Every New Year’s Eve, Bantry in West Cork organises a massive fireworks display, so every year I photograph it. Fireworks can be difficult to shoot, although with some knowledge and a bit of luck, one can produce some good pictures.

Nikon D5, Nikkor 24-70 f2.8 VR, f9, 15 seconds, ISO 100.

Firework displays usually last around 10 minutes, this adds pressure to get the perfect shot, but calmness is the key. What equipment is needed? Aside from the obvious camera and lens, a hat is essential as one can get cold waiting for the display to start. A good tripod is crucial - I use a carbon fibre 3LT ‘Brian’. Always spend a minimum of 10% of the value of your camera on a tripod to be sure it doesn’t collapse. A remote control is also important because the camera can’t be touched during long exposures. Finally, a head torch is useful for setting up/taking down gear and checking camera settings.

Nikon D5, Nikkor 24-70 f2.8 VR, f9, 8 seconds, ISO 100

Arriving in Bantry early, I took time to find the best position to take the pictures from and set up my gear. Although the aperture and ISO remained the same throughout the display, the shutter speed was always different. Why? For fireworks images, long exposure is the key, so I put the shutter speed on the ‘bulb’ setting, which enables me to keep the shutter open for as long as I need. Capturing fireworks which explode at different heights makes for better pictures.

Nikon D5, Nikkor 24-70 f2.8 VR, f9, 5 seconds, ISO 100

One of the publications which used an image from the shoot was The Echo - click here. Why not try your hand at photographing fireworks? With a bit of preparation and trial and error, you will get good pictures.

Stay tuned to my blog, another post will appear in the next few weeks. Thanks for reading!