Wednesday, July 14, 2010

How to Take Pictures of Fireworks

Summer has great photo opportunities everywhere you turn. But one of the most spectacular Summertime scene is fireworks. Check out these tips as you prepare to capture those moments.
  • Bring a tripod and flashlight to the firework display.
  • If you don't have firework mode, set your camera to manual mode: ISO 200, aperture f/8, and shutter speed between 5 and 15 seconds. After you take a few pictures, take a look at how they are turning out, and adjust the shutter speed accordingly (leave the ISO and f-stop alone).
  • Include a landmark in the photo, such as a statue, stadium, park, lake, or whatever the surrounding area includes. As the fireworks explode, they will light up the landmark beautifully.
  • Remember that fireworks come fast and furious during the finale of the show. Therefore, you may need to decrease your shutter speed. 15 seconds will likely be overexposed during the finale. Try 5 seconds instead.

Good luck! Be sure and share some of your experiments with us. And just think of the photo book cover possibilities...

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