14 fireworks photography tips for capturing stunning shots
Fireworks photography can be one of the most exciting and challenging types of night photography. To help you capture brilliant bursts of color this New Year’s Eve or at your next event, we’ve gathered 14 expert fireworks photography tips from professional photographers.
From camera settings and gear essentials to creative techniques, this guide will help you take your fireworks photos to the next level and make every shot stand out.
How to prepare for fireworks photography
Great fireworks photography starts with good preparation. A little planning can be the difference between a few lucky frames and a whole series of striking images.
Arrive early to secure your spot
Arriving early gives you time to plan your composition and anticipate where the show will be, especially if you’ll be competing with a crowd for the best spots. “I’ve found the best approach to shooting fireworks is to use a tripod and compose a shot before things get started,” the photojournalist Dave Sanders explains.
“When composing, stand back a little; try to include silhouettes of the people in front of you or nearby buildings and bridges. Images that incorporate other elements into the frame will have much more of an impact.”
As Dave explains, there’s also another reason to get started early: “Smoke will soon obscure the scene, so the best window for images is often towards the beginning of the show.”
Go wide to stay flexible with your composition
“Know the general area where the fireworks will be displayed, and shoot wide. You can always crop later if needed,” the commercial photographer Jeff Sudmeier tells us.
A wide-angle lens helps you capture more of the moment and leaves room to refine your composition in post.
Use a tripod
“It’s necessary to use a tripod if you want your scene to be still and clean,” Jeff tells us. He often uses a shutter speed of eight seconds, so that support is vital.
“I suggest using a shutter speed that’s not too short, but also not too long. If your shutter speed is too short, you won’t be able to capture the full streaks of the fireworks. If your shutter speed is too long, you may overexpose your image because there are too many fireworks in one shot. I recommend a shutter speed between four and ten seconds,” he reveals.
Turn off autofocus
Autofocus can struggle to lock onto moving fireworks in low light. “Set your focus to manual and to infinity,” Johnny Martyr, who specializes in 35mm black and white photography, tells us. “Autofocus systems may have difficulty finding the correct focus point, and it’s very difficult to manually focus on moving fireworks in the dark. In nearly all cases, infinity will be correct, so just set your lens to it, and forget about focus for the rest of the night.”
Best fireworks photography settings
The right camera settings make all the difference. Understanding exposure, focus, and timing helps you capture fireworks at their brightest and sharpest.
Shoot in manual mode for control
For fireworks photography, it’s important to have full control over your shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. That means switching to manual exposure. “Unlike most subjects, it’s more challenging to photograph fireworks with a fully automatic camera than a fully manual one,” Johnny continues. “So choose a camera that either has no automatic control, has fully manual mode, or at least the ability to hold the shutter open for an extended period (this is called Bulb Mode).”
Keep ISO low
“Two common mistakes I see are not using a shutter release cable (for long exposures) and using a high ISO, which will introduce noise,” the Los Angeles-based photographer Charlie Sin explains. “A shutter release will help you get sharper firework photos because pressing on the camera itself will shake the camera and create a wavy firework (unless that is what you are going for). Let a slower shutter speed do the work, not the ISO. Otherwise, you’ll get grain in the shadows (again, unless that’s something you’re intentionally going for).”
Stop down your aperture
Your next setting is aperture. “Your aperture will always be stopped down considerably, between f8 and f22,” Johnny tells us. “This helps ensure a lot of depth of field, guaranteeing that the entire firework is in focus and sharp. Most 35mm-size lenses perform best at middle apertures, so that’s where I like to set mine.”
Experiment with exposure times
“I like setting my shutter to Bulb for fireworks,” Johnny says. “The way Bulb Mode works is that you press the release to open the shutter, and it remains open as long as your finger is on that button. The moment you let go, the shutter closes, and the photograph is over. Doing this means that you don’t have an exact exposure time, but I like it because you control exactly what sequences of the firework explosion you capture on film.
“When photographing fireworks in Bulb Mode, the longer you hold the shutter open, the more of the firework’s path you get in the final image. So, if you open the shutter when you see a rocket first launch into the sky, the resulting photo will contain the ‘tail,’ or the line up to the main explosion. Most people will want to keep the shutter open through the explosion until no more light from it is visible. This ensures that you capture the full shape of the firework.
“But it’s good to experiment. Try releasing the shutter at the moment of the explosion. This will ‘delete’ the tail of the firework and create an image of only the explosion. And you can experiment with how long after each explosion you keep the shutter open. The longer the exposure, the more detail and shape; the shorter the exposure, the smaller and less movement.”
Watch out for overexposure
“Overexposure is a problem I see frequently,” the Seattle-based photographer John Cornicello admits. “It often comes from having the camera in an automatic exposure mode like aperture or shutter priority mode. The camera sees a lot of dark sky and compensates by giving more exposure.”
Aside from shooting in manual mode, check your histogram to ensure you’re not blowing out the highlights. It’s better to lose a little detail in the dark sky than in the fireworks themselves.
Creative fireworks photography tips
Once you know the basics, try new ways to make your photos stand out. These fireworks photography tips will help you experiment and add your own creative style.
Try an intervalometer
One option is to use an intervalometer, a tool commonly used for timelapses. That way, you can set your camera on your tripod, adjust your settings to perfection, and let the intervalometer click the shutter at regular intervals (it also doubles as a shutter release and can be used with Bulb Mode).
“My approach is probably very, very different than most photographers, but the way I like to shoot fireworks is to set up my frame on a tripod and use an intervalometer to take a photo every five seconds,” the photographer Evan Halleck, who also shoots timelapses, tells us. “The timing of firework photography can be very tricky, so this way, if you like your frame, you know you are going to get a nice shot at some point.”
Play with reflections
“If you’re shooting near a body of water, try to incorporate reflections in your composition,” Jeff urges. “It can make a huge difference.” Including reflections can make your fireworks photography feel more dynamic and visually balanced.
Boost that contrast
Deep shadows and bright highlights can make a firework photo “pop” off the page (or screen). “I usually create an S-Curve on the curve tool to get a nice contrast,” Charlie says. “From there, I’ll dodge and burn the smoke from the fireworks to get a clean look.”
With just a few refined edits, you can enhance color and contrast while maintaining a natural finish.
Blend multiple shots
If you used an intervalometer, you have plenty to play with in post-production. Try combining multiple shots. “I always like to blend several photos together with the same composition to really show what five minutes of fireworks looks like in one photo,” Evan explains. “I use the lighten blend mode a lot and mask out the fireworks I really enjoy.”
This technique gives you more creative control and lets you show the full energy of the show in a single frame.
Have fun with it!
Charlie uses a technique called focus pulling to transform fireworks into flowers made of light; essentially, he’s turning the focus ring during an exposure. Johnny, the film photographer, has experimented with film stocks ranging from Kodak Tri-X (b&w) to Kodak Ektar 100 (color). Both of these artists stress the importance of being creative and thinking outside the box.
“I see people showing up to fireworks displays with big professional cameras, lenses, and tripods, but all this stuff can be a distraction from just having fun,” Johnny explains. “Plus, you end up with photos that look like everyone else’s. I wonder if people realize how easy it can be to get quality fireworks photos with any old 35mm or medium format camera and a $10 roll of film. Super sharp, detailed fireworks photos can be found all over the internet. Try something different!”
Conclusion
Fireworks photography is all about timing, patience, and creativity. With these fireworks photography tips and the right camera settings, you can capture the magic of light and motion in every shot.
Once you’ve taken your photos, bring them to life with Affinity’s professional photo editing tools. Adjust exposure and enhance color for a show-stopping finish.
About the contributor
Feature Shoot showcases the work of international emerging and established photographers who are transforming the medium through compelling, cutting-edge projects, with contributing writers from all over the world.
