How to photograph fireworks
I shot this last July 4th, but I'm posting it again to pass along what I learned then about shooting fireworks.
The most important consideration is that you need a long exposure to catch long ember trails and hopefully multiple bursts that weren't really simultaneous. That dictates other requirements, starting with using full manual settings. Depending on conditions and personal preference, the shutter speed might be anywhere from at least one second up to maybe 30 seconds, but I believe that in most cases, a little experimenting will show that somewhere between 5 seconds and 10 seconds will work well.
To avoid overexposing with such long exposures, you need to do two things: (1) use your lowest ISO number (which is typically 100 or 200), and (2) close down the aperture with a mid-to-high f-stop. You won't want to use a higher ISO in any case, but you will likely need a little experimenting on your first few shots to settle on a shutter speed (which should be the longest you can get away with) and the aperture. If the ember trails look like they might be overexposed, try a higher f-stop rather than faster shutter speed, but if the bursts start looking weak, your f-stop is too high. My photo used 5-second exposures and f/8, but I suggest those just as a starting point. My settings were mainly based on also wanting a good exposure on the shoreline structures and the reflections on the water. If you don't have other lights to contend with, you can probably use a longer exposure. In any case, check your first few shots and don't be afraid to experiment to make them better. (Canon cameras typically have a setting called Highlight Tone Priority which they recommend for fireworks shots to get better dynamic range and color, but I didn't play with that because I was satisfied with what I got.)
Another requirement is to use a tripod — otherwise, even a 1-second exposure will likely be blurred, even using a camera with image stabilization. Also, you need to either use a remote control or the delayed shooting mode to avoid motion blur from pressing the shutter button. If you want to maximize your chances of getting a good shot, I highly recommend using a remote control that can be locked on and the continuous-shooting camera mode.
That's about it, but if anyone has other suggestions or opinions, please share!
I just learned this morning that the shows in Colorado Springs have been cancelled (at least the legal ones) because dry conditions have put the wildfire risk firmly in the red zone. 