Tomorrow we celebrate our countryβs 240th birthday. With the 4th of July comes cookouts and fireworks displays. I canβt help you grill the perfect hamburger or steak, but Iβve got 5 quick tips that will help you capture memorable fireworks pictures with your smartphone.Β
Avoid shake and stabilize your phone
You will definitely need a way to keep your phone steady. That means you need a tripod or a monopod because any shaking or vibration of the smartphone / camera while trying to take a picture in the dark will result in a blurry image that youβll end up sending straight to the trashcan. If you donβt already own a tripod that you can attach your phone to, donβt worry, I know a quick and dirty way to make one that wonβt cost you anything and you can carry it in your pocket. You just need a long piece of string or yarn. The length will vary depending on how tall you are but 12-20 feet should be enough. It wonβt hurt to cut more than you need.
Tie a slip knotΒ or a bow toΒ make a big loop and then stand on the loop with oneΒ or both feet while keeping the knot at the top so you can adjust it if needed. Hold your smartphone between your hands at the top of the loop and pull upward to make the string taunt. Keep your elbows in. This will keep the phone steadier than if you just held it normally.
Flash and zoom wonβt help
Turn off the flash in your camera app. I know youβll be standing outside in the dark and you think a flash will help, but trust me, it wonβt. Your cameraβs flash can only illuminate subjects that are a few feet away, so trying to illuminate fireworks high in the sky is a pipe dream. It will also really annoy everyone else who is trying to enjoy the fireworks display if you use flash.
While youβre at it, donβt use zoom either. It will just make your shots more grainy.
The key to good fireworks images is in the exposure settings
With a DSLR camera, this is a piece of cake, but iPhones and most Android phones do not have the ability to adjust things likeΒ the ISO setting and shutter speed. Some Android phones do have better camera features, so check your camera appβs settings and turn the ISO down to 400 and set the shutter speed to 2-4 seconds. Your Android phone might even have a special scene mode just for low light or fireworks shots. If so, use that!
You can also try 3rd party apps like Camera FV-5 Lite andΒ Open Camera which give you control over more settings and includes a fireworks mode.
If you have an iPhone, try taking several pictures and after you get a couple pictures that look good, use Exposure Lock to lock the exposure settings so that your future shots will turn out good too. To do that, tap and hold on the screen in the area where you want to lock the exposure. Youβll know itβs on when you see a message that says Β βAE/AF LOCKβ appear at the top of the screen or above the shutter button depending on your version of iOS.
iPhone users will also want to try apps like Slow Shutter! and Slow Shutter CamΒ which let you take a long exposure image capture which is crucial for great fireworks shots.
When all else fails use video
If you try these tips and arenβt able to capture any good shots, then switch to video mode. In a lot of situations, this will capture better footage with no need to tweak settings.
Donβt spend the whole time trying to take pics
Take a few shots and then sit back and actually watch the fireworks show with your eyes instead of through your smartphoneβs display. Youβll miss all the o000hs and ahhhhsΒ moments if you have all your attention directed to your phone instead of the sky.
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argh. I’m having a hard time with English and WordPress. In your picture you look like youβre trying to do Catβs Cradle with an actual cat!
Ha! π
Step 1. Put your camera away.
Step 2. Grab Beverage
Step 3. Sit on Butt
Step 4. Drink Beverage
Step 5. Repeat Steps 3-5 until out of Beverage, then go back to step 2.
Just don’t be a tool. Put your damn phone away and enjoy something for once.
I’ve never been able to take great pictures at night, let alone fireworks. But, I will have to give your tips a try – I would like to have some pics like that for my albums. Thanks for sharing!