Any tips for shooting fireworks?

[ilzho]

Hello:

I am planning on taking some pictures of the July 4th fireworks.

Does anyone have any recommendations on camera settings, dos and donts, etc.

I plan on setting up in a close by parking lot with my tripod. I was told to put the ISO settings at 100.

Any help is appreciated.

[jrhoffman75]

http://www.learn.usa.canon.com/resources/articles/2011/qt_tips_photograph_fireworks_article.shtml

[TTMartin]

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@jrhoffman75 wrote:

http://www.learn.usa.canon.com/resources/articles/2011/qt_tips_photograph_fireworks_article.shtml

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Pay particular attention to the composition section. While fireworks in the sky are really beautiful, the most compelling fireworks shots connect those fireworks to the people enjoying them. Shots that pick up the crown even if they are just in silhouette are more compelling than just the fireworks alone. 

[ilzho]

Perfect article for me.

Thank you,.

I'll try to get pictures of people enjoying them.

I've never captured fireworks or really any night photography, so it should be a great learning experience.

[Waddizzle]

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@ilzho wrote:

Perfect article for me.

Thank you,.

I'll try to get pictures of people enjoying them.

I've never captured fireworks or really any night photography, so it should be a great learning experience.

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Yeah, that is a great article.  It makes your mind race with possibilities.

If it is dark, it may be hard to capture pictures of the people, most especially if they are moving around.  However, their movement may create interesting effects in some instances.  Try to capture the surrounding area with and without people.

[ebiggs1]

"I am planning on taking some pictures of the July 4th fireworks.

Does anyone have any recommendations on camera settings, dos and donts, etc.

I plan on setting up in a close by parking lot with my tripod. I was told to put the ISO settings at 100."

One of my favorite things to shoot is fireworks.  Manual everything is the norm.  Tripod, yes.  Beyond that a few more things make for beautiful results.  Bracket and multi-exposure and experiment.  Don't stick with ISO 100.  Don't stay with the same SS or aperture.

[Waddizzle]

"I am planning on taking some pictures of the July 4th fireworks."

Me, too.  I was thinking about it.  Try to find a place that does it early, so that you can practice up.

I have recently seen some shots of fireworks taken while the lens was defocused during the exposure.  The result was similar to what happens to a waterfall during a long exposure.  The images looked like a solid 3D object.  I was immediately reminded of the old-fashioned toys known as "jacks", that girls used to play with.  Sometimes it looked like popcorn, but with spines inside of it that stretched the outside surface outward.