Taking photos of fireworks can be lots of fun, here are our top 5 tips for getting great shots of the display:

1. Use a tripod and long shutter speeds. The best fireworks photos are those with light trails created as the coloured light whizz through the sky. Experiment with different shutter speeds of 2s, 5s, 10s and 25s to check out the results. You’ll need to secure your camera to a steady base to prevent camera shake so use a tripod.
2. Arrive early. Get to the location ahead of time to check out the best spots for photography. Think about what’s in the background of your images. To really show off fireworks to their best you want an uncluttered background. Alternatively you might want to have a view of a harbour or city. As the display may only be 15 minutes long, you need to know where the best place if for your camera before it starts!
3. Shoot early. As the display proceeds loads of smoke will build up which may obscure your view of the fireworks. Take your shots as early as possible to avoid this.
4. Use Manual Mode. You can’t rely on your camera’s meter when shooting fireworks. Set your camera to M, then choose ISO 100 and an aperture of F11 or F16.
5. Experiment and check your results. Take shots using different shutter speeds, apertures and focal lengths. Check your results and adjust as necessary. Ideally you want to capture all of the colour from the fireworks against a black sky.