How to take Sparkler Pictures
In this tutorial, I will show you how to take sparkler pictures with ease. I’m also giving away a Free Guide to sparkler photography to ensure you get shots while you’re out and about. Sparkler photography is actually a really simple thing to do, you just need to get your camera settings correct, then it’s all about practicing and having fun.
This is a fun thing to do at a fireworks night, Independence day, New Year’s Eve or just in your garden with left over sparklers.
Hope this tutorial inspires you, if it does we’d love to see your examples of sparkler photography. If you want to show us, tag #theschoolofphotography on Instagram and Twitter and @theschoolofphotography1 on Facebook.
Download our guide to sparkler photography below.
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The Best Equipment for sparkler pictures
It’s best to keep your camera still whilst photographing sparklers in movement. For this you will need a good sturdy tripod to take the weight of your camera. Avoid using cheap flimsy tripods as these could cause your camera to move in the wind or make your set up top heavy. Having said this, you can also get some good effects hand holding your camera. Give them both a go and chose your best technique.
You will also need a camera that can used in fully manual. A DSLR or good mirrorless camera will do the trick. Learn how to use a camera in fully manual mode here
Camera setting for sparkler photography
Set your camera needs to be on manual mode.
Set your Aperture of f.22
Set your Shutter speed to 15 to 30 seconds
Use an ISO of 100
Set your camera to manual focus.
White balance - daylight sparklers have an orange glow to them, if you put your white balance on to daylight then you can catch the orange glow of the sparklers more accurately.
To learn about white balance, apertures and other camera settings, click here
Tips
Go to a really dark spot, the darker the better!
Set your shot up and frame it correctly first. Get the person who is to be holding the sparklers to stand in the middle of your frame.
Make the model aware of the middle of the picture so they know the space they have to move around in.
Focus on them and then switch your camera on to manual focus, this will keep the focus point in the same spot and stop the camera having a hissy fit next time you focus!
Use a torch to find the focus point if it is too dark.
Examples of Sparkler photography
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