Experts offer tips for photographing fireworks at lake

With the "Thunder Over Thurmond" fireworks extravaganza set for Saturday, July 5, at 9:30 p.m., many shutterbugs are wondering just what they need to do to get the best photographs possible.

What follows are a few tricks of the trade from the experts:

..Don't use a flash. If your camera won't allow you to turn the flash off, cover it with a piece of tape.

.. To ensure the cleanest shots possible, shooting at a low ISO is preferable. Stick to 100 ISO and you should be fine.

.. Use manual focus, if possible. If you don't want to take the time to manually focus your pictures, set the focus on infinity or landscape mode. Moreover, some cameras are equipped with a fireworks mode.

.. A shutter speed of one to four seconds is usually good, depending on what you're trying to do with the photo. Anything shorter and you may not get the full effect or the full bloom of the fireworks and anything longer, you may just end up with a washed out image.

.. Use a slow-speed film. A slowspeed film will keep the shutter open longer so you can better catch the full bloom of the fireworks as they spread across the sky.

.. Use the highest quality setting on your camera.

.. Bring a small flashlight. This will save you from losing your temper while trying to set your camera in the dark.

.. Bring extra memory cards and batteries.

.. Find a good position. Tree branches and fireworks do not mix, so be sure to find a good location. Search for a site where trees, buildings, and people will not obstruct your view.

.. Shoot upwind of the show. The smoke from the fireworks can make your pictures hazy. For this same reason, the first explosions are usually the sharpest ones.

According to Michael-Leonard Creditor, "I find it's better to be at a right angle to the direction of the wind. This way, the smoke will be blown out of the frame most quickly. If you're directly upwind, smoke can still remain behind your colorful subjects."

.. Don't get too close to the show. Standing 500 feet or more from the launching point will ensure that you get the full effect of the high aerial shells.

.. Hold the camera steady. To avoid blurry pictures, brace your camera on a railing, the back of a chair or table, or against a column or a tree. Using a tripod is another option.

.. Take a lot of photographs. It is hard to estimate how long the fireworks will keep bursting - it may take several attempts to catch the bursts at their maximum bloom.

.. Try alternate/advanced exposure modes.

.. Watch the ground as well as the sky. Also, watch the water for exploding shells and special effects.