By Barry Gutierrez
Rocky Staff Photographer

1. Philosophy: Blend beauty with the human experience
Capturing fireworks can be a real challenge, even for working professionals. Don't be frustrated if things don't work out perfectly. Close is often good enough. I have photographed many fireworks shows over the years and one thing they all have in common is that they happen fast.

Ten to 15 minutes may seem like a long time, but when your exposures can last 20-30 seconds, that leaves you with only 20-30 pictures at most with no time to readjust. You need to think about the context of the fireworks you are shooting. Think about the landscape and what is important to you and those viewing your picture. As a photojournalist, I am always trying to capture the human experience along with the fireworks. This is not always possible and it's not always easy, but when it works out you are rewarded with capturing both the action and beauty of the fireworks and their connection to the human experience. This is what I am always after.

2. Location, location, location: You have to be smarter than your camera
Just like buying a house, this is most important thing to figure out beforehand. Fireworks are high in the air, and in order to bring them into context, you either need to be far away using a long lens or up close with a shorter lens. I have shot fireworks from rooftops, fields, city streets, overpasses, helicopters and many stadiums. In Denver, some great locations are where the crowds go to watch the shows listed below. Just remember, if you try to include people in the frame you need to get low. I often use an off camera strobe to light spectators. This gives me the ability to have the proper exposure for the fireworks and the spectators. I also try to look for silhouettes, but this means you have to move or be in the perfect place at the perfect time. The best lens to use will be determined by from where you decide to shoot.

3. Exposure: f/8 and be there: Digital noise hurts!
Shooting digital, like most people do these days, you have to be careful about digital noise. (With film it was called pixilation.) This occurs with long exposures. The longer your exposure, the more noise the image will pick up, especially in the shadows. So I recommend a low ISO setting: ISO 100 f/8 at 8 seconds. Anything more than 8-10 seconds for the middle of the road digital SLR camera will give poor quality images. Use the highest quality your camera will allow.

Since most of you are not on deadline, film usually gives the best results and offers the best latitude. When using film, I recommend daylight balanced film with a low ISO - 64 or 100 is best. Negative film gives you the best latitude. Adjust your exposure to allow the ambient light from the surrounding buildings to be properly exposed; f/8 at 4 to 8 seconds should be about right. I like f/16 or f/22 with a longer exposure like 30 seconds or longer. You can use your "B" bulb setting for infinite exposure time and a black card to hold over your lens. When the bursts get big, beautiful and frequent, remove the card from the front of the lens and when they slow down, replace it. This way you can have multiple bursts in the same frame without overexposing anything in the foreground. All exposures are a bit different and will require some amount of luck. Use your best guess and get as much knowledge as you can gather.

4. Finale
Shows get better as they go on, so don't blow all of your film early. Be prepared for the finale, which will give you the most bang for your buck.

5. Use a tripod

6. Don't bring a date
He/she will not be happy watching you take picture while they somehow enjoy the fireworks. It doesn't work that way. Pick two shows-one to shoot and one to watch.

7. Another resource
This has some good info as well: http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/how-to-photograph-fireworks/