Taking great fireworks photos is easy with the iPhone XR and iPhone XS if you know what settings to use and have access to a basic iPhone accessory to boost your photos.
Even if you don’t have time to grab an iPhone tripod to stabilize your shots, you can use these tips and tricks to take amazing fireworks photos with your iPhone.
If you have a DSLR or a high-end point and shoot, you’ll probably have better luck with that camera than with your iPhone, but you can still take lots of great fireworks photos with your iPhone if you have no other choice.
Tips for taking great fireworks photos on iPhone.
You can use these tips to take better-looking fireworks photos with the iPhone X, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and other iPhones on the 4th of July and at other special events in July. You can quickly share photos to Instagram or Facebook by capturing them on your iPhone.
You can use these fireworks pictures tips on iPhone to take pictures that look better in the dark. If you get a chance, test these iPhone fireworks picture tips before you stand or sit in a crowd trying to take pictures of Fireworks.
Take Live Photos of Fireworks
iPhone can take Live Photos, which combines a short piece of video with photos and audio. A great and shareable way to take fireworks photos on iPhone.
You probably already take Live Photos on your iPhone, but you can check this by opening the camera and looking for a yellow circle in the top bar in portrait or on the left side when landscape. If it is yellow, you will take Live Photos. You will also see it appear LIVE when you take a photo.
When the fireworks starts, you can hold the phone as still as possible, press the shutter button, and hold the phone still for about a second after the photo is finished. This will give you a beautiful live photo of fireworks in action and exploding.
After taking a Live Photo, go to the Photos app to view it. You can 3D Touch the screen to animate it. If you need to crop the photo or change it to a better one, you can tap Edit. Now tap the bottom edge and you will see other photos taken by iPhone with one tap. Find the best one, tap on it and then tap on Make Key Photo.
You can also add effects to Live Photos to showcase the action in cool ways. Experiment with Live Photo effects and then share to get a version you think is great.
Don’t Use iPhone Flash
Turn off the flash when you try to take firework photos on iPhone. Flash will ruin your photos and annoy everyone around you. Don’t be the one to use the iPhone flash to take fireworks photos in the dark.
Do not use the flash when taking pictures of fireworks on iPhone.
Open the iPhone camera app and tap the flash so it’s not in any international circles. Flash won’t help your iPhone fireworks pictures at all. It’s also a good idea to dim your screen when taking pictures in the dark.
Test iPhone Camera Speed
iPhone XS and iPhone 8 take photos faster than older iPhones. If you’ve upgraded to a new iPhone, spend a few minutes figuring out the time from the shutter release to the photo completion.
Once you know this, you can press the shutter button to take a picture when the fireworks are just starting or just when the fireworks are just starting instead of capturing the smoke trails.
It’s also a handy idea to use the volume down button instead of trying to press the on-screen button to take a photo.
Use iPhone Burst Mode
iPhone can take a series of photos when you hold down the shutter button. As soon as you hear the fireworks go off, you can hold down the shutter and take a series of photos in a row as long as you keep the shutter pressed. The video below explains how this works.
When you hold down the on-screen shutter button or volume down button, iPhone can take 10 or more photos per second. When you’re done taking photos, you can see the best photos from them and then choose to save them.
Capture iPhone Fireworks Videos
iPhone can shoot excellent video of fireworks, and in some cases it works better than taking a photo. You can shoot a normal fireworks video without needing to change the settings, but there are other great options as well.
Fireworks’ slow motion video can slow the explosion for dramatic effect and deliver something that stands out. A time-lapse video on the iPhone can speed up the entire fireworks display to a few minutes, about a minute or two.
Use a tripod or iPhone Camera Accessory
If you really want your iPhone fireworks images to stand out, stop and buy a tripod that includes a way to attach the iPhone.
you can buy Joby GripTight or a similar iPhone tripod or tripod mount at Walmart or Best Buy so you can have it by the Fourth of July.
Use your Apple Watch
You can use your Apple Watch to control the shutter on your iPhone. This allows you to place your phone on a tripod or stand on something to keep it stable. A stable iPhone helps you take better photos.
With iPhone setup and camera on, find the remote shutter app on your Apple Watch. It looks like a small camera icon. When you’re ready, tap the shutter icon on your Apple Watch and iPhone will take a picture of the fireworks. Repeat as needed.
Do Not Zoom For iPhone Fireworks Pictures
It may be tempting to get close to the fireworks, but it’s a bad idea. On most iPhones, the screen zoom is a digital zoom; this means actually blowing up the image you see, rather than pulling you close like a camera with a zoom lens.
In dark environments, this results in poor looking photos and a waste of time. It is better to approach the fireworks on foot. Also, watch out for nearby lights that can ruin your photos, and try to find a place where people won’t be walking in front of you.
If you have an iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XS, or iPhone XS Max, you can zoom 2X with optical zoom, which lets you zoom in without sacrificing quality.
Avoid taking firework selfies with iPhone.
Also, you should avoid using the front camera to take firework selfies as it is not as good as the camera on the back of the iPhone.