Fireworks Pictures

Whether photography is a hobby, or it is a career, one thing every photographer has in common is a love for visual art.  Although taking a picture seems rather easy, photography is actually very technical.  Taking pictures of things in motion can prove to be very difficult, thus requiring special training and equipment.  Below will be several how-to's in the art of taking and distributing fireworks pictures.

There is nothing like observing a great fireworks display.  These displays can provoke all types of emotion and capturing these images through your camera can prove to be very difficult.  One of the most important steps is to make sure your photography equipment is set up and functioning before the firework display begins.  Set up by attaching your camera to a tripod.  A tripod avoids the shakes and keeps your camera still.  Use of a remote release device specifically for your camera to avoid interference with the shot is also handy.  Perhaps the most difficult venture is framing your shot.  Make sure to scope the location out early so that you can gain an unobstructed vantage point.  Watch your horizons to make sure you will have the fireworks in your shot as well as the background and foreground to add an interesting flare to your shot.  For a successful shot, you will need to experiment with the correct shutter speed settings.  It is recommended to shoot in 'bulb' mode, which allows the shutter to stay open for as long as needed, capturing the photo immediately when the fireworks explode.  Make sure to also shoot with your flash off and in manual modes as well for prevent images from having a distracting glare.

To capture a photograph of fireworks you will need to find a camera with some specific features.  For dramatic and colorful images, you will need a camera that has a low shutter speed option. There are digital cameras available on the market that offer the convenience of a 'fireworks mode', which automatically adjusts the settings necessary for taking fireworks pictures. Canon's EOS Rebel Series offer this function; along with their 5D Mark II. For those who do not have this feature make sure to set your camera to manual and adjust the ISO lower to 100. Another important feature is setting the camera's focus to infinity, so that it will not search for an image in the dark.

If taking fireworks pictures has just been a hobby, you may want to consider making some extra cash by selling your artwork.  There are many different ways to turn a profit from your art from stock photography to publishing your images in books and magazines.  Stock photography is images for sale licensed for specific uses.  There are two types of stock photography, royalty-free or those that provide royalties.  With royalty-free stock photography there is a licensing agreement negotiated for each use.  The buyer can use your photography in numerous uses for one single fee.  There is no option for exclusive rights to the image.  With those agreements that do provide royalties, the photographer will receive payments each time the photograph is used and they have exclusive rights to the image involved in the agreement.  There are several online stock photography centers available to display your photos, one popular site being www.shutterpoint.com.  Here you can upload your images and have prospective buyers view them directly from their own computer.  You can even negotiate agreements for Full Royalty-free or standard royalty-free agreements.  Aside from stock photography, you can also sell your images for publications such as magazines, books, calendars, etc.  If you are looking to do this, you will have to research manufacturers and publishers that will be receptive to your work.  Once you have contacted them, you can start submitting fireworks pictures for their approval.

With technology taking over the world, it is no surprise that you can share just about anything with just about anyone online. Your fireworks pictures are no different.  Times have changed from emailing your photos to your friends and family.  There are now free digital photo sharing websites that allow users to post albums of their photos and share with specific people, or the entire world if they so choose.  The most popular sharing community is Flickr.  By accessing www.flickr.com, you can select the "sign up" option, complete the application, and voila, you are a user.  Once your account is set up, you can upload photos and create albums organizing certain special occasions.  Once your albums are completed, you can make them public or select who you would like to access your images by sharing your photos with friends and family.  Not only is online photo sharing free and simple, it is a great tool to view others photographers work as well.

There are many resources available online at your fingertips to search for and locate royalty-free fireworks photographs.  One very popular website is Fotosearch (www.fotosearch.com) that offers a database of searchable images that are entirely royalty-free.  Another great tool for those searching online is Public Domain Pictures (www.publicdomainpictures.net), where these royalty-free stock photos are free for private and commercial usage.  Expect images on these websites to be common among publishers as they are free of cost and not exclusive to any specific source.