Phew say that title 10 times fast!! Summer is full of celebrations and holidays, like the 4th of July, where you might want to catch the bright, colorful fireworks celebrations with your iPhone. While you would be best off using your large-sensor DSLR in this low-light situation, with a few tips & tricks you can still capture some really beautiful, explosive iPhone fireworks photography! 

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<div><a title="Fireworks Over Boston 01, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/deddoc/3691974767/" target="_blank">[imageeffect type="frame" align="aligncenter" width="500" height="375" alt="" url="http://thebeginnerslens.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/fireworks1.jpg"]</a></div>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Fireworks Over Boston 01</em>
Photo by Dave Rogers</p>
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<strong>1. Choose The Best Position.</strong>
Before parking your blanket and setting up to shoot, find the best location.
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<ul>
<li>Get a clear view, away from buildings, trees, and people (if you can). Or use the trees, buildings, and people as part of the image! (See below)</li>
<li>The best angle to shoot is with the fireworks in front of you at a distance, rather than directly above you.</li>
<li>Avoid car lights, streetlights, and light from surrounding buildings. The best backdrop is pitch black.</li>
</ul>
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Keep in mind one of the best things about shooting with an iPhone is the portability – so move around if you need to! 

<strong>2. Ready, Steady! </strong>
Be sure to bring a tripod. You can either attach your iPhone to a full-size digital photography tripod with an adapter like the Glif. Or get yourself something like the Gorillapod, a reasonably priced portable tripod made specifically for the iPhone. If you haven’t got access to a tripod, use something steady to prop up your iPhone. You can even rest it on your knee or the shoulder of a nearby friend – just be sure to steady the phone as it is likely to be far too dark to get crisp handheld photos.  

<strong>3. Turn The Flash Off.</strong>  
Just face it; the tiny LED flash on your iPhone 4 isn’t going to do anything so you might as well just turn it off. If you’ve got an iPhone 3 or 3GS, don’t worry about it you haven’t got a flash anyway.  

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<div><a title="Fireworks From Flagler in West Palm Beach, FL, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mdsimages/3688374925/" target="_blank">[imageeffect type="frame" align="aligncenter" width="375" height="500" alt="" url="http://thebeginnerslens.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/fireworks2.jpg"]</a></div>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Fireworks From Flagler in West Palm Beach, FL</em>
Photo by Michael Steighner</p>
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<strong>4. Turn Off HDR Too. </strong>
If you’re using an iPhone 4 to shoot, be sure to turn off the HDR function on the native camera app. In this situation, the HDR function won’t improve your photos, but it will slow down your processing time, so leave it off this time. 

<strong>5. How To Get The Money Shot. </strong>
Did you know that your native iPhone camera only takes the photo when you remove your finger from the shutter button? So to be sure you capture the shot you actually want, tap and hold the shutter button and frame your shot. Based on the fireworks show, anticipate when something big is going to happen and release your finger from the shutter only when you’re ready to take the photo. Don’t forget to take photos in both landscape and portrait mode, variety is the spice of life after all. 

<strong>6. Don’t Forget To Get Video</strong>
You’ve already got your iPhone set up on a tripod or in a steady place, so why not relive the show with a video? If you’ve got an iPhone 4, you can capture some HD video to share with your friends. 

Finally, don’t forget to have a bit of fun, and be sure to share your fireworks photos with us! 
