Shooting fireworks

Taking pictures at night can be a real challenge, but try capturing the bright lights of pyrotechnics against the night sky whilst getting exposure and aperture settings right, and you can get in a right pickle. We're hoping these tips might help you if you want to get some great pictures from a fireworks display this year.

• Try and use a tripod or a solid object, like a table or a wall to rest your camera on and be prepared to Improvise. A rolled up scarf or other props might help get the stability and position you want.

• Bear in mind that fireworks are streams of light. If you want to capture their path, you’ll need a longer exposure time to capture the whole trail of each firework, or of a series of fireworks. You might need 2 or 3 seconds, maybe more to make sure you know how to set this on your camera.

• Turn off the flash on your smartphone, and consider using a specialist app, like SlowShutter, which lets you use long exposures.

• Use a “cable release” button, and if you don’t have one think about using a short self-timer to take the picture. This will allow you to place the camera, and not accidentally jog it when pressing the button.

• Experiment with different exposures. We’d suggest starting at 4 seconds at f5.6 and try changing things from there.

• Try mixing Flash and a long exposure. This will freeze objects and people in the foreground with the benefit of flash, while the long exposure will capture the firework trail.

• Remember it’s not all about the fireworks. Turn around from time to time and you’ll see the delight and excitement in the faces of the spectators, You might even get a firework reflected in someone’s glasses.

• Choose your spot carefully, and be aware of where you are likely to get the best shots as you won’t be able to move much once the action starts. Where are the other spectators, and where are the fireworks expected to be appearing.

• If you camera allows you to, turn off autofocus  to stop the camera constantly ‘hunting’ for focus, and just set the camera to infinity.

• Remember remember: Sparklers make good pictures too! Try using a long exposure again, and you can make lots of interesting pictures by drawing or writing with the sparkler.

• Try using a feature in the landscape as a silhouette to give your image some scale and add to the interest. A tree, a church spire or a group of people if you manage to shoot from a low position.

• And finally, if you're using digital especially, SHOOT LOTS! Because you can.