How to Take Great Pictures of Flames and Fire

One very interesting photography subject is fire. One reason is it always catches the eye and our attention. It is very interesting too look at because its state is volatile. Its state changes rapidly and consumes almost anything it comes in contact with. It also gives off a yellowish color which adds mood to the surroundings. Although we cannot capture the entire flaming process in a single photograph, we can depict its movement and the colors. One other interesting reason is, our camera can see something which our eyes fail to see. It’s not a hard subject to shoot, you just need a bit of information.

Shoot at Very Fast Shutter Speeds. The shape of fire changes rapidly and as we know, change or movement in a scene introduces blur. Sometimes blur is good but sometimes is not. Fast Shutter speeds enable you to have a crisp shot of the details of the flame. Faster Shutter speeds also can give you a more properly exposed image. Although you can get correct exposure by adjusting ISO or the aperture settings, increasing shutter speed will also give you more flame detail unless, you want otherwise.

Set Metering Mode to Spot. Center Weighted Average can also work but you need a larger flame for it to work properly or else, the brightness of the surrounding area might ruin the shot. Using spot also allows you to meter a specific point (more like a small area). Use that area as reference for exposure readings.

Shoot when there is a Small Amount of Light or when it is Dark. Strong light sources can interfere with the light from the flame and ruin the shot. Have you ever tried lighting a small candle outside on a very bright, clear day? You won’t see the flame because fire which is plasma is transparent but it glows. Other strong light sources can also alter the mood the fire gives off.

Manually Set White Balance. Setting the camera to auto white balance can yield unwanted results. When set to Auto, the camera computes the white balance based on the scene. It uses the colors from the scene makes one of the colors as reference then adjusts the white balance accordingly. If you want more control over your pictures, you can set it to manual. Use a gray card or anything gray or white to measure the white balance.

Include other Subjects. Fire is a common subject. Add interest to your photo by adding other subjects to the shot like burnt paper, burning logs or coal. Try different angles and exposure settings, you might get something interesting there. Frame the shots properly and use the rule of thirds even if the constantly moving flame makes it difficult. Just keep on taking shots.

Shoot in Manual Mode.

Lastly, always remember that there are no rules in any art. Artists are always free to create their masterpiece. There are guides like the Rule of Thirds but sometimes it can be broken. These are just tips and suggestions. Once you know the basics, feel free to depart from any rule, standard or guide. Find your own style. There are no boundaries in any art.