The right film to shoot fireworks Jun 07 '01 (Updated Jun 28 '01)    Write an essay on this topic. Tweet Popular Products in Digital Cameras Canon PowerShot S100 / Digital IXUS Digital Camera From $365 Nikon D90 Digital Camera with 18-105mm lens From $1049 The Bottom Line Slow speed film is the best choice for shooting fireworks pictures. To shoot perfect fireworks photographs requires a camera that can be used in a manual mode, a tripod or something to keep the camera still when you hold the shutter open for a long exposure with a cable release. You can use any brand film you like at speeds from 50 to 200. I personally like Fuji film for fireworks because it gives a little more intense color. For 50 or 100 speed film set your aperture at f/8. For 100 to 200 speed set the aperture at f/16. Many people think that you need faster (400, 800) speed film to shoot fireworks photos, but that's not the case. Slower speeds are best. The intense light of the fireworks will create great pictures on 100 speed film. And be sure to make sure your f-stop is set correctly. An aperture of f/8 for 100 speed film will capture the color you remember when you watch the fire works. If you open up the aperture any wider, even f/5.6, you will lose the color. Instead of pictures that show the intense color, all the fireworks will look white from over exposure. You can use any lens you like. Some people like a slightly longer lens, say, around 135 mm as it will give a feeling of being close to the fireworks. For more distant shots that include the crowds, use a wide angle lens. I like to get close to where the fireworks are being shot off and use a wide angle lens. I like to use a 35mm or 28mm lens, so I can get the city skyline behind the fireworks. Once you find the location you want to shoot from, put your camera on the tripod and set to to the manual mode. Select the f-stop discussed above, and I always put my shutter speed on bulb, or the setting which will keep the lens open as long as I hold the shutter release. I like to open the lens as soon as I see the fireworks taking off from the ground and until it has faded out. Keep the lens open for several bursts to get even better pictures. Go here for a couple examples of my fireworks photos: http://www.igocamping.com/fireworks.htm Happy shooting.

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