Festival Fireworks

As a finale for the festival, fireworks explode over Edinburgh Castle. I try to take photographs, which is very tricky without a tripod to hold the camera steady and not knowing exactly when they will ignite the sky with brilliance - it is pitch black a fraction of a second beforehand. I like the colours and the flashes of light.
 
I also like the way they trail off leaving streaks of flaming cordite against the night sky. We have been drinking whisky as part of our tourist activities, so perhaps I am just seeing stars anyway. Here are some examples of my work. Any tips on how to photograph fireworks would be greatly appreciated.