How To Take Photos Of Fireworks

The 4^th of July is one of the most fun holidays we celebrate! With baseball, hot dogs, picnics and parties, it’s simply a wonderful time to celebrate our Nation! We know that in order to print a great photo, you have to start with great picture taking so here are some tips:

Charge the Camera

• Taking lots of outdoor photos with different exposures can eat up a lot of power so be sure to charge the camera before you go! There is nothing worse than losing a charge on your camera at the moment you’re trying to shoot a favorite scene.
• Take the biggest size capacity memory card or memory stick that you have. You don’t want to run out of memory as you snap away!
• Set your camera to the highest resolution so the image doesn’t lose clarity and to keep out some of the “noise” of the night sky.

Find your Focus

• It’s hard to know what to focus on with fireworks. It’s not until they are in the sky that you can really determine where to focus and the right camera settings. Instead, focus on something in the distance that you think might be the same distance away as the fireworks should be and set the camera to that setting. If you choose auto focus you’ll miss the shot, or get a lower quality shot, as the fireworks evaporate in the night sky.
• When taking pictures of fireworks, one trick is to keep the shutter button down for the entire time the fireworks have exploded. The moment they show signs of fading, release your finger and let the camera close the shutter. In this way you’ll keep the shutter, your camera’s eye, open long enough for the light and color to get into the lens to create a fantastic image!

Composition

• Select your location. Look for a spot without street lights, passing cars or buildings. Minimize the distractions and maximize the burst of color.
• If you do have objects in your view, change the angle of your shot. Tilt your camera left or right to create unusual, fun shots.

Layer your photos

When you get home, try some trickery with Photoshop. Combine two pictures from the same location by layering one on top of the other. Open both pictures in Photoshop; select a rectangle or freeform part on the sky of the second photo, copy that as a layer on top of the first photo, then merge the results. Experiment until you create a photo you love!

When you’re ready to print, be sure your printer has enough ink. You don’t want to run out while in the middle of printing your favorite photos! Inkbarn provides OEM and compatible printer ink at great, low prices.