Here are four tips from a professional photographer on how to get better photos of fireworks this weekend...

Have you ever tried taking photos of fireworks only to fail time and time again? Well, Time magazine asked a pro how to avoid those crappy photos of fireworks.

Photo By: Solarseven/ThinkStock
Photo By: Solarseven/ThinkStock
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1.  Turn your flash off.  If you don't, everything over ten feet away will end up underexposed.  If you want to take a photo of someone with the fireworks behind them, set it up so their face is lit by a light behind you.

Photo By: EvgeniyQ/ ThinkStock
Photo By: EvgeniyQ/ ThinkStock
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2.  Don't just take pictures of the sky.  Photos of fireworks with nothing else in the photo tends to be boring, so try to get the skyline in there too.  Or try something like a shot of your kid from behind while they're watching.

Photo By: Fotografiche/ ThinkStock
Photo By: Fotografiche/ ThinkStock
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3.  Turn OFF the HDR feature.  It makes your camera take three quick photos at different exposures, then combines them into one image to make the lighting look more natural.  If you use HDR with fireworks, they'll look blurry.

Photo By: Smileus/ ThinkStock
Photo By: Smileus/ ThinkStock
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4.  Take photos with a long exposure.  That's where the shutter stays open a few seconds longer and lets more light in.  But not all camera phones let you do it, and you pretty much have to use a tripod to make it work.

Photo By: Mshake/ ThinkStock
Photo By: Mshake/ ThinkStock
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'Merica.

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