Tips for Taking Firework Photos

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Taking photos of fireworks may sometimes be tricky. I’ll be giving you a few tips that will help you when you want to capture fireworks. Learn more after the break.

I love fireworks! I really do, I ohh and ahh worse than a child and I have been known to clap my hands in excitement at a fireworks display. My best tip for taking firework photos – in fact my best tip for all Lomography photos – is ‘keep it simple’. Lomography is only as complicated as you make it…

First you need a camera with a bulb setting! Next you need a high ISO film – I used the Lomography CN 800 film for these. And now you need your hands – to hold down the shutter button with and simply put – that is it.

Just set your camera to the bulb setting, point you camera towards the firework and hold the button down for as long as you want – I held it down for the generation of the firework length… and there you are, beautiful firework photos.

Note: You can use a tripod if you want – but I think that this just adds another complication to the process, the fireworks don’t move in straight lines, so any movement you do get won’t detract from the photos. Also the viewfinders with Lomography cameras aren’t particularly accurate so I prefer to hold them with my hands.

The Lomography Color Negative 35mm 800 ISO film is a high-speed film designed to bring a burst of vibrant colour, as well as great saturation and contrast, in all lighting conditions! Shoot in bright sunshine, grey days, indoors or at night with a flash. See our selection of Lomography films here.

written by easilydistracted on 2012-01-05 #gear #tutorials #art #long-exposure #photos #firework #tipster #bulb-setting #quickie-tipster

13 Comments

  1. cutebun
    cutebun ·

    I love taking photo of fireworks but yours is really impressive!

  2. simonh82
    simonh82 ·

    Personally I like using a slower film like 100iso. It may be night outside, but the fireworks are very bright. If you use a slower film you get more colour in the explosions as they are not over exposed in the brightest spots.

  3. apissepet
    apissepet ·

    i'm with @simonh82 :)

  4. tyron_lannister
    tyron_lannister ·

    Nice and useful article...if you like this is my fireworks album www.lomography.com/homes/tyron_lannister/albums/1742129-fir…

  5. kimberlymade
    kimberlymade ·

    Love the photos! Thanks for the tips. :)

  6. jarvislomo
    jarvislomo ·

    have been wondering how to capture fireworks with Lomo, now I've got the answer thanks a lot!

  7. greezer
    greezer ·

    I did some firework-shooting with my LC-A and a Gorillapod, this Pic looks like a lightning :) www.lomography.com/homes/greezer/photos/15119000 it's easy to get it, since we saw, when the people were starting it.

  8. uneak
    uneak ·

    Awesome photos, but a quick question; are you on sunny or cloudy setting? I would say its better to be on cloudy?..... right?

  9. easilydistracted
    easilydistracted ·

    @uneak I used my holga 135bc and that setting doesn't really make a difference with that camera which is why I didn't think to mention it... however I can't imagine that it matters which setting you have it on as the amount of light being let in will be determined by the exposure time rather than the aperture. I would probably have it on cloudy though as you said, this would then allow for more light to come through if you don't have the exposure time for very long.

  10. gorableme
    gorableme ·

    best article on fireworks!

  11. itsdebraanne
    itsdebraanne ·

    I used the Lomography CN 800 film with the Sprocket Rocket. My exposure was about 8 "mississippi"s long. and my photos came out over exposed. Exhibit A: www.lomography.com/homes/itsdebraanne/photos/13775445
    This 4th of July, I'm gonna try Slide film at 100ISO and CN 100. idk... the camera i wanted to use was my LC-Wide.

  12. easilydistracted
    easilydistracted ·

    @itsdebraanne Oh no! I've only ever tried a higher ISO when taking firework photos but a few other comments do recommend lower ones. As with most films, it is a process of trial and error and finding what you personally like. These fireworks were perhaps 3/4 seconds so I can imagine if you're holding the shutter open for that long then a 100 iso will work much better for what you want.

  13. johnnymartyr
    johnnymartyr ·

    Great article! I just wrote one specifically for Fuji Instax cameras, if anyone's interested!

    johnnymartyr.wordpress.com/2016/07/03/photographing-firewor…

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