Firework season is upon us. Everyone loves watching fireworks and budding photographers often try their hardest to capture the best image to embody their brilliance. But photographing fireworks against the night sky can be really challenging.

Here are some key tips to perfecting your shot at firework photography:

Find the ideal location

Scouting a spot beforehand will ensure that you are free from obstructions and won’t be left scrambling during the firework show to find a free and visible spot. Also use this preparation to know which way the wind will be blowing. This is particularly important on Guy Fawkes Night as bonfires are popular, which would ensure you avoid smoke and flames from creeping into your shot. You may also want to consider the background of the image to include any interesting infrastructure that will add some dimension to your images.

Turn off Flash

By turning off the flash on your camera, you can sharpen the firework photos. Switch your camera to Shutter priority or manual mode to add to the sharpness of the image. Another key part to adjust is utilising Burst mode. This will allow you to take a set of photos at once since it is difficult to know when the biggest and most colourful fireworks will explode.

Otherwise, your picture will come out looking like this…yikes!

Use Manual Focus

Having this feature on will improve the quality of your photos as you adjust the focus of the camera to stay on the fireworks. We have all experienced the blurry pictures, and we don’t want that.

Set ISO, Aperture, and Shutter Manually

To improve the quality of the exposure, you want to let a little bit of light into the camera for a longer period than is typical. The following settings will allow you to maximise the exposure and overall impact of the photo:

Use a tripod

This will help with stabilising the camera and allow you to be more creative when positioning the camera at various angles.

Pair this with a remote trigger and you can sit back and enjoy the firework show without having to worry about capturing the brilliant colours.

With these guidelines, hopefully your future photos will be improved in time for the next spectacular firework show you visit. Being around explosives is, of course, dangerous. Get camera insurance today to cover you in case something goes wrong!