It’s that time again, where we all get to enjoy lots of little explosions in the sky and celebrate our nation’s independence, all while drinking lots of beer, eating deliciously un-healthy food and enjoying time with out friends and family… For those of you planning to shoot during the fireworks, and want some pointers, here’s a little revisit to a fireworks post I found among my feeds. Check it out.
Quick Tips for Getting The shot
* Get setup early to avoid last minute problems
* Use the right lens.
* If you are close to the fireworks, go wide, farther away, go long.
* Use a tripod and a remote shutter release.
* Shoot manual.
* Generally you will be far enough to set focus to infinity
* Set your shutter speed and aperture (f/8 and f/16 depending on ambient light.
* If available on your camera, go for bulb exposures.
* Bulb allows you to control how long the shutter is open.
Don’t be Afraid to be Different
Let’s be realisitic, we’ve all seen tons of the same old fireworks shots, over and over again. The real challenge in shooting fireworks is getting original, interesting photos. Here are some tips to help make that happen:
* Figure out your scene, and use it to your advantage. As the show starts, examine what you are seeing, and make your adjustments to get the best shots.
* Add some foreground elements to your frame. Adding foreground elements to the shot can add that extra level of interestingness firework shots need. In my shots this year, I readjusted to frame the fireworks between two palm trees.
* Look around! Usually when you are out to see a fireworks show, there is a lot of interesting stuff going on around you. Whether it be the glow of the fireworks on your friends faces, or kids running around with sparklers, there are good shots to be had.
