It’s almost Independence Day and you’re thinking about BBQ, friends and family, and fireworks. A great ‘ol American celebration.  Here’s the $95,000 dollar question, how do I take pictures of fireworks?  Of course there are many options, some easy and some hard. Let’s start with easy (if you’re pressed for time you can stop after this.) Check your owner’s manual to see if you have a special mode for fireworks. If you are using a point and shoot camera I can almost guarantee you do.  Make the selection and fire away (nice pun don’t you think?)

If you have a DSLR and want a bigger challenge or you want bragging rights you took killer pictures by yourself, put the camera on manual mode.  Before we get to settings we need to remember two things: first, left alone your camera will meter the dark night sky and overexpose the picture, and second, you want to catch the light trails of the black powder explosion to capture the grandeur and colors of those beautiful fireworks. Okay, here we go.

Fireworks light up the night sky so we need to expose for that light.  We also want everything nice and sharp in the frame. You get to play with this a little as the exhibition goes on by examining the back display and making small adjustments but let’s start with f8 and ISO 200. This will keep the light trails sharp and the black sky black (without spotty noise). Our next setting is the one that give you bragging rights; set the shutter speed to 1/30 or 1/15^th of a second. If you can’t hold the camera still use a tripod. The longer the shutter speed the larger the fireworks will be in the frame.  Follow the lighted path of the firework with the camera up and hit the shutter when it explodes.  Sounds easy doesn’t it?  You will want to take several pictures during the show making little adjustments to shutter speed and position to get a few different options when you view the pictures later.

If you are feeling artsy and creative use the lighted sky to silhouette items in the foreground. You’ll get bonus points and many oohs and ahhs.

If this all seems like too much trouble you can always take out your phone, set to video and enjoy the show!

I choose to include the bowsprit from the HMS Surprise (from the movie Master and Commander) in these pictures in 2013.  I especially liked the red fireworks because it reminds me of the Star Spangled Banner, our national anthem.

Happy Independence Day!.

Dave