Wishing you and your family a safe and fun July 4th!!!

This was taken on the Mississippi River in downtown Memphis, with the Desoto Bridge in the background. No flash, Aperture f/8, set on “bulb”, 4 second exposure, ISO 200, 24-70mm lens.

Here are 7 tips that will give you some great fireworks photographs.

1. Set you ISO to 100 or the lowest it can go. This will help to get the noise down in your photograph.

2. Bring a tripod. You will need to find a good place to put this since it is going to be crowded. A tripod will help steady the camera, and give you sharper photographs.

3. If you have a cable release, but all means this is the time to use it! This will also give you sharper pictures.

4. Set your aperture between f/8 and f/16.The smaller aperture intensifies the colors of the fireworks and prevents overexposure. Experiment and see how the different aperture setting changes the look of your image.

5. Shutter speed: Use your camera’s “B” (bulb) setting. Start your exposure at the moment the burst begins, and end it when the burst reaches its peak. How long is long enough? For a single blast, a second or two should be sufficient. Sometime four to six seconds. Be sure to check your LCD because different lighting conditions may affect timing. For example, are other photographers shooting with a flash. Is there lighting in the foreground.

6. Use a wide angle lens 24-70, or even a 12-24 lens. This will help in getting all the fireworks, and be sure you can get closer to where they are launching the fireworks for your photograph.

7. If you want to have multiple burst in your photograph. Leave the camera on B or bulb and block the lens with a black piece of cloth or paper until there’s a burst, and repeating the process over several bursts. This results in a multiple exposure that can fill the frame with fireworks.