Weddings - Sparkler Shot

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Anyone care to share their method for nailing the sparkler shot?

Do you flash or just go ambient? Wait for dark or go for dusk and underexpose? WB? Etc.
 


What is a sparkler?

Google gives too many options… o_O
 



Thanks Jesus Quintana!

IGNORE THEM in a couple or group situation!

They are light sources by themselves… weak ones.
Take you shot the way you intended and they will fit
in if the flash is not too solicited… try rear curtain!
 
Funnily enough I literally finished a wedding last night that had sparklers.

For me it's a case of high ISO, no flash and waiting until it gets fairly dark. Not pitch black though, I like to see a bit of blue in the sky.

This was shot at ISO 1000, 1/80, 35mm at F2. It was underexposed so I've increased exposure a fair bit in LR to get the final image. Bit noisy but not ruinous....

SS-563 by Ryan Jarvis, on Flickr
 
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You dont want it too dark - mid to late dusk is best.
No flash - High ISO. Dont worry about noise, nothing can be done about it.
It's kind of a hit and hope effort really that you will get the focus right in lowlight so be sure and take enough.
 
Theres sparklers and SPARKLERS, ok seriously some are a lot brighter that others, for some I've used some diffused continuous light just to lift it as the sparklers were just too weak. More importantly make sure it's all safe. I like to have metal buckets of sand to put the used ones in (they stay hot for a while) and lighting a lot at a time can be a pain, a blowlamp helps.
My main worry is all the ladies hair lacquered to death, all nice and flammable, plus dresses from China off flebay with no fire retardent. I like to have a few fire extinguishers handy, just in case.
Over the top? Yes probably, but then I had a vicar set a bridesmaid on fire once with a single candle. Lifted the light level in the church two stops...... :exit:
 
I had my first at my last Wedding !!!

And they didn't tell me until the day, and they only time to do so was after dark too

My Tip to future B&Gs would be to have either VERY long ones or two per guest as many had gone out by the time they were all lit, so having two they could use one to light their second one

Anyway, here's what I got, its the first I processed as a 'Taster' so I'm hoping others are better when I get around to them - 20mm lens at f2.8, 2000 ISO and 1/60th

_DG27155 WEB.jpg

Dave
 
I had my first at my last Wedding !!!

And they didn't tell me until the day, and they only time to do so was after dark too

My Tip to future B&Gs would be to have either VERY long ones or two per guest as many had gone out by the time they were all lit, so having two they could use one to light their second one

Anyway, here's what I got, its the first I processed as a 'Taster' so I'm hoping others are better when I get around to them - 20mm lens at f2.8, 2000 ISO and 1/60th

View attachment 108533

Dave

Did you get the couple to walk through the middle? I ask because it's a tough one to get, hence one I prefer to get the couple to stand relatively still and get everyone to gather round.
 
Did you get the couple to walk through the middle? I ask because it's a tough one to get, hence one I prefer to get the couple to stand relatively still and get everyone to gather round.

Yes Ryan - I was in a rush to get my usual 3 Tasters out and didn't really look at the rest, but they did walk right up to me - by which time hardly any sparklers were still working :(

Dave
 
You can buy slow burning sparklers that are made specifically for this job, very popular with our American cousins although they seem to have switched from sparklers to smoke bombs being all the rage now.
 
We were at a wedding on Saturday, and I had my first experience of the sparkler departure. Slow burning sparklers sound like a very good idea, as does doing the shot before it's pitch black - both of which didn't help either the official tog or me. :p

LandAsparklers-3307 by Toni Ertl, on Flickr

50mm @ f2.4, 1/60 ISO3200, and probably about 1.5 stops underexposed.
 
We were at a wedding on Saturday, and I had my first experience of the sparkler departure. Slow burning sparklers sound like a very good idea, as does doing the shot before it's pitch black - both of which didn't help either the official tog or me. :p

LandAsparklers-3307 by Toni Ertl, on Flickr

50mm @ f2.4, 1/60 ISO3200, and probably about 1.5 stops underexposed.

Looks like it was a bit cloudy too :D

Dave
 
I've done a few venues that have banned them for safety reasons (frankly I agree) I'm courious about the smoke bomb idea, thats a new one on me, I remember having stuff stained from smoke flares so I wonder if thats a factor these days???
 
This can be a tricky one to tackle unless you’ve planned it. I’m a wedding photographer and have done this type of shot on request by bride & groom wanted a shot in a sparkler tunnel outside in the evening.
Here are some friendly pointers... Firstly I advised the bride there maybe a possibility of the dress being marked by sparklers so the responsibility is hers. I got the guests in two lines with sufficient space for the bride & groom to walk through without getting burnt by a sparkler. Important to get the guests to light sparklers at the same time!
Definitely use flash lighting and balance with the ambient light, you need a fast enough shutter speed to capture the sparkle!
Depending on lens choice I’d go long - so bolt on your 70-200 f2.8.
If lots of guests have your second camera to hand for the wider shot.
IMPORTANT make sure you have time to light test and set up your cameras first, there are no second chances here. I hope these pointers may be of help, they are just my advise and how I do it. Best of luck!
View attachment 116776
 
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Yes Ryan - I was in a rush to get my usual 3 Tasters out and didn't really look at the rest, but they did walk right up to me - by which time hardly any sparklers were still working :(

Dave

Just an idea that worked for me... try walking with them/just in front through the sparkler tunnel. I got loads of shots with different guests as we moved through [emoji4]
 
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