Photographing Fireworks

It’s that time of year again – the first Fireworks Display of the season.  Victoria Day is a great time to take yourself out to photograph and enjoy the lights and sounds of fireworks.

 

Ashbridges Bay is the location for the City of Toronto’s big display, but there’s also Ontario Place and Canada’s Wonderland to keep in mind.

 

No matter where you go, here’s what you will need to capture all the excitement with your camera:

• camera capable of long-ish shutter speeds (up to 8 or 10 seconds), either in Manual Mode or Fireworks Scene Mode.
• tripod.
• fully-charged batteries (in your camera and back-ups).
• flashlight

Set up the camera on the tripod, and choose a focal length (zoom position) that will include all the sky where the lights will hang in the sky.  You may need to wait for the first one or two displays to make sure you aren’t zoomed in or out too much.

 

For Manual settings, try starting with these settings:

• ISO 100
• F 11
• Shutter speed set to “bulb”

You may need to vary these settings after the first couple of exposures, so be prepared to make changes quickly in the first few minutes.  This is what the flashlight is for – finding the right buttons on your camera in the dark can be challenging!

If your camera does not have manual settings, look for the Fireworks Scene mode, and give it a try.

Wait until you hear the thump of the rocket launching into the sky, and then open the shutter.  Most flares will last between 2 and 8 seconds, so if you’re shooting manually be prepared to hold the shutter open just long enough to capture the full effect of the flare, and then get ready for the next volley.

Sometimes you get lucky and there are multiple explosions within the same 10 seconds, so you’ll get extra colours in one shot.

If you have time, try taking the camera off the tripod and moving the camera up and down (or side to side, or in circles…) to create additional patterns with the lights.

Have fun!