My favorite fireworks photos have something else in the photo like cities, bridges, highways, etc. Unfortunately it is not always possible. In Pottstown, I lined up a shot of a tourist train with a beautifully restored GP-9 locomotive and the fireworks would be in the air. After setting up my tripod and making a few test shots, I heard the locomotive bell and the air hose pop as it pulled away from the train. Oh well, I did get some awesome fireworks shots.
One of the most difficult things is preventing overexposure. Fireworks are very bright but they take several seconds to fully display. If you are not careful, they will blow out the colors and be mostly white. When the color is gone, it’s gone. To prevent this, I like to shoot stopped down to F11 or F16 and the lowest ISO possible on my camera. If you don’t blow out, you can saturate in post processes and bring out the beautiful colors in the fireworks. I find blues and greens to be the hardest to capture.
Digital cameras are the best for fireworks because you can look on the screen to assure you do not blow out the color but many digital cameras have difficulty with long exposures. The sensor heats and causes hot pixels which will ruin your photos. Most cameras have ‘Long Exposure Noise Reduction’ to eliminate this but it requires a cool down period after each shot and you miss opportunities. I really like the Nikon D850 for fireworks because it can handle the long exposures without needing the cool down period.
Lens choice should be appropriate for the location and you should allow extra space for cropping because the fireworks often move around. I prefer to use older lenses because of the way they render points of light. You will be shooting at F11 – F16 so most lenses can make sharp photos. You need to focus manually because by the time your AF finds the fireworks, they are gone. I often pre-focus on something near where the fireworks will be and tape up the focus ring with electrical tape.
You need a sturdy tripod. I know it can be tough to carry but with the long exposures, you need to be as steady as possible. Don’t go for the cheap ones that fold up and fit in your pocket. I often hang my camera bag from the center post to make it even steadier. You also need a manual shutter release. Either wired or the old mechanical ones. The wireless types do not give you the control over the shutter that you need.
Now for the exposure. The ISO should be the lowest possible on your camera. Set your aperture between F11 – F16 and the shutter to bulb. The bulb setting will hold the shutter open until you release so you can manually time the long exposures. I try to open as soon as the rocket launches and release after a few nice bursts. Sometimes 5, 10 or more seconds. Try varying times and check the results on the camera screen.
One more thing. Do not set up in front of other people. You will be jumping around looking at the screen and playing with your camera and it will be very annoying. Find a place away from the crowd and set up. You will get better pictures.