Over the Easter break we went to a family do that involved a modest bonfire. I figured it would be the perfect opportunity to learn how to capture flames with my camera. Even better than mucking around with my camera on ordinary flames, there was a pyrotechnician at the party who had not only brought a bunch of fireworks but sticks of gunpowder as well. These were like mini flares and, when thrown into the fire, they burned with a white-hot intensity, emitting huge billowy white smoke and the odd interestingly coloured flame.
I’d just nailed the right aperture and shutter speed for capturing the flames when they started tossing these things into the fire. I had to start all over again with the aperture and shutter speed because the gunpowder sticks were burning brighter and faster than the wood – which meant the first couple I took at the “normal” settings for flames were almost completely whited out.
As soon as I made the necessary adjustments I managed to nail it and got what might be the best non-portrait photograph I’ve taken to date. It’s not photo-shopped, it hasn’t been adjusted or balanced; this is just the raw shot straight from the camera to you. To me it looks like some sort of eldritch witch’s blaze ready for a cauldron of toil and trouble. I love it.
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