Better Fireworks

from The Laurel of Northeast Georgia

by The Laurel of Northeast Georgia

Equine Assisted Psychotherapy

Fireworks over Rabun

Fireworks over Burton

Better Fireworks Photos - Tips and Tricks

by Peter McIntosh

Fourth of July fireworks are always fun, and even more fun if you can capture these pyrotechnical marvels with your camera. And when I say camera, I’m referring to both DSLRs and phone cameras. Here are some tips and tricks to help you take better fireworks photos.

1 - Use a tripod. This is true for both regular cameras and camera phones. You can shoot without a tripod but a steady platform increases your odds of getting a sharp image. (For cell phones there’s the Pedco Ultrapod 3 Lightweight Camera Tripod available on Amazon for about $20, and it comes with a cell phone clip.) If you’re in a boat, try to keep your camera as steady as possible. 2 - Think about composition. Something other than just starbursts. When shooting on one of our beautiful lakes, the boats in the water and the reflection of the fireworks is an obvious choice. In other locations, look for a foreground element that gives the image a sense of place. (Children’s silhouettes, friends in lawn chairs, etc.) Also consider horizontal versus vertical. Most fireworks photos are vertical but sometimes horizontal is a better composition. 3 - Focal length, zoom or wide angle? Typically wide angle is better as you can crop the image later should you desire. Wide angle images are usually sharper unless you have a very steady tripod. This is especially true for cell phones where zooming magnifies any camera movement. Most newer cell phones have this feature. (Look it up on YouTube for your specific model) And turn off your flash!

5 - Set correct Aperture - F/8 to F/16. A smaller aperture increases the field of focus and helps with longer exposures.

6 - Shutter speed. Learn how to adjust this on the fly. Typically between 4 to 8 seconds will produce the best results. But keep in mind if you go to a longer shutter speed, you’ll want a higher F stop. (Smaller aperture) If you’re in boat, do the best you can with a faster shutter speed. 7 - ISO - Set you ISO to 100. Fireworks are bright so a higher ISO usually isn’t necessary. You can do this with most cell phones as well. 8 - Smoke direction. If your goal is to get the best fireworks photo possible, try to be upwind of the shooting location. It’s a best guess scenario, and sometimes it doesn’t matter, just something to consider. 9 - Have fun! Take lots of pictures, check your photos to make sure you’re not getting blown out highlights. And keep in mind my tips here are guidelines, not rules. Happy Fourth of July and enjoy the show!