shots
together to create one seamless image—right in your camera. No software needed!
Multiple photos over time show the progression of fireworks being launched and then exploding. Avoid shutter lag
(the time between pressing the trigger and the camera taking the picture) by pressing the trigger halfway down.
When the right moment comes, press all the way down to instantly capture the desired image. You can also set your
camera to the Landscape shooting mode. This fixes the focus for distant objects so your camera won't have to
focus each time.
Since you won't be using your flash, turn around during a fireworks display to catch people's reaction. Later, you can print
your photos and display them next to other fireworks photos for a unique perspective on the night. You can even print one large
photo of the burst and include two or three smaller pictures of people's reactions below.
Try these techniques to consistently take outstanding Fourth of July photos.
Hold still. Any camera motion will blur a long exposure, and it's almost impossible to hold
your camera steady enough in your hands. Instead, brace your camera against a railing or other stationary object, or use
a tripod. Tripods come in many different sizes-some are even small enough to fit into a purse or camera bag.
The Gorillapod
is a flexible tripod that can wrap around almost an object. Your camera doesn't even need to be upright.
Use a timer. Even when your camera is steady, the pressure of your finger on the trigger can
cause enough movement to blur your photo. If this becomes a problem for you, consider using your camera's timer. That
way, you don't even have to touch the camera while it photographs an image.
Use the HP photo printer buying guide
to compare, consider and choose the HP photo printer that's right for you. You'll find all the information you need so
you'll be ready to print your dynamite fireworks photos!
Take a free online class
in digital photography! Explore the many features of your digital camera, find tips for cropping and editing your
images, and discover new ideas for sharing your photos in creative ways.
Printable version
