How to Capture Fireworks on Your iPhone
Put some sparkle in your pocket
I’m a sucker for fireworks. It’s the slam-dunk easiest way to capture a photo that everyone will “ooh” and “ahhhh” over when you share it with friends.
At least the first dozen. Fireworks. Not friends.
Fireworks have a short half-life.
But everyone can relate to the festivity and they are easy to capture with your trusty iPhone.
The thing is that fireworks happen very quickly and are somewhat unpredictable, so what’s the best technique?
I’ve found that the Live Photo setting is perfect for most fireworks displays. If you aren’t a fan, this will change your mind.
The magic is that the Live Photo setting captures 1.5 seconds before and after you tap the shutter button. So you can either go into Edit and pick a better frame than the one you got, or you can loop the image and create an animated GIF on your Mac.
A couple tips:
First, be sure to hold your iPhone steady. Figure out where the most fireworks happen and frame that area of the sky. Wait for the fireworks to come into the frame rather than follow them as they rocket upward.
Also, if you press and hold on your screen for the first couple of bursts, the Camera App will lock on the Exposure and Focus for that brightness and distance. Along with holding your camera steady, you’ll get better exposed, sharper images.
Another thing is that fireworks shows are not just about the fireworks. There are often light-up accessories, campfires, and the silhouettes of the people watching. Take the time to step back and capture the whole scene.
Finally, be ruthless about editing down the event to the very best images. You can go into the Edit mode and look for the best frames and for a few images that would make a nice video loop. If you have kids, playing with the image edits can be a whole event in itself.
Give fireworks a shot. It’s a lot of fun.
If you would like a step by step tip sheet for capturing and editing firework images on our iPhone, click the button below.