Tips For Capturing Fireworks For Smartphone Photography by Andy Farrer
Many thanks to the UK PR agency for HTC smartphones for sending through this interesting article for us, just in time to capture fireworks for New Years Eve. Andy Ferror is a professional Landscape Photographer and HTC spokesman and he’s come up with some great tips, read more below…
1) Preparation
Find out where the fireworks will launch from and pick a vantage point which gives you a good view. Include any landmarks which will add context, rather than just photographing fireworks against a black sky. Consider wind direction and how crowded your location may get as the display starts.
2) Keeping things steady
When you’re photographing in low light it’s important to keep the camera as still as possible. Tuck in your elbows or find a wall, fence or table to lean on. Resting the camera on a bag or coat can also help. Activating tap to capture in shutter options is a good way to hold steady and capture a shot.
3) Use night mode
Some venues will have far more ambient light than others. Night mode automatically disables the flash for you, and uses the most suitable settings in darker situations. Switch back out of night mode if you want to use the flash to take photos of your friends or if the fireworks are too bright.
4) Focusing
Smartphones cameras have come a long way, for example the HTC One’s UltraPixel camera gathers 300 per cent more light than traditional smartphone camera sensors, enabling it to focus extremely well in low light situations. It will adjust itself after the first image is taken if the ambient light is insufficient for a good focus, but check how your images are coming out and tap the screen to focus if they’re not sharp. You can also tap and hold the screen to activate the auto exposure lock.
5) Don’t be shy
It will be over in a flash and a bang, so take plenty of images. You never know what fireworks are coming next so shoot first and delete later. Most smartphone cameras now allow you to shoot up to twenty stills in one moment, as well as continuous frames so make sure to take advantage of this function and don’t be afraid to switch from the ‘auto’ setting.
6) Be creative
Look behind you. Sometimes the most memorable images are not the obvious ones. Capture the emotions of people’s reactions to the fireworks while they don’t know they’re having their photos taken. Seize the moment.
7) Tell a story
Photos of venue tickets, champagne glasses, canapés and so on, all make a compilation much more engaging. Some smartphones have camera functions that can turn photos into video clips, such as the HTC Zoe which allows you to make quirky three second video snippets from your photos. A perfect way to capture New Year’s Eve fireworks.
8) Share the moment
Create a collage of your favourite photos from the evening and share them with friends and family. Add still photos or video highlights and share straight away via a URL link.
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Joanne Carter
Joanne Carter is a British photography journalist, editor, curator, and the founder of *TheAppWhisperer.com*, one of the world’s leading platforms dedicated to mobile photography and art. Since its launch in 2009, TheAppWhisperer has become an international hub for artists of all levels to discover, learn, exhibit, and engage with contemporary photographic practice.Built on principles of inclusivity, accessibility, and artistic excellence, Joanne has spent almost two decades championing mobile photography as a serious artistic medium. Through interviews, critical essays, exhibitions, competitions, and education, she has helped shape and document the evolution of mobile art on a global scale.Her work has taken her internationally, lecturing on photography and mobile art at institutions and events including the Museum of Art in Seoul, South Korea, alongside appearances in the UK and Europe. She has served as a juror for international photography and mobile art awards across Portugal, Canada, the United States, South Korea, Italy, and the UK.Joanne is also the founder of *TheAppWhispererPrintSales.com*, one of the first online galleries dedicated exclusively to collectible mobile art, connecting artists with collectors across Europe, the United States, and Asia.Before founding TheAppWhisperer, Joanne worked extensively in print journalism and photographic publishing, including roles at a paparazzi photo agency and as deputy editor of a leading photography magazine. Her freelance journalism, criticism, and commentary have been published widely in both the UK and the US, with bylines in *The Times*, *The Sunday Times*, *The Guardian*, *Popular Photography*, *NikonPro*, *DPReview*, *Which?*, *Vogue Italia*, *LensCulture*, the *BBC*, and more recently, the *Financial Times*, where her published letters on photography continue to contribute to wider conversations around the medium.Alongside her editorial and curatorial work, Joanne’s own photographic practice has been exhibited internationally across the UK, Europe, South Korea, and the United States. Her work increasingly explores themes of grief, loss, death, memory, and the body.Her current research interests centre on grief, death, and poverty, with forthcoming postgraduate study leading towards doctoral research in these areas.Joanne is currently developing new long-form writing and photographic projects and is available for commissions, editorial projects, speaking engagements, and collaborations.Contact: joannetheappwhisperer@gmail.com)
