The Chronicle's Fourth of July celebration ends with a pyrotechnic display that capivates all with its awesome beauty and power.
Many people attempt to capture the fleeting displays with their cameras.
The New York Institute of Photography sent us the following article and we print it here to help you preserve sparkling skies over San Francisco Bay. First, take a time-exposure. The darkness of the sky should cause your camera to keep the shutter open for a time-exposure, and you can end up with a splendid picture. They explained that shooting fireworks is tricky, depends on what type of effect you are seeking, and where you are shooting from as ambient light will affect the outcome. Their recommendation was to set the aperature around 5.6 and set the time exposure between ten seconds and a minute, again, depending on the effect you want.