Got Gear?
What you need is your DSLR with a wide angle lens and a stable tripod and you are ready to go!
Scout for a Spot
Before you shoot, it is important to choose a perfect spot for your fireworks photography. Choose a place where there is no distractions from unwanted objects in your composition. Remember, we are not just taking fireworks images, we are taking the big picture of the first seconds of the new year. Make your viewers agree that you capture fireworks were you are in the world, Singapore, New York, Amsterdam, Paris etc. Know where the fireworks will come from to have an idea where to setup your camera.
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A palm tree on the center of the frame ruins the composition. |
On Manual Mode set your ISO to 100 or 200, Aperture to f22 or f 16 Set shutter speed to BULB and don't forget to mount your DSLR on your tripod.
Get Ready for the BIG BANG!
Before the count down starts, make test shots on hand. First you focus manually, because we don't want to stress the auto focus when fireworks shows later. Second, you need to get the proper light exposure or ambiance of the scene such as buildings, Christmas lights, street lights, cityscape etc. It is important to preserve details of these objects. How do we do it? The Rule of Thumb. What I do with my suggested settings, I hit and hold on the shutter release button ( having a shutter release cable or other triggering device to prevent camera shake is best) then count about five to ten counts until I get my desired exposure for a particular scene.![]() |
Experiment different exposures and preserve details. |
When It Blasts!
Now you have an idea of the exposure of your scene, you are now ready to take a shot. When the first firework explode in the air, gently press, hold and release on the shutter release button on your estimated time.
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On Manual Mode, ISO 200, f22, BULB and counted 10. |
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