Smoke - Like the old adage - where there's smoke, there's fire. And with fireworks, there's a LOT of smoke. I highly advise trying to set up so that the wind is blowing at a right-angle to your shot. The smoke will clear out of your field of view faster, and it can be dealt with easier when making the prints. Of all the things you will try to avoid, wind and smoke are the least controllable. Fortunately, smoke and fireworks go hand in hand, so a certain amount of smoke is acceptable. [Digital: I will show you a couple of PhotoShop tricks later on that can reduce or eliminate smoke.]

Location - NOTHING beats a good location. I usually show up to set up the camera while it's still light out, and to make sure I stake out a prime spot. (For an American Forth-of-July celebration, you may have to stake out your spot in the morning!) This also means I'm sitting around doing nothing for an hour (or three), so make sure you bring a chair, some victuals, and something warm to wear. Look around at the landscape - can you take advantage of hills? Are there trees in the way? Buildings? Planes in the background?  If there is water around, take advantage of it. My most spectacular shots have been taken with water reflecting the fireworks. You may want to include some points-of-interest in your shot to add to the overall effect. (I have also taken to bringing some friends to stake out a spot *directly in front of the camera*. Then with the show starts, they retreat out of the way of the lens, and I have a clearer, less obstructed view. It usually requires a bribe of more than a few extra pieces of chicken, so be prepared. If you have some buddies that also like fireworks, then you may get off cheaper!  ;-)

I have worked on quite a few pyro shows. (Yeah, I also shoot display fireworks.) A good pyro will try to orient the show towards the audience. Many safety concerns are taken into account, and one of them is general wind direction. Shows are *usually* shot down-wind from the audience for obvious reasons. The spread of shells in the air is usually oriented to the audience as well. While there are times when the wind won't cooperate, or there are other safety concerns that over-ride showmanship, the best place to photograph a fireworks show is from wherever the audience is located.

Look at the big picture - After you've scoped out your spot, and while you're waiting for the show to start, look around for sources of light pollution. Is there a street lamp in the background? If there are buildings around, are the lights on? You may have to reconsider your location if you spot light problems.

V vs H - Depending on the kind of show, you may consider rotating your camera from a horizontal to vertical orientation. If it is a high show, then by all means turn your camera on it's side. However, if the show is wide (or spread out), then keep it horizontal. You'll need to be the judge.

Lens Covers - For some, I'm going to recommend a bit of heresy here - remove ALL of your lens filters, including the UV filter that you use to protect your lens! Depending on your lens/filter coverings, they may reflect light and you'll see some unwanted reflections in your shots. By all means, replace the UV filter after you are done. But during the actual shooting, I recommend removing them. (This will also help to verify that you don't have some other filter that may have been left on from an earlier shoot.) I have moved from a $16 coated Tiffen UV filter to a $45 Hoya S-HMC Pro/1 and still take the filter off. This is entirely up to you, but if you start to see strange reflections, try taking the filter off.

Now let's talk about the digital realm.

All information presented on these pages can be used for your personal use. If you want to publish or reproduce any or all if the info here, you must have permission from Tom Calderwood. If you find any information that is incorrect, please notify me and I will take care of it as soon as possible.

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