Using Sparklers ??

John Young

John Young

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I have photographed many weddings but never used sparklers or photographed a wedding with sparklers. We have a wedding this weekend and the mother of the bride wants to use sparklers so I am here to ask for any tips and advice please.

One thing I am thinking is from using them with my kids they are hard to light sometimes and by the time you get a second lit the first has already burnt down o_O
 
Well I know how they work as I said I have kids but we use 2 or 3 at a time not loads like the wedding will have. I think everyone will have to light their own and the we go quick :)
 
If you can be that organised, probably the best way to make sure they all get lit at close to the same time is to have a couple of assisants ('borrow' the ushers?) with plumbers propane torches, then get everyone to gather round in a couple of circles and push their sparklers into the flames at about the same time. Cue rapid near simultaneous lighting and enough time for everyone to fall back, form a line etc.
 
ancient_mariner said:
If you can be that organised, probably the best way to make sure they all get lit at close to the same time is to have a couple of assisants ('borrow' the ushers?) with plumbers propane torches, then get everyone to gather round in a couple of circles and push their sparklers into the flames at about the same time. Cue rapid near simultaneous lighting and enough time for everyone to fall back, form a line etc.
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That is a good idea but I don't think I can organize that now - I will have to look into sorting something. Maybe one of those kitchen propane torches would do the job
 
John Young said:
I have photographed many weddings but never used sparklers or photographed a wedding with sparklers. We have a wedding this weekend and the mother of the bride wants to use sparklers so I am here to ask for any tips and advice please.

One thing I am thinking is from using them with my kids they are hard to light sometimes and by the time you get a second lit the first has already burnt down o_O
Click to expand...
slowish shutter with fill flash on second curtain sync would be my approach to this
 
Two shots - one is everyone standing round the b&g waving their sparklers. For this you need very high ISO. The second is a three second exposure where people light paint in the air. You'll need a tripod for this.
 
Well I did the sparklers photo and its far from great but I don't think its to bad

IS0 10000 f3.5 1/60 and no flash - the light is from a torch which I know looks a little naff but I kind of think its a spot light like a premier or something :D :cautious: :whistle: anyway the couple loved it so job done

sparkle2.jpg
 
Chaz Photos said:
slowish shutter with fill flash on second curtain sync would be my approach to this
Click to expand...
Why would it need 2nd curtain sync?

Surely 1st curtain is better because you get to see the shot the flash is capturing.
 
John Young said:
Well I did the sparklers photo and its far from great but I don't think its to bad

IS0 10000 f3.5 1/60 and no flash - the light is from a torch which I know looks a little naff but I kind of think its a spot light like a premier or something :D :cautious: :whistle: anyway the couple loved it so job done

sparkle2.jpg
Click to expand...
I like it, but the torchlight needs the WB sorting, it’s a bit magenta.
 
Phil V said:
Why would it need 2nd curtain sync?

Surely 1st curtain is better because you get to see the shot the flash is capturing.
Click to expand...
Phil V said:
Why would it need 2nd curtain sync?

Surely 1st curtain is better because you get to see the shot the flash is capturing.
Click to expand...
you fire the flash at the end so that any blur is behind anything moving if you fire on the first curtain you are still recording the movement and it will show over the sharp part of the image. Think of a car moving left to right you will have blur from the left side ending with a sharp car on the right. done the other way it would be sharp one the left and moving blur to the right. I hope you understand that.
Re your image above you can easily change the WB of the torchlight, I would show you but you say NO to edits.
 
Chaz Photos said:
you fire the flash at the end so that any blur is behind anything moving if you fire on the first curtain you are still recording the movement and it will show over the sharp part of the image. Think of a car moving left to right you will have blur from the left side ending with a sharp car on the right. done the other way it would be sharp one the left and moving blur to the right. I hope you understand that.
Re your image above you can easily change the WB of the torchlight, I would show you but you say NO to edits.
Click to expand...
But that only matters if there’s a single direction of movement (like your car description), it’s irrelevant where there’s any random movement as above (how would you define ‘behind’).
It’s a common misconception for dancing shots at events.

Much better to pick your frozen moment, you’re more likely to miss a shot completely if your flash exposure is 1/20 after you pressed the shutter (or even 1/4 sec as I often do).
You shouldn’t promise any more processing lessons, we’re still waiting for your convincing fake DoF examples ;)
 
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