With the Fourth of July quickly approaching here in the United States, I'm sure that many of us will have cameras out next week trying to get that definitive fireworks shot. The truth is that fireworks are just so much fun to shoot.
The main thing that I've learned, that you don't read in the how to articles, is to take as many shots as I can during the early part of the display. Unless you really are trying get a smoky look to your images. The longer the display goes on the smokier the sky becomes and the less clear the actual bursts of fireworks will look in the finished image. Somehow our minds filter out most of the smoke when we're watching the pyrotechnics. The camera is not so forgiving. Also, if you can get any type of dramatic silhouette shots these always have wonderful impact.
A couple of places that I wish I could be on the Fourth are on the Brooklyn Promenade looking at the Statue of Liberty and at Disney World. Disney has fireworks almost every night of the year, but I bet the Fourth of July and New Year's Eve are special productions. New York City always has beautiful fireworks. I've seen them on television often here in the US. Oh, and scout out your locations in advance and arrive early to get a chance at the best views.
Have fun everyone!
Pat Ballard
