The 4th is finally here, it's time to figure out your strategy for capturing fireworks.  Nothing says action more than explosions in the sky!

f/4, ISO 400, 1 Second Exposure to capture moon.Capturing fireworks is a fun way to spend time with friends and family, while still working on your photography.  Everyone will want to see these shots at the end of the night.There are a few methods for shooting fireworks that really do work.  The first one is by using different length exposure times.  Simply set your camera to an exposure, compose with the scene you want, and click away.  Experiment with different apertures to make sure the sky doesn't get too blown out.But if you are like us, and we know you are.  You'll want to use a long exposure method with something to cover the camera, so you can time out which fireworks will show up, and make sure they aren't streaked too much.  This way you have FULL control over the image.  For this one, simply set the timer to bulb, or a long 30 second exposure, and start the exposure with the lens covered.  Then, everytime you see a great firework in a part of the frame it will look good, move the cover really quickly and than slide it back over again.  Keep doing this and building up the shot a few fireworks at a time.  You can leave it covered as much as you want, just make sure you have an open enough aperture and high enough ISO that it captures the fireworks.
f/6.3, ISO 640, 8 Second Exposure with card slide in front of lens to capture key fireworks.Now that you know how to capture the shots, it's important to think about composition.  Is there a lake you can have in the shot that will reflect the fireworks?  Can you compose so that there are silhouettes of people?  Anything that you can add to the shot to make it different, not just fireworks, makes all the difference.  Think of it like shooting action, you want to tell a story!  Don't just shoot someone jumping through the air, get the jump in the shot too!  With fireworks, show something that makes the scene come to life, maybe a tree silhouette or a house silhouette, it all adds depth to the image!Have a great 4th of July, and thanks for reading APS!