The Ultimate Guide to Taking Photos + Videos of Fireworks with GoPro
We’re about to light up your day with the ultimate guide to fireworkography.
Is fireworkography a thing? It is now!
To start, here’s a fun fact for you: The tradition and spectacle of fireworks dates back to the late 1770s and is best enjoyed outdoors, cuddled up on a blanket, giving your undivided attention. That means, those folks who are watching through a screen, struggling to capture the moment, are missing the magic. This is why we want to teach you a hands-free way to capture the show.
Step 1: Use a stable mount.
We recommend grabbing the new 3-Way 2.0 mount. It comes with a built-in tripod that's paired with a ball joint that swivels a full 360° to change your camera angle without having to reposition the mount.
Shorty and the Magnetic Swivel Clip are two more great options. Shorty has the same stable, built-in tripod. Whereas the latter is named for its best features—it can be clipped or magnetized to the world around you, so you can get really creative with mounting angles and locations.
Step 2: Dial in the proper camera settings.
Mode: Night Lapse Photo Mode
Shutter: 2, 5 or 10 seconds.
Shutter speed will depend on how large the fireworks are. In general, the sweet spot is a 5-second exposure, and a longer shutter speed will work nicely for larger fireworks. Mix it up for different looks!
Interval: Auto
White Balance: 3200 - 4000K
ISO Min: 100
ISO Max: 800
ISO Min and Max also depends on the size of the fireworks. 100 will result in a cleaner and crisper photo but darker, while 800 will be noisier but much lighter.
Sharpness: Low
Color: GoPro
PRO TIP: Shoot with RAW On for more editing control in post.
For a "set it and forget it" option, try the following:
Mode: Night Lapse Video Mode
Resolution: 4K 4:3
Shutter: 2, 5 or 10 seconds.
Interval: Auto
White Balance: 3200 - 4000K
ISO Min: 100
ISO Max: 800
Sharpness: Low
Color: GoPro
After you take your firework photos and videos using these tips, connect your GoPro to the Quik app and pull frame grabs. This way you'll have all the files all saved to one place in Quik and come out with a bonud time lapse video!
Step 3: Enjoy the show.
Double-check the action is framed up properly by connecting your GoPro to the Quik app to use your device to preview what’s in the frame. Then, sit back and let the GoPro do the work while you enjoy.
Hopefully this guide has provided some helpful tricks for taking the bes photos and videos of fireworks in all their glory.
Send us your fireworks footie for a chance to be featured on GoPro social channels through the holiday weekend. Submit at gopro.com/awards.
For more night photography tips and tricks, check out this GoPro Tips tutorial on night photography with GoPro engineer and night-photographer extraordinaire Shreenivasan Manievannan.