Every year around now, I start thinking about how to best photograph fireworks to commemorate the celebration. This year I wanted to dive into doing so with the camera you almost always have with you—your phone.
First you have to scout. Find a good location with a clear view of the fireworks. Consider any potential obstructions and choose a spot that provides an unobstructed view. Adjust your camera settings by disabling the flash, enabling HDR or Night Mode, and turning on gridlines for better composition.
Stability is key to capturing sharp photos. Use a tripod or stabilize your phone against a steady surface. Activate the timer function or use a remote shutter release to avoid touching the phone during the exposure. Focus manually by tapping on a fireworks burst or a distant object, and lock the exposure and focus to prevent readjustments.
Timing is everything when it comes to photographing fireworks. Anticipate the timing between bursts and be ready to capture them at the peak of their explosion. Use burst mode or continuous shooting to capture multiple bursts in succession. Experiment with composition by applying the rule of thirds and including elements of the surrounding environment.
Review your captured shots regularly and make necessary adjustments to focus, exposure, or composition. Fine-tune your settings to improve subsequent shots.
After the fireworks, it’s time for some polish. Choose an editing app such as Adobe Lightroom Mobile, Snapseed, or VSCO to enhance your fireworks photos. Increase vibrancy and saturation slightly to make the colors pop. Adjust contrast to add depth and definition. If your photos have visible noise, apply noise reduction using the editing app’s tools to reduce it while preserving details.
Happy shooting!