A Guide to Firework Photography

Fireworks displays are a great photographic subject. They are beautiful to watch, and create some wonderfully abstract streaky patterns in our photos. They also often bring back memories of a special occasion or celebration, meaning that they can become some of your most cherished pictures.

Photographing fireworks can be deceptively difficult. The rapid movement and changes in colour can make focusing and exposure very tricky to get right, and can result in disappointingly blurry, underwhelming shots.

However, with practice, you can teach yourself the techniques needed to photograph fireworks in all their glory. It requires a bit of forethought and planning, but can transform your fireworks photography, leaving you with images which are sharp, interesting, and bursting with colour.

Get There Early

This is very important, especially if you expect the firework display to be busy (which they usually are). Arriving early gives you time to have a good look around and choose the best place to shoot from. It also gives you time to set up your camera well before the first firework is set off.

Stay upwind of the fireworks if possible, to avoid smoke blowing towards you during the display and ruining your photos.

Find an Interesting View

Find a spot with an unobstructed view of the area where the fireworks will be. I also like to include some interesting scenery, to provide the photo with context. Good examples are the surrounding landscape, nearby buildings or the watching crowd.

When framing your shot, try to picture in your mind where the fireworks will be exploding. Of course this can be very difficult, so if you are in any doubt, use a wider angle than you think is necessary. You can then crop the photo down to size later, which is much better than missing out on a great shot because you chopped off half the firework.

Keep Your Camera Steady

A tripod is absolutely essential when photographing fireworks - you will be using a very long exposure (usually a few seconds), meaning that camera shake is a real problem.

A remote or cable release might also be a good idea to further reduce camera shake. Using your camera's self-timer would have the same effect, but it's hard enough timing firework photographs normally, and the added lag of a self-timer makes it almost impossible.

Shoot in Manual Mode

Fireworks are a difficult subject to photograph, and your cameras automatic mode just won't be able to cope. Switch to manual mode and try the following settings as a starting point, adjusting as necessary:

• Aperture - fireworks are very bright, and if your aperture is too wide you'll lose colour and end up with washed out streaks. Use a fairly narrow aperture (say f/8) - this will also help to keep more of your scene in focus.
• Shutter speed - you'll need a few seconds of exposure to capture the movement of your fireworks. If possible use bulb mode so that you can open the shutter as the firework is going up, and close it after it has finished exploding.
• Focusing - manually focus about one third of the way between you and the fireworks. This will give you maximum depth of field, keeping your whole scene as sharp as possible. (This is based on the idea of hyperfocal distance).
• ISO - use a low ISO to reduce digital noise and prevent washing out the colours of your fireworks.
• Flash - some cameras will automatically activate the flash due to the darkness, but it will have absolutely no effect on your photo other than to wash out the foreground and annoy people, so turn it off.

• Use Trial and Improvement

  
  Firework displays usually last a long time, with the most spectacular fireworks saved for the end. This gives you plenty of time to review your results as you go along, and make any necessary adjustments to your camera's settings.

  Experiment With Multiple Exposures

  You can give your firework photography more impact by capturing several firework bursts in a single frame. To do so, set your camera to bulb mode and open the shutter for a long time. Then hold a piece of card in front of your lens to block out the light between fireworks, removing it every time a new firework explodes.

Don't Let the Location Distract

A suitable location is crucial in portrait photography, but always remember that it's not the main subject, so don't let it overpower your scene. From time to time during your shoot, check the photos you've taken - if your eye is drawn more to the scenery than the subject, you're putting too much emphasis on the wrong thing.

A simple and effective technique is to open your lens's aperture up nice and wide. This puts the background out of focus, preventing it from being too distracting, creating a sense of depth in the scene, and drawing the viewer's eye to the main subject.

Choosing an effective portrait location takes time and thought, but it's something that you should always aim to get right. By doing so you'll be able to tell a story with your pictures, and capture the essence of your subject's personality, resulting in much more engaging, personal photos.

Set Up Near Shelter

If you choose an outdoor portrait location, there's always a chance that the weather will spoil the party. Sometimes you'll just have to take a chance and hope it stays dry, but try to have a backup in case the weather turns bad.

Look for a location which has some sort of shelter nearby, such as a bridge, bandstand, or cafe. These can be life-savers during a quick shower, helping you keep yourself, your equipment, and your subject dry - particularly important if they're paying!

If the weather gets really bad you may even be able to move your whole photoshoot under cover. With open-sided shelter you can often recompose to keep a natural background behind your subject, and as long as the lighting is good enough nobody will ever tell you weren't fully outdoors.

Use Natural Lighting

Most professional portrait photographers swear by natural lighting, and some refuse to shoot in anything else. If possible, choose a brightly lit location which offers plenty of diffused, natural light.

When shooting outdoors it's important to avoid the direct midday sun as this produces very harsh shadows. Look for some light shade such as an overhanging tree or covered seating area, where the sunlight is softer and more flattering. Alternatively, shoot in the morning or early evening when the sun isn't as strong.

If you're shooting indoors, try to position your subject near a large window so that you can make the most of any available natural light. Depending on your budget and the equipment you have available you can compliment this with some artificial lighting if necessary.

Perfect Portrait Location

Learn to choose great portrait photography locations. Put your subject at ease, capture their personality, and guarantee stunning photos.

One of the most important aspects of portrait photography is picking a suitable location. Your choice will drive all other decisions about the shoot, including what lighting and props to take, which clothes the subject should wear, and the most suitable poses to use.

Shooting in a studio with a plain background is a popular choice, but it can be expensive, and these types of shots have been done a million times. You can usually get much more interesting, engaging pictures by using your imagination and choosing a more unusual portrait location.

Choose a Meaningful Place

It's easy to choose a portrait location based on convenience. For example, if you live near a leafy park, it's tempting to use that as your default shooting location. But while this may look attractive, it's not always the best option.

Remember that every subject is a unique individual, with their own personality. This is what makes them so interesting, and it's something you should try to capture in every portrait you take. Choosing a suitable location is an important part of this.

Take the time to get to know your subject. Find out about their hobbies and favourite places and incorporate them into your photography. If they're an avid horse rider, shoot them at their stables; if they love to surf, go to their local beach.

By using a location that means something to your subject, you'll get much more personal, meaningful photos. As an added bonus, they're likely to feel more relaxed, helping you capture more natural-looking shots.