With the Fourth of July quickly approaching in the United States, photographers are getting ready to capture the magic of fireworks shows. To nail some spectacular shots, you'll want to pay attention to a few key tips.
Photographer Will Chaney emphasizes the importance of using a tripod. A tripod provides stable support for your camera, ensuring it does not move during long exposures. This stability is crucial for capturing clear, sharp images of fireworks, as exposures will typically be set higher than two seconds.
Chaney recommends shooting in RAW to maximize the dynamic range and correct any mistakes in post-processing. Additionally, he advises turning off Long Exposure Noise Reduction to control the amount of noise reduction applied and to avoid increased intervals between shots.
Autofocus can struggle with changing light sources, making manual focus a better choice. By setting the focus point once, photographers can ensure consistency across multiple shots without the risk of autofocus resetting the focus distance.
Using a self-timer mode allows for a delay between pressing the shutter release and capturing the photo, reducing camera shake and ensuring sharper images. A delay of two to five seconds is recommended.
Chaney suggests using a long exposure to capture the trails of light, a low ISO to avoid overexposure, and a mid-level aperture. A starting point of two seconds for shutter speed, ISO 100, and aperture f/5.6 is recommended.
Utilizing a camera's built-in intervalometer allows photographers to automatically capture photos at a set pace, enabling them to enjoy the fireworks show while the camera does the work. Chaney recommends an interval of three seconds to capture consistent shots without missing any key moments.
By following these tips, photographers can capture stunning fireworks photos and enjoy the vibrant displays with confidence.
Started my career in Automotive Journalism in 2015. Even though I'm a pharmacist, hanging around cars all the time has created a passion for the automotive industry since day 1.