Playing With Fire! ....Before the Wind Picked Up. :(

rexbobcat · Jan 1, 2012

I wish I could say that these were taken on New Years Day, but unfortunately the wind was howling, and the dryness of this past year (heehee...past year) has caused the landscape to basically become tinder for wildfires.

I did get these from a few nights ago. I tried taking photos of fire last year....not so much luck. It's so funny, because I could get the flames to be the correct WB/color in-camera using the basic WB setting. But then the smoldering coals would be very magenta-tinted. So I moved the color balance in the camera over to the right and then the coals were the proper color, but the flames were incredibly yellow. I like it either way. I just found it strange.

Anyways - Happy New Years to all.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

rexbobcat · Jan 1, 2012

I forgot to say that any C&C/comments are welcome.

tirediron · Jan 1, 2012

I very much like the #s 2 and 5. #2 has to be one of the best flame captures I've seen. #5 is just an interesting, somewhat abstract shot. The others I'm sorry to say don't do a great deal for me.

Tony S · Jan 2, 2012

Zoom in on #2, use your LCD and histogram to make adjustments to the exposures. If you don't have an idea on where to start with the exposure, take one in AV mode and use that as a starting point to make manual adjustments. Also, shoot in RAW format for these so you can pull out the most information and detail in post editing. Bump up yoru ISO a bit and get faster shutter speeds, those flames are moving fairly quick so unless you want them soft you need the shutter speed fast enough to freeze them.

Lastly, build a much larger fire using plastic, carpeting and fiberglass to get that really rich orange/red that licks upwards.... ok, just kidding on that last part, sort of.