One tip I'd like to pass along is that when photographing fireworks location is important. Figure out the wind direction and try to position yourself upwind. Fireworks leave behind a LOT of smoke and if you're downwind after the first few shots there will be a smoky haze.

Also, don't forget to get some wide shots that include the surrounding landscape when the burst goes off and remember to keep the horizon level.

Have fun!

I own ky own fireworks company as well as document all our shows with pictures and video. I am using a NIKON Coolpix S70 and I found, and it is probably the same with most camera that if you use the sports setting with no flash and take the picture right as the fireworks bursts in the sky you will get perfect fluid pictures of the entire life of the shell. Just an FYI

You will want to underexpose by about 3 stops to make the background sky dark. The bright fire works will still show up. Next you will want to step down your lens to increase the depth of field and slow down the shutter. A shutter speed around 10 seconds would be nice. Focus at infinity, and shut off auto focus, it will hunt in the night sky. On a digital camera, set your ISO slow to about 200, and turn off auto white balance, set it to flash to warm up the colors a bit.

Good Hunting and Enjoy the Fireworks

Thia was the helpful item I have read on The Patch, (not that others were ok) it was step by step, and can be used as a starting point for other shoots, thank you, a discussion between doers is always interesting, on the Boatnerd.com site, there is picture pg. but also a news page, at tne end of each day there is news pics, also a archive at the bottom that takews you back in years, a guy by the name OF Piskor takews some amazing pictures, just amazing, some at night in below zero weather. another guy likes to play with angles, He takes from canadian side, just North of sarnia, (port edwards) looking out into Huron, as the big boats come into line to make the turn down the st clair river, I say this he had one pic. of a sail boat as if the Big Paul (1000 ft'r) bearing down as if to crush the sail Boat, it was so real, it spark a day long controversy on motor vs sail, the next day he posted the next pic's, the sail boat was not in the channel, and Big Paul still hadn't made the turn to go dwn channel, bit did all the SAILERS have back at you, blogs, i will try and post some of Piskors pic's they are so crisp, Having no name, I can pk. his out of a 1000 photo's