Interested in learning how to photograph fireworks? With the 4th of July holiday right around the corner, we want to share with you a few of our tried-and-true steps for getting started. So let’s do this!

Photo by Misti Tracy | Love that Shot

1. Preparation First thing’s first, a little preparation goes a long way! You’ll want to arrive at the display location a little early, preferably around dusk so it’s still light enough to set up your equipment. You’ll also want to scope out the area to see if there are any features in the landscape or cityscape that you could include in the composition of your photograph. Also, make sure to pinpoint the exact location of where the fireworks will be fired from. The last thing you want to do is get all set up, then have to move once the fireworks begin. Even just a few feet will make a huge difference.

2. Stability Because we’ll be using slow shutter speeds, the use of a tripod is a necessity. A Cable Release or Remote Shutter is equally important. These tools can be quite affordable and are extremely helpful in preventing any movement caused by hand-holding the camera.

Photo by Misti Tracy | Love that Shot

3. Lens You’ll want to use a wide angle lens in order to capture the entire scene. Anything around the 18-35mm range will work quite nicely. You may be surprised that you can capture some pretty amazing shots with your 18-55mm kit lens, so don’t dismiss it.

4. Go Manual Auto-focusing in low-light conditions can be very difficult for most cameras, so we recommend using manual focus mode. Try setting your focus to infinity, test fire a few shots to check sharpness, and you’re set. You won’t need to worry about the focus throughout the show, unless you zoom in or out to re-frame the shot.

Photo by Misti Tracy | Love that Shot

5. ISO Since we’ll be using a long shutter speed and a tripod, you can set your ISO to 100. This will prevent your photo from looking grainy.

6. Aperture (f-stop) Your first instinct may be to shoot wide open because we’re shooting at night, right? Well, that may be true, but we’re shooting a light source that is extremely bright. So closing the aperture down to about f/11 to start with, will allow you to use a long enough shutter speed to capture the light trails the fireworks make. Play around with this setting. If the fireworks are a bit blown out, close your aperture down to f/16. If they seem a bit too dark, open your aperture to f/8, and so on.

Photo by Misti Tracy | Love that Shot

7. Shutter This is what makes shooting fireworks so much fun! Set your shutter to Bulb, this is where the Cable Release and Shutter Remote we talked about earlier will come into play. Once the fireworks start, press the shutter button, leaving the shutter open through the explosion of the firework (about 2-4 seconds). Using a slow shutter, in combination with a low ISO and small aperture, will allow you to capture the light trails from start to finish as they disappear into the night.

8. Snap Away! Take a LOT of photos, more so than you’re probably used to taking. Don’t be surprised if you end up with upwards of 75 photos or so within an hour-long fireworks show! Experiment with different lengths of shutter speeds. Play with the composition. Try zooming in and filling the frame with colorful light trails. And most of all, enjoy the show!

About the Authors:

Two sisters, following slightly different paths, developed a passion for photography, which led to the founding of Love that Shot. Michelle’s initial creative pursuit was music and Misti’s, graphic design. They took what they learned and started www.LoveThatShot.com to provide the everyday, casual photographer with convenient, easy-to-understand and affordable online workshops. Find them on Facebook, click here!