There are often some fireworks in some special festival, they are always very beautiful. Maybe you want to take some photos on them as the unforgettable memory in the future. But it is really a tough work for most of you. Don’t worry, let’s learn some skills in doing so.
Below are some useful tips to help you get started.
Planning
Planning is the most important when photograhing Fireworks Displays and this is what most people tend to ignore. Always get to the location early. Be sure of where the fireworks are being setup and what part of the sky will it be lighting up. Try asking the organisors if possible of what they are planning. Look around the location and take note of the lightings and surroundings. You might want to decide now on what lenses and the focal lengths to use. Remember the first and most important thing in fireworks photography is planning and anticipation.
It is not necessary to set your shutter speed to a very low setting. The temptation to keep your shutter open too long is because its dark and you need to do that. The problem is that fireworks itself are bright and you might over expose them and you may end up not having a clean and nice shot. What you may get is too much of the smoke in you photograph.
Aperture
What aperture to use in Photographing Fireworks Dispalys? Many people thinks that they need to open up the aperture in order to capture them right. But remember, the lights that fireworks emit is quite bright. So we can set our aperture between mid to smaller f stop. And again it will also depends on what shutter speed you have selected.
Framing and Focusing
Where to aim your camera? This is one of the most difficult part in photographing fireworks displays. You normally need to aim your camera before the fireworks goes off. Actually it is better to look in the sky rather then looking at my view finder so that we can see what’s happening around us and also anticipate the moment or the right time to shot.
Always manually focus your camera or put it on infinity. It’s quite impossible to use auto focus mode in low light and you may end up missing a lot of shots. So set your focusing in advanced and fix your focal lengths but remember to adjust your focusing if you happen to change your focal lengths.
Capturing the Mood and Surroundings
When photographing Fireworks Displays many people tend to just capture the Fireworks and forgetting the foreground or the background. Remember Fireworks Displays are often relates to celebrations and occasions and I personally feels your picture must relates to the occasions and it must tell you where, what and when. Don’t forget to include other elements such as people, landmarks or other perspectives to make your photograph more meaningful and the Fireworks Display looking more spectacular.
Flash Photography Techniques – Ambient Light Plus Flash
With careful use of flash, you can make your photo looks natural as though no flash had been used, instate it will enhance the photo further reducing contrast and yet looking very natural.
Take as Many Shots as Possible and Track Results
Keep taking as many shots as possible and do a quick check occasionally. But remember….. don’t check after every shot or you may end up missing the action!!! You might not have enough time. If you are using Digital Camera take advantage of it and keep on taking.