Now that you know where to shoot and what to bring along, let’s discuss some other factors that you should keep in mind while documenting your local Fourth of July fireworks display.
LENSES
Simply put, wider is better. Without a doubt a wide-angle lens works better for fireworks photography. If you can get your hands on a 20mm to 35mm lens, for example, you will increase your field of view and have better luck capturing the full effect of the entire explosion. Conversely, a lens that’s too long (80mm to 200mm) will almost certainly limit how much you capture in a single shot. For those of you shooting with cameras that feature a built-in zoom lens, make sure you are zoomed all the way out so you don’t miss any of the action.
SETTINGS
If you’re shooting with a standard digital camera, set you’re the film speed to ASA 100. If you’re shooting film, purchase multiple rolls of ASA 100. It’s one of the slowest film speeds available so the color saturation will be high, and the “grain” (those visible particles that make a photo look fuzzy) will be low. Avoid using a higher ASA, such as 400 or 800, which increases the graininess of the film and compromises the clarity of the shot. You also want to remember turn off your flash when shooting fireworks since the light emitted from the flash will overwhelm the fireworks.
Finally, timing is everything when shooting fireworks. You need to have a fast finger to capture the light show at its peak. One trick to consider is pushing the shutter button while the firework is still rising in the sky. Doing so will allow the shutter to stay open longer due to the low light, so the camera should have time to capture the explosion at just the right moment. Also, to avoid blurry shots use a tripod and your camera’s self-timer. That way you won’t have to touch the camera while it is documenting the fireworks.
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