This year’s 4th of July celebration was a little different for us—but in the best way possible.
Our friends George and Robbie Coppenhaver graciously invited us to join them for fireworks in their cul-de-sac inside Roswell Country Club, here in Roswell, Georgia. It was the perfect setup for a relaxing evening. My wife Dorie is recovering from some cartilage damage in her knee, and her doctor has her off her feet for six weeks. So we parked in a driveway, set up our chairs about 20 feet away, and enjoyed a full-blown fireworks show without walking more than a few steps. Talk about front-row comfort.
As a storyteller who rarely leaves the camera behind, I packed a few tools to capture the magic.
Tools of the Trade
I used my Nikon Z9 paired with the 14–30mm f/4 lens to photograph the fireworks. I locked it down on a tripod and went fully manual for complete control. Here’s my setup:
- ISO: Between 100 and 400
- Aperture: f/8 to f/11
- Shutter Speeds: 1 to 25 seconds
- Trigger: Cable release to hold the shutter open for multiple bursts—typically 4 to 8 fireworks per frame
If you’ve ever photographed fireworks, you know that long exposures let you paint multiple bursts into a single frame. It’s all about timing—open the shutter just as the shell pops and close it after a few nicely spaced explosions.
Eyes in the Sky
I also launched my drone to capture video footage from above to get a unique angle. There’s something magical about seeing fireworks from the sky—watching them bloom over neighborhoods, lighting the night from a new perspective. I later edited the drone footage in Adobe Premiere Pro.
The stills were processed in Lightroom, where I fine-tuned the contrast and color to give the images that extra punch you want with fireworks photography.
One Last Tip
If you can watch a stunning fireworks display just 20 feet from your car, take it. especially when you can bring your gear, settle in comfortably, and still capture professional-level images and video. It was a beautiful night with great company, and I’m grateful for the chance to document it from both the ground and the air.