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Taking great photographs of fireworks requires more planning and equipment than most other types of photographs. This article will teach you what equipment and techniques you can use to improve your photographs.


1

Bring extra batteries, film/memory, and a tripod to keep your camera steady while taking photographs of fireworks. During the fireworks, you want to make sure that you have enough battery to last throughout the entire show. When choosing a tripod, select one that will be tall enough to not be blocked by viewers in front of you and if you will be sitting on a beach, allow at least 5cm of extra height for the tripod to sink into the sand.






2

Before the show starts, adjust the settings of your camera and make sure everything is working. Select a shutter speed of at least 1/2 of a second but not more than 10 seconds. If your camera does not allow you to adjust the shutter speed, use the night

flash feature on your camera. Keep the ISO low to minimize the noise and to give room for a slower ISO speed. If you want forgrond objects to be illumated, use a flash. The camera will have a hard time focusing on the fireworks so set the focusing to infinity. Finally, plan several compositions before the show starts.






3

When the show starts, use a remote trigger or a self timer so that the camera will not shake when you press the shutter release button. If you find that the fireworks in your photographs are being overexposed, lower the EV.






4

Keep taking photographs whenever you can. It usually takes many photographs to have one you'll love.





It will take practice to be able to take great photographs of fireworks. Try including a forground or an object in the photo (ex. a barge) so that the fireworks doesn't look like it's floating in the air.

Written by: Denny Tang

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