How To Write With Sparklers And Photograph Them Perfectly

01 May How To Write With Sparklers And Photograph Them Perfectly

So this is a question we get from time to time. “Do you know how to write with sparklers?” The short answer…um, no.  Soooo we’ve done some homework for ya and today are featuring How To Write With Sparklers And Photograph Them Perfectly. If you’ve ever done a search for wedding inspiration chances are you’ve come across lots of beautifully brilliant sparkler photos.  Sparkler Writing specifically is becoming more and more popular and not just for weddings.  So I’ve enlisted our go-to sparkler experts at Wedding Sparklers Direct to bring you today’s how-to tutorial! Before the big day, big event, or celebration we recommend a backyard trial run.  Enlist a family member or friend to be your sparkler assistant.  We promise you after this tutorial everyone will be ooo’ing, ahhh’ing, and asking you for your tips and tricks on how to write with sparklers and photograph them perfectly!

5 Quick Tips on how to get great photos with sparklers:

1. Buy 3 minute sparklers/wind resistant lighter

2. Check sunset time

3. Use camera on tripod with wide angle lens

4. Settings: Low ISO, long shutter speed, white balance on shade

5. Practice prior to shooting

First, always be safe when you use sparklers.  Make sure that there are responsible adults lighting and handing out sparklers, and that they are not given to toddlers or young kids.  Hold them only by the handle. Have a hose and bucket of water ready nearby just in case, and never light the sparklers near dry grass, bushes, or trees. When the sparklers are done, lay them carefully in a pile on cement or in a ceramic flowerpot  until they cool completely, and don’t handle them until they cool. Do not throw the sparklers at each other or into the trees.  Don’t ever poke anyone with sparklers or hold them too close to the face or eyes. Do not joust with the sparklers or knock them out of someone’s hand.  Don’t put them in your mouth.

OK, now that the safety lecture is over, let’s talk about the fun part!  Get out your camera and tripod at dusk and follow these instructions.

Getting Set Up For Backyard Sparkler Photography:

1. Choose a wide lens if you have one.
2. Put your camera on Manual mode.
3. Select a relatively small aperture  on your camera’s lens, like f/9 or f/11.  This will help make the sparklers look like streaks, and less like blobs.
4. Use a shutter speed of about 1.5 to 5  seconds. OR — put the camera on “Bulb”, where you press the shutter once to start the picture, and press it again to end the exposure.
5. You will have to experiment with different shutter speeds; depending on your ambient light, how dark it is, and how bright the sparkler is, you may need more or less time for the exposure.
6. If your time is 5+ seconds, your subject may find it hard to stand still and their face will be a bit blurry. But if your time is very short, like 1.5 seconds, you won’t get as much sparkler movement in the shot.
7. Attach your external flash and point it forward.  Start with reduced flash output if you are pretty close to your subject, like -2EV. After a few test shots, adjust it upward if needed to -1 or to full output.
8. Be sure that the flash is set to REAR mode. This means the flash will go off just before the shutter closes. Check your manual to determine how to do this. (This is important, because you want to capture all of the sparkler motion, and then freeze motion of your subject at the END of the exposure.)
9. Put the camera onto the tripod, or balance it carefully on an outdoor picnic table or bench. Just be sure that it will be stationary during the picture, and that it can’t be accidentally knocked to the ground.  Preset the height of the tripod so that you can see the person and sparkler in the middle of the frame.

Now it’s time to have your sparkler holder get ready!  You will need a helper to deliver sparklers to the subject.

Capturing Sparkler Motion and Retain a Sharp, Focused Face:

1. Ask your sparkler-holder-person to stand still and get ready to sparkle. Remind them of how much time they have, whether it’s 1.5 seconds or 5 seconds. They will need to complete their motions in that amount of time.  You can count down out loud to help them pace their movements.
2. Ready yourself behind the camera. Make sure that you can see the person in the frame, and focus on their face. Use manual focus if you need to. Remind them to try and keep their face as still as possible during the shot even as they move their arms.
3. Ask a helper to light the sparkler, hand it to the sparkler holder, and then get out of the way.
4. Say, “Go!” and push the shutter.
5. Now the sparkler-holder should wave the sparkler around in swirls or loops. They can make a heart, or spell out letters.  They will have to write the letter backwards from their point of view to make it look normal for the photo.
6. The person should keep their body as still as possible while waving their arm with the sparkler, and should avoid waving it in front of their face or eyes.
7. The flash will fire at the end of the shot, just before the shutter closes.  Even if they are moving, they should try to stop and be still just before this happens.

Photo 1 by: Pippins Pics via OneWed // Photo 2 by: Jessica Kranz Photography  // Photo 3 by: Paige Lowe Photography
Article Resources: Wedding Sparklers Direct //  Pixels & Company //  The College Prepster // BP4U

For more tips and tricks for using sparklers at your wedding, party or event check out these previous posts!

5 Wedding Sparkler Mistakes to Avoid

5 Steps To Ensure a Successful Sparkler Wedding Exit

Affordable Ways to Add Sparkle to Your Big Day

Using Sparklers For Your Engagement Photos