Before you snap one photo, learn the lay of the land. Knowing ahead of time where the fireworks are going to explode will help you gauge the best angles for your photos. You obviously want a clear shot of the sky, but look for a spot that lets you also capture a nice wide-angle view of the skyline or a nearby landmark. This helps with the composition, but it also visually place-tags your photos and makes them more interesting. If your local fireworks display is over a river or a body of water, find a spot that lets you incorporate the water into the shot; the reflections will add a sense of drama and scale to your shots. Of course, this advice might be moot if your city is launching fireworks from a mysterious location. If that's the case, just try to find an outpost that offers a wide, 360-degree view of your surroundings and be ready to pivot.
Use these battle-tested tips and camera settings to capture dramatic photos of those explosions in the sky.
