Whiz, boom, sizzle! Fireworks paint the sky with a myriad of colors. You too can light up people's faces when they see what great shots you've captured. But you need to know these "tricks" to get great photos.

Use a slow-speed film
A slow-speed film will keep the shutter open longer so you can better catch the full bloom of the firework bursts as they spread across the sky. Be sure to brace yourself and hold the camera steady!

Find a good position
Tree branches and fireworks don't mix, so be sure to find a good location. You probably won't be moving around, so search for a position where buildings and people won't obstruct your view.

Hold the camera extra steady
To avoid blurry pictures, brace your camera on a railing, the back of a chair or a table, or against a column or tree. This helps keep the camera from moving and blurring the pictures. Or use a pocket or full-size tripod (A three-legged supporting stand used to hold the camera steady. Especially useful when using slow shutter speeds and/or telephoto lenses.)

Take lots of pictures
It's hard to estimate how long the fireworks will keep bursting. And, of course, you'll want to try and catch the bursts at their maximum bloom. So keep snappin' away to make sure you go home with pictures to treasure.

Try alternative exposure modes
If your camera has alternative or advanced exposure modes, try them out. Look for a mountain icon on your camera to shoot in landscape mode. With aperture mode (An exposure mode on an automatic or auto-focus camera that lets you set the aperture while the camera sets the shutter speed for proper exposure. If you change the aperture, of the light level changes, the shutter speed changes automatically.) ("A" mode), select 11 or 16 and hold the camera steady. Select the slowest shutter speed in shutter mode (An exposure mode on an automatic or auto-focus camera that lets you select the desired shutter speed; the camera sets the aperture for proper exposure. If you change the shutter speed, or the light level changes, the camera adjusts the aperture automatically.) And with manual exposure, hold the shutter button down for 2 to 5 seconds to catch several bursts, and hold the camera steady or use a tripod.

(Article courtesy of Kodak.com)

Digital cameras aren't known for their low-light exposure ability. In fact, they can be quite troublesome when trying to take nighttime shots, let alone shots of a fireworks show. The mixture of a dark sky and bright streaks of color can wreak havoc on your camera's image sensor. Traditional photographers have devised some reliable techniques for shooting fireworks, but these practices only partially apply in the digital world. To get great shots of your next fireworks show, there are some special steps you can take to make sure your fireworks images get the oohs and aahs you deserve.

In this article, we'll tell you how to get some great shots from your digital camera at your next fireworks show. First, we'll discuss the challenges involved when a digital camera comes across such brief flashes of light against a dark background. Next, we'll walk you through the complete process of shooting the fireworks show, from setup and location selection to exposure settings and framing. Finally, we'll look at what you can do in your image-editing application to give your fireworks images some more punch.

Figuring out Fireworks
Fireworks are unpredictable, short-lived, volatile, erratic, etc. Capturing a good photograph of a firework burst takes as much luck as it does planning. However, understanding the challenges when shooting a fireworks show is the key to getting quality images.

The biggest problem when shooting at night with a digital camera is the buildup of noise when the sensor is exposed to light for a long period of time. This isn't a problem with film cameras, where the traditional method is to open the shutter, cover the lens with something dark, and wait for the fireworks burst to remove the dark object and expose the film. But this process doesn't work so well with a digital camera, as the image sensor can produce noise even if no light is reaching it. So, getting good shots of a fireworks show is largely a matter of using your camera's settings to properly expose the image without developing any nasty noise.

Setting the Scene
The process of capturing a spectacular fireworks display begins well before the show starts. One of the most important steps in this process is selecting your shooting location. Fireworks shots look best when they fill the frame but don't extend beyond it. While you could always crop out extra image space in post-processing, attempt to use as much of your image sensor as possible to get the best resolution and detail. To do this, try to get as close to the action as possible without putting yourself in harm's way. Anticipate where the fireworks will explode, but know that you'll probably have to make adjustments once the show starts. Position yourself upwind from where the fireworks are being launched and detonated, as shooting through a thick wall of smoke will do nothing good for your image.

A steady footing. For the best results, place your camera on a tripod or other firm foundation. We can't stress this enough -- your shutter is going to be open longer than usual to capture enough light for the exposure. This long shutter time also exposes any camera movement, turning your bursts of light into squiggles! If your digital camera came with a remote control, consider using it to eliminate any camera shake that can occur when you press the shutter button.

Adding more than the sky. While shooting fireworks against the dark night sky is dramatic enough, you may want to consider adding other objects into your scene, as show in Figure 1. If you're shooting a show in a downtown area, consider adding a landmark to help set the scene and encourage some interesting reflective possibilities. Water creates beautiful reflections of the show and can create some captivating mirror images. Also, keep in mind that the audience may be as interesting as the show. Silhouette the crowd against the explosions, or turn your camera around and capture the glow of a burst on their faces. We've even seen some stunning overhead shots of fireworks shows from airplanes. While we don't think you have to go to this extreme, selecting your shooting position thoughtfully can yield some effective shots.

Figure 1: By taking the time to set the scene, you can create some memorable shots.

Getting your Camera Ready
First things first -- you're going to need memory, and lots of it. Since your fireworks images will probably contain as many misses as hits, shoot as many images as possible. Use the largest memory card you have and shoot until you're out of memory. Also, make sure you have a fully charged battery in the camera -- nothing is worse than running out of juice before the finale!

Next, we're going to go over some other settings to be aware of when shooting fireworks. While every digital camera is different, use these guidelines to make smart choices for what's the best combination of settings to get the most from your camera.

Selecting your image size. When shooting fireworks, shoot at the highest resolution possible. If your camera has an uncompressed RAW format option, go with that. Otherwise, select the image setting that will compress your image the least. Compression can skew colors and reduce saturation as well as add unwanted noise to your image, particularly in nighttime skies. Using the image sensor to its fullest potential also allows you extra image size in case you need to crop your image later.

Note: The trade-off of using a less compressed image format (such as RAW or TIFF) is the time it takes to write the file to your storage media. If you find your shots taking too long to save, go a step down to speed things up.

Focus on what? It's basically impossible to predict the focal range of a fireworks burst. For that reason, it's best to give your camera the maximum range of latitude when it comes to focal distance. The best selection is to set the focusing scale to infinity, but many digital cameras don't offer this option. Try to avoid using the autofocus option, as your shot will be gone by the time your camera focuses on the burst. If you can set your camera for a specific focal range, estimate your distance from the fireworks and hope for the best!

Getting the right exposure If your camera offers manual exposure controls, you're going to want to use them to your advantage. Smaller apertures, such as f/5.6, f/8 and f/11, work best with fireworks as they produce thin streaks of color rather than the thicker bands produced when a larger aperture lets too much light in.

As for the shutter speed, you need to open the shutter long enough to get sufficient light without allowing noise to develop on the sensor. Some digital cameras offer a Bulb mode (B), which allows the shutter to remain open as long as the shutter button is pressed. This option is best for traditional film setups, but use it with caution in a digital camera. Noise can build up quickly, decreasing the quality of your image, as shown in Figure 2. Use a shutter speed range from _ to 2 seconds. Longer shutter speeds are desirable, so experiment with your camera to find out what your limitations are.

Note: When photographing fireworks, turn off your flash. If you set up your camera correctly, the fireworks will give off all the light you need.

Keeping the noise down. The ISO setting on your digital camera determines how sensitive your image sensor is to light. While you might think that setting a higher ISO for a nighttime shot would give a better exposure in low-light conditions, it isn't a good idea to shoot above ISO 200 during a fireworks show. Again, we shoot at this setting because of noise, as higher ISO settings tend to create noisier images. ISO 100 or 200 does a good job while reducing the possibility of noise buildup.

Figure 2: Noise can build up fast at night, so be aware of your exposure settings to keep noise at a minimum.

What do heat and humidity have to do with image quality? Well, digital cameras are more susceptible to noise buildup in hot and wet conditions, which is likely at an Independence Day celebration. This is the infamous "hot pixel" issue, where pixels on the image sensor overheat and give false readings. Higher ISO settings are prone to display this noise, especially when you're shooting a larger area of dark color such as the bluish-black night sky.

What can you do about the heat and humidity? Unfortunately, there's no magic technique to overcome the elements. If you find a lot of dark noise in your images, set the ISO to the lowest possible setting and slightly reduce your exposure compensation to "desensitize" the image sensor and minimize the appearance of noise in your image.

Color concerns. The vivid colors of a fireworks show are what it's all about. For that reason, you want to set your camera up to take the best color possible. Ironically, good nighttime color comes from an unlikely source. By setting your camera's white balance setting to "Daylight" (or a similar setting such as "Sunny"), you give the camera the best chance to get an accurate range of colors. Other settings, even a "Night" setting, overemphasize portions of the spectrum that increase noise visibility. By exposing with a Daylight setting, you can capture the vibrant explosions without getting unwanted color details.

Note: If your digital camera has in-camera sharpening, it's a good idea to turn this option off and do your sharpening in your image-editing application. The fine details of an explosion can be lost with in-camera sharpening.

On with the Show!
Once your camera is set up, shooting fireworks is largely a matter of reacting to the show. It's a good idea to start the show with your lens zoomed out -- zoom in on the action once you have a good idea of the range of the explosions. Shoot as many images as possible -- you can pick the winners later. Consider using your camera's continuous or burst mode, if available. This option takes a series of shots in quick succession, allowing you to shoot the burst from initial explosion to fade away. If you're shooting in a normal, single-shot mode, keep your camera's lag time in mind and adjust your reaction time accordingly. Since the explosions can be unpredictable, the best technique is to shoot first and ask questions later.

What to Do After the Show
What can you do to improve your fireworks images? Consider boosting saturation levels to make the streaks of light more vibrant, as we did in Figure 3. You'll also want to eliminate as much noise in your image as possible.

Figure 3: We took this shot into an image-editing program and boosted the saturation levels to create a much more attractive image.

You may also find that some of your bursts have hotspots from the explosion -- try using your image-editing application's Levels adjustment to decrease the intensity of the highlights and increase the midtones. Your image will be heavy in the shadows, but you'll want a nice dark sky as the background to isolate your explosions.

The post-processing stage is also the best time to add any sharpening to your images, as you have the maximum level of control. Since we aren't using a specific focal point, you might need to sharpen all images to some level. The trick is to keep your sharpening to a minimum so the fine details of the firework streaks don't become pixelated.

Grand Finale
Shooting fireworks with a traditional film setup is hard, but shooting with a digital camera can be even more challenging. However, the results are worth the extra effort when you put take the time to set up your shot and your camera to expose the perfect fireworks burst. Shoot often, be flexible, and enjoy the show!

(This story is taken from "Exploring Digital Photography" (Element K Journals). Courtesy of Creativepro.com)

JULY 4TH FIREWORKS TIPS!

• Choose your location carefully... As Dave found out last July 4th, whilst the fireworks might be spectacular to watch up close, for interesting photos you're better off shooting the 'works from a bit of a distance, so that you're getting a "side view" rather than looking up at everything.
  
• This might sound obvious, but don't underestimate the importance of a good tripod. One of the most common problems we've experienced with fireworks photography in the past has been that our tripod wasn't sturdy enough, or that we tried to handhold the photo or balance our camera on a car roof as we weren't expecting the display and were caught without a tripod. Whilst you'd be surprised what you can handhold with some digital cameras, a sturdy tripod will always give you the best results...
  
• If your camera has a remote shutter release, use it! Even tripod mounted, you're likely going to shake the camera a little when you press the shutter button - a cabled shutter release or better still an infra-red one will eliminate this possibility.
  
• Make sure your camera is set up right before you get to the show! It is always so easy to forget a setting change you made, and get back home to find that your photos aren't quite what they could have been because the last time you used the camera, you increased the compression or something equally trivial. Make sure you confirm the camera setup ahead of time, and even try experimenting with your camera before the show starts to get an idea of what setup you might need...
  
• Make sure all of your flash cards are blank, and all of your batteries are charged - better safe than sorry! If your camera doesn't take rechargeables, be sure you have plenty of new batteries to hand!
  
• Remember that fireworks are actually pretty bright! You'll want to expose for the highlights, as that is what's important in fireworks, and if you over-expose, you'll lose the colors and detail of the 'works. This could be tricky depending on what control your camera offers...
  
• Try and give yourself some leeway in the length of your photos - a longer photo has more chance of catching a firework from start to finish, and giving impressive "streamers" rather than little specks of light. Don't over-do it though, too many fireworks in one shot can be a bad thing, making it impossible to see anything...
  
• If your camera offers variable ISO ratings, a lower ISO will help with both of the above points... If possible, so will smaller apertures (and they'll also help depth of field, too!) In a snip, use a neutral density filter if you can fit one to the camera... I've even seen a pair of sunglasses attached to a camera before, and although this is bound to affect color and picture quality, it still might be better than no photos at all!
  
• Be sure to bracket your exposures somewhat. Even though the subject is continually changing, varying your exposure (best accomplished, if possible, by varying your aperture slightly) will help ensure that you get plenty of correctly exposed photos. If you guess wrong and take all of your photos with the same settings, you might get home and find they're all disappointing...
  
• Most of all, remember digital's big advantage here - if the photo doesn't work, you can just delete it. Take as many photos as you can (without letting the camera-work detract from your enjoyment of the display, of course) - you can delete the bad ones later. The more photos you take, the better your chances of some really stunning shots! Intermissions in the fireworks display, if there are any, are a great time to shoot through your photos and free up some space by deleting anything that didn't turn out great...
  
• To give an idea of what you might expect, my photos accompanying this article were shot with a Sony Cyber-shot Pro DSC-D770 camera in fully manual mode, using an ISO rating of 50, a shutter speed of 4 seconds (the maximum the D770 can manage), and various apertures from about F8 to F9.5. The camera was manually prefocused, tripod mounted, and several hundred shots were triggered using the infra-red shutter release. The camera was in its highest size and quality modes, had two fully charged batteries, and the 128MB ATA PC card and 8MB MemoryStick were both filled up more than once before the end of the show!

(Courtesy of The Imaging-resource.com by Michael R. Tomkins)

Inexact recommendations for an inexact shooting situation!

Here are some helpful recommendations, things to keep in mind before you venture out to shoot fireworks. Please remember that these are my own opinions. Every shooting situation is different and contains its own set of variables. The key is to relax, don't get too hung up on exact exposures, and shoot like crazy!

Tripod
You're definitely going to need a tripod. Since your exposures will run anywhere from 2 to 30 seconds, you'll need the tripod for stability and to ensure smooth, sharp photographs of the shell trails and the fireworks bursts. A monopod simply won't cut it.

Cable release
For ease of shooting, you'll also need a cable release so you can sit back, click the shutter, and still enjoy the show. In addition, if your camera doesn't advance the film automatically, you'll also want to use an auto winder or a motor drive.

What lens to use?
The type of lens you select depends on where you are in relation to the fireworks and the effect you wish to achieve. If you're relatively close and what you're looking for are frame-filling photos of the bursts themselves, then a short telephoto in the 100mm to 200mm range will probably work well. If you want overall views of the scene, then a 50mm to 80mm lens should do the job. And if you want to include people silhouetted in the foreground, then you'll want an even wider lens, such as a 24mm to 35mm.

Tip for the terminally stupid . . .
This may sound very basic, but make sure you check your lens. A number of times I've grabbed a lens out of my camera bag while shooting fireworks and discovered I'd left the polarizing filter on it from shooting earlier in the day. I know -- stupid, stupid, stupid! But it happens . . .

Film
Naturally you can shoot fireworks with any type of film -- negative, transparency, even black and white -- but I would recommend color transparency film, and the film I use is Fujichrome 50 or 100. Every photographer has his or her favorite, and this is mine. So use whatever film you're comfortable and familiar with. Some photographers recommend using tungsten film for photographing fireworks, while other photographers use daylight film. The tungstenites say that daylight balanced film gives the fireworks too reddish a cast. The daylighters say they like that. If you have the luxury of two camera bodies, two tripods, why not set them both up and use tungsten film in one, daylight film in the other? Then you be the judge when you see the results!

Film speed
Any speed film ranging from ISO 50 to ISO 200 will work well for you.

Exposure settings
Set your shutter speed to BULB.
Set your f/stop to the following:
ISO 50 film . . . . . f/5.6 or f/8
ISO 64 film . . . . . f/5.6 or f/8
ISO 100 film . . . . . f/8 or f/11
ISO 200 film . . . . . f/16

How long do you hold the shutter open?
This varies, again depending on the effect you want. You may want to capture a single burst or you may wish to capture multiple bursts. Again, since this is an inexact science, don't worry too much about it. To capture a single burst, wait until you hear the sound of the mortar shell being launched. Open your shutter. Wait for the burst to explode. Keep waiting until the burst has completely finished and all the twinkling is done. Then close the shutter. That's it! If you wish to capture several bursts, wait for the sound of the shell being launched, open your shutter, wait for the burst to disappear, then cover your lens (tips on that later) and wait for the sound of the next shell being launched. Uncover your lens, wait until it's over, then cover your lens again. You be the judge of how many bursts you want in one frame. Just remember that you don't want too many -- it starts looking way too busy.

Smoke gets in your eyes . . .
Try to be upwind of the fireworks show. As the show progresses and the smoke builds up, you'll find that it obscures the fireworks. Michael-Leonard Creditor suggests: "Rather than being upwind, I find it's better to be at a right angle to the direction of the wind. This way, smoke will be blown out of the frame most quickly. If you're directly upwind, smoke can still remain behind your colorful subjects."

Landmarks for a sense of perspective
If the area is a scenic one, try to include landmarks to give a sense of place. I.e., if you're photographing fireworks in Long Beach over by the harbor, including the "Queen Mary" in some of your shots will definitely show your viewers where the fireworks show was taking place. You'll also get a sense of perspective by including a landmark, even if it's the silhouette of a person in front of you, a tree, a boat, etc. Photographing fireworks as they're fired out over a lake or a harbor gives you an additional boost to your photography since you can also capture the reflection of the fireworks in the water.

Watch your backgrounds
At twilight, while you're waiting for the fireworks to begin, take a good look at any lights that may be behind the fireworks. Sometimes you won't notice an errant street lamp until you see that enormous glowing white blob in your resulting shots. Then you think, "how could I have missed that?" By scoping out the background first, you may have time to shift your position or switch lenses to avoid having the offending light appearing in each one of your pictures.

Focus on the bursts
Don't rely on setting your lens to infinity to shoot the fireworks. When the first burst goes up, focus on that burst and use that focus throughout.

Shoot verticals and horizontals
So many photographers automatically hold the camera horizontally when they shoot, not remembering that they can hold the camera vertically as well. Don't limit yourself! Take some shots vertically and others horizontally (I'm referring to the camera, but I guess you could lie down or stand up!).

Cover your lens but don't jiggle the camera
If you're photographing multiple bursts, there are numerous ways you can cover your lens between bursts without moving the camera. Some photographers take a black baseball cap to put on the lens, others will bring a piece of non-reflective black velvet or black felt cloth to hang over the lens. Some photographers simply use their hand, while another photographer painted the inside of a round oatmeal carton black and stuck that on the front of the lens (a bit bulky to pack, though).

Miscellaneous tips
Michael-Leonard Creditor recommends "try some pieces of colored cellophane or other type of colored filters to lend even more color to the bursts. And don't forget that great old technique of ZOOOOMING during the exposure for a totally different look to the burst patterns."

Double-expose a full moon into your shots?
You may wish to go out and, using a long lens, take some shots of the moon, reload the film into your camera, and then on the 4th go out and photograph the fireworks, superimposing them next to your moon shots. If you kept accurate notes while shooting the moon, you'll know, frame by frame, where the moon is in each shot as you compose for the fireworks. Or, oh what the heck, just digitally place the moon wherever you wish afterwards!

(Courtesy of Calphoto.com)

MORE TIPS ON TAKING FIREWORKS PHOTOS: