Fireworks have been a fascination for mankind for thousands of years.  Even today, they're still the best lightshow we can make!  Their brute-force power create a great display for celebrating all kinds of events (4th of July, New years Eve...etc).  Taking photographs of these fireworks is a lot of fun.  They can make great pieces to hang on the wall or a good reminder of a special event.  This project explains the important camera settings and what values to use for the best results.  Keep these tips in mind for the fireworks celebrations and you'll have photos worthy of awards.

 

Take your surroundings into consideration. Whether it's the spectators, structures (such as bridges, buildings, etc), or natural features (hills, trees, water), including them in the shot provides a sense of scale and place. Keeping these kinds of things in mind can turn an otherwise colorful but boring burst into a dramatic scene. In doing this, you may be walking a fine line on exposure of the shot. Experiment around with your exposure. If possible, visit the location of the show the evening before and look for opportunities. Try different shutter speeds and aperture settings, and different focal lengths (if you have the lenses to do it) and shooting angles. Try and imagine where in the sky the shells are going to burst. If you're familiar with a show, you probably have a good idea of what you're going to have to look for. Take lots of pictures that would include fireworks if they were there. Look at the pictures you took at home, on your computer at full resolution (NOT on that tiny LCD screen). Look at how the scene is exposed at a particular setting, and take this into consideration with what you'd like to get out of your shots. Don't be afraid to experiment while you're shooting the show, of course. Keep in mind that you aren't going to get a superb photo every time. Find what works for you - for your equipment and your style. If you don't find exactly what you like this time, well, there's always New Year's!

 

Note: This is a modification of the original project and includes additional information from comments and other sources.  The old version can be seen at the original site.[1]