Ultimate guide to photographing fireworks well
Taking photos of the night sky can be challenging if you don’t know where to start. By the end of the post about photographing fireworks you’ll know exactly:
What gear is a must for shooting fireworks?
Before you get started, make sure you’ve got the best gear for taking better firework photos.
- Something to stabilise your camera, ideally a decent travel tripod
- Remote release – to avoid motion blur
- Any Camera that will do long exposures, but ideally one with manual mode, manual focus and BULB.
- Best lens for fireworks is either a wide and a zoom / telephoto lens lens or ideally a versatile on that does both like an 18-200mm with infinity manual focus.
- Memory Cards – It’s too easy to fun out of space
- Spare batteries
- Flashlight
- Gloves
Photographing fireworks at night guide
Before the day scout for the best locations.
This can take some researching so it’s always great if you can go before the day and stake out the ideal viewing spots. Pick a clear empty vantage point. Consider something in the foreground, maybe angled to make a silhouette. Leave movement room within your shot and ideally upwind from all the smoke.
Pro Tip:
Check the weather before you shoot as it will affect your photo. Wind direction and speed will tell you how quickly and which direction the smoke will be pushed and how clear the night sky is will affect your exposure. Fingers crossed for clear dark skies.
This is the most difficult and yet most creative part of the whole process. Anticipating where you need to point the camera in the first place and what might get your way.
- Start by using a Tripod
Yes, you really should stabilize your camera in some way or another because you’re going to be using long shutter speeds which will result in blur if you don’t keep it perfectly still.
- Use a Remote Release
I love using a remote release because not only does it result in a stiller camera but it also allows for you to get to watch the show better. Don’t have to get one? Try timer instead.
The best camera settings for fireworks
Shoot in Manual Mode, yes even on your phone.
- Manual Focus
Camera’s struggle to focus in the dark because it can’t find the contrast of the edges. So set your focus to manual and turn it infinity. Turn off VR.
- Select the right Aperture
A good starting point for aperture is f11, but you aiming for something around the f8-f16.
- Get your Shutter Speed Right.
Not only will this allow you enough depth of field but it will ensure the sharpest photos. Instead of choosing the best shutter speed for fireworks, set the camera to Bulb (B) which allows you to keep the shutter open as long as you want, by holding down the shutter button (normally between 1-10 seconds), enabling you to keep the shutter open for multiple bursts even if you don’t know how long thats going to be.
In ‘Bulb’ Mode, you control the shutter speed by holding down the shutter release. The camera continues recording until you let go of that button.
To use ‘Bulb’ Mode, turn your camera to manual mode. Turn the shutter speed all the way down until you see B or Bulb near the shutter speed display.
- Set your ISO
Ideally you want to be around the ISO 100 – 200 mark, because you’re going to use a long exposure to get enough light and you want the black to just that black.
Don’t forget:
- Switch off your Flash
Just do it. You don’t want any additional light apart from the fireworks.
- Is your horizon straight?
Action Steps:
- Scout out the best location
- Set up your tripod early and do some test shots to make sure you happy with your manual focus, aperture and composition
- Try a longer exposure to capture more than more burst
- Try zooming out | in during the exposure for a creative result
- Considering stepping back even further to enable you to capture the foreground as well.
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