Fire is captivating – the flicker and burn, the sparks, the power of the flames consuming the fuel.  Every fire tells its own story and that provides a host of options when it comes to catching it on camera and transferring your image to canvas.

The official date of Bonfire Night may have passed, but if you’re going along to a display this weekend or planning your own winter party complete with a flaming focal point in the future, you’ll want to read on for a few hints and tips.

Whenever you’re photographing fire safety must be your first priority as the flames and the smoke can damage your equipment as well as yourself! With this in mind, make sure you take time to plan out your session and work out where you can shoot safely while capturing the subject at the angles you want.

Using fire as your backdrop

Using light as a backdrop to your image can produce spectacular effects. With long shutter speeds, higher ISOs and a wide aperture you can capture subjects in front of fire, lighting them with the flames and creating great silhouettes. These type of images can look amazing on canvas with the warmth of the flame reflecting onto the subject.

Changing the colour of your fire

Did you know you can change the colour of your flames? The colour of the flames of your fire will be dictated by whatever you burn. It’s possible to change the colour of the flames using pyrotechnic colorants. This gives even more options for capturing the flame itself or complementing and contrasting with another subject in the frame. Be sure to read instructions on how to use these products carefully.

Focus on the flame

If you’re planning to focus on the flame itself rather than another object, you’ll need to shoot fast enough to freeze those fast flickers. Start at around 1/250 and open your aperture wider. You’ll need to take a slightly different approach to snap those interesting sparks that shoot out of the fire.  To capture those crackle and pops lower your shutter speed and try and control the light as best you can or to set the spark against the night’s sky.

The power of fire

In recent years fire pits and chimeneas have brought fire into an increasing number of gardens. As the night draws in, groups gather round them, enjoying their warmth and the flicker of the flame and these social interactions can be just as interesting to capture as the flames themselves. Next time you have a fire lit, see if you can snap the social interaction it is fuelling.

Have you been taking any fantastic fire photographs recently? We’d love to see your efforts. Don't forget to check out our posts on writing your name with sparklers and capturing fireworks.