How To Take Creative Photos With Sparklers

Fourth of July is around the corner and I decided to take some photos with sparklers. I can assure you this post has nothing to do with Independence Day in this country and everything to do with taking creative photos with light! In this post, I will tell you how I did it and how you can shoot your own sparkler photos.

First, we set out to a park in Houston around 9 PM when it was nice and dark outside. I brought my camera, 24-70mm 2.8 lens, tripod, and a wireless strobe light. We set up the tripod in an open field and placed my model. It is important to have plenty of sparklers, especially for test shots. The first thing I did was test and adjust the light and settings. Considering it’s long exposure the flash can’t be too bright because it will wash out the subject. Exact settings will differ from camera to camera, but generally, you want to have a slow shutter speed of 5 or 6 seconds, a low ISO of around 100 or so, and an aperture of 4 - 6. You will have to take some test shots to get the settings just right.

Things to keep in mind

Get a ton of sparklers

It is surprising how fast these things go. Make sure you come to the shoot prepared and have enough sparklers to last your entire shoot.

Use manual settings

The auto settings are just not going to cut it this time. Set your camera to manual and start adjusting your settings. Every camera is going to be different, but here are some good settings to start with. A shutter speed of 5 or 6 seconds. An ISO of about 100 and an aperture of 4 - 6. Test and adjust these settings to get the best look for your images!

Use a tripod

You must use a tripod or some stationary stabilizer. With a slower shutter speed, any slight shake or movement is exaggerated resulting in blurry images.