It may be hard to believe, but July is here and summer is finally in full swing. Most Americans have a three-day weekend to enjoy the Fourth of July holiday on Monday, and the majority of us will wrap up the long weekend by taking in a fireworks show that night -- so here are some tips for getting the best photos of the event, regardless of what kind of camera you’re using.

Fireworks are among the trickiest subjects to photograph, and few people walk away with truly spectacular images that capture the emotion of being there in person. But it doesn’t have to be that way -- most cameras feature special mode settings for just such an event, and even if your camera isn’t one of those, there are a few tricks to get the best possible results.

Digital SLR

The more pro your camera is, presumably the easier the task of shooting an elusive subject such as fireworks. While some digital SLR cameras may not be “idiot-proof” in terms of simple point-and-shoot settings, they have the advantage of features such as being tripod mountable or using a remote release to keep your camera absolutely still while snapping shots.

Such features are important because you’ll want to use longer shutter speeds when snapping firework displays, regardless of what kind of camera you have. That means going manual for exposure, focus and shutter. After all, fireworks are an elusive subject to begin with (you’d have a pretty boring show if they were all the same each time), and auto focusing in low light is always tricky business.

While there is no one exposure setting that will always do the trick, here are a few recommendations: For ISO 50, try an exposure between f/5.6 and 11; ISO 100, between f8 and 16; and ISO 200, between f11 and 22. Many pros recommend using the lowest ISO settings and of course, the highest quality file size settings as well, since fireworks are a busy affair that can tax even the highest megapixel count. Remember, you’re aiming for an exposure that won’t blow out the bursting rocket streaks.

If you have multiple lenses for your DSLR, it’s worth swapping them out and attempting some different shots with each. A wider lens is preferred for expansive views of your fireworks, but you might find tighter lenses will take more spectacular shots, especially from a distance.

Point and Shoot Cameras

Many modern point and shoot digital cameras come with a dedicated scene setting for different scenarios such as night shooting, kids and/or pets, snow, beach and yes, even fireworks. You’ll want to consult your particular camera’s instruction manual for the full details, but many cameras from Canon and others use a separate scene mode for these special occasions, rather than the usual photo and video modes.

You’ll also want to disable your camera flash -- not only will fail to help you capture the already bright fireworks on display, but it can incorrectly trick your camera into thinking that your shot can get away with a shorter exposure time, exactly the opposite of what you want. Keep in mind that a camera’s flash essentially falls off after a few feet, and the fireworks will be much further away than that. At best you might illuminate some of the smoke from the rockets red glare, but that will only serve to further trip up already tricky images.

iOS Devices

Sadly, there aren’t too many pro tips available for shooting fireworks with an iPhone, iPad 2 or iPod touch. You’re already at a disadvantage because you can’t steady the device with a traditional tripod, although there are options from Joby and others to help keep your handset steady. Hold the device close to your body with your arms at your sides, which will help steady the image when it comes time to pull the trigger.

Speaking of which, you’ll want to tap gently on the on-screen trigger button to take shots like this, although this time next year that will be a memory thanks to iOS 5, which will finally allow camera shutter triggering from either the volume up button on the device or a headset plugged into it -- perfect for finally getting steady shots.

For now, we’d advise concentrating on video from your iOS device, which will be a far more accurate account of the experience anyway, and in 720p HD to boot. Once the first few fireworks go up, you can tap on the screen to set your focus -- it may not be exactly where the next rockets will go up, but it should be more accurate than flying blind, and much better than letting the camera app try to blindly find focus, spoiling your shot.

iPhone and iPod touch users who insist on attempting still photos are also advised to look into purchasing a more capable third-party app such as Camera+, which will let you easily snap a ton of pictures and then save only the ones that turn out well -- saving you time having to later delete these stinkers from your device.

Speaking of apps, you might also consider popular “retro” camera apps like Instagram or Hipstamatic for your firework shots -- since night shooting can often be a grainy, blurry experience anyway, you might as well make some “art” out of it.

Like any other camera, you’ll want to make sure the LED flash is switched off when shooting photos or videos from an iOS device -- and you’d be advised to skip the HDR photo mode as well, since it’s more likely to mangle your firework shots simply by taking too long to expose them.

General Tips

As with many things in life, shooting fireworks has everything to do with location, location, location. You’d do well to scout out where you plan to photograph fireworks in advance in an effort to find interesting angles or scenery that might lend itself to the kind of shots you want to take. Get there early! Remember, the rest of the residents in your community will want to experience the show, too.

Whether you’re shooting still photos, video or both, don’t forget that there are often great images to be had that aren’t up in the sky -- the reactions of friends, family or others nearby as the darkness lights up, pets fleeing in terror for the nearest shelter or even kids playing with their own Independence Day fun (i.e., sparklers) -- it’s all worth capturing, especially for video so you have more footage to cut rather than simply the fireworks.

Last but not least, don’t forget accessories you might need for any such one-shot event as this: Extra batteries and extra SD memory cards are a must for digital cameras so the fun doesn’t end before the fireworks do. Otherwise, get out there, enjoy the show and for the love of God, don’t eat too much!

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