Guide on better Fireworks photography

[mgstudio99]

Christmas is fast approaching and I am looking for a tips for better fireworks photography..

any suggestions??

[Fortytwo]

Use a tripod and long shutter times. And include some other objects into the scene to give you a sense of scale.

[Bambi]

to add to above: take about 500 pictures so that 2 or 3 will turn out well.

[tirediron]

Use a tripod and remote-release/cable-release, preferably with your mirror locked up.

Set your aperture to f8 or so, and select manual focus, focusing on infinity.

Start with a shutter-speed of around 1.5 seconds and work up from there.

Use wider glass if possible, and as mentioned, keep things in the image which will provide a sense of scale.

[Yisehaq]

I might add, try to release the shutter just before the fireworks burst out not as they are shooting up. It will be too early and the fireworks will not open up very wide if so.

[Greg_Nuspel]

I set up my interval timer and let the camera go, sit back enjoy the show. Since I am not aware of the choreography I find this works for me. Otherwise there is a tendency to get the just after the best part images. I know it is random but I tend to get a few good ones each time.

With shows that are set to music you can predict the shots better so a remote release can be a good thing as long as you know the music and have a vision like the choreographer.