Most people think they need expensive camera and film equipment to capture fireworks. This isn’t true. Most digital cameras can take great pictures of fireworks. You’ll need to make sure you camera is fully charged, you have a tripod and that you have plenty of patience and persistence if this is your first time shooting fireworks. You may want to keep an extra set of batteries on standby in case the charged ones deplete fast. You will be taking a lot of shots. Once you show friends and family your photos of fireworks they’ll never believe they weren’t professionally done. Have fun and be flexible on your first time out. Here are a few tips to show you how you can take pictures using your digital camera.
Procedure:
Things you’ll need:
- A digital camera
- A tripod
- Good Timing
- Persistence
Step 1
You need to adjust your digital camera settings. Turn you flash option to off. Then, set your shutter speed to the lowest setting possible. Some digital cameras have a night mode. If your does then also use this setting. Also, change your timer function. Practice how this works with your camera.
Step 2
Place your digital camera on a tripod. Aim your camera in the area that the fireworks will appear in. Make sure your camera is zoomed all the way out until you can see the effects from the first picture. You can always adjust the zoom at a later date.
Step 3
Timing is crucial. When you hear the loud boom of the fireworks that is when you set the timer for the next set of explosions. Set the timer to make the camera go off right after the boom when the light show happens. You want to use the timer because the camera won’t be shaking after the boom of the fireworks. Sometimes even the movement from pressing the button can distort a picture.
Step 4
Change your timer when you get a better feel for when the fireworks are going to happen. If you find that the camera is late I capturing the fireworks display, then you should adjust the settings so the camera’s reaction is a little quicker. If the opposite is occurring, then add a second to the time you press the button. You should take as many pictures as possible to increase your chances of getting several good shots.
Step 5
Choose the best pictures from the ones you captured. If you have Photoshop you can place the pictures inside and enhance the colors of the fireworks to increase dramatic effect. If you have a black background all the colors can be adjusted by changing the color balance.
