Often wondered how these rings of fire are done? They look spectacular but are they safe to make? Below are some tips on how to avoid accidental fires. Combined with a beautiful landscape at dusk or dawn you can capture similar images. All you need to do is look for the perfect location.
What You Need
You won’t require a lot of expensive gear to photograph this spectacular light show. Everything you require is pretty much in or around your home. You will need a metal whisk, steel wool (zero grade), a dog leash or similar (preferably about one meter long) and a 9-volt battery or gas lighter.
Camera Gear
Grab your DSLR camera and preferably a fast wide angle lens (somewhere between 16 and 24mm works well). To keep your shots steady, use a sturdy tripod and a remote shutter release. Since you might be photographing at night or dawn you'll need a torch. A head lamp is ideal as it keeps your hands free to operate the camera.
Location, Location, Location
A beach is a good location for this kind of shoot as it's normally quite easy to find a place on the sand or rocks that's well away from anything flammable.
Safety
Before you do anything, talk to your local council and fire brigade and let them know what you are doing, when and where. They may be able to offer guidance on the best time and place to shoot and additional safety precautions. Safety is paramount. Wear protective clothing and find a location that's well away from other people, animals and potential fire hazards (eg. shrubs, trees, grass, leaves, etc...). Do not shoot in windy conditions and do not shoot if there are local fire warnings in place.
Camera Settings
Set your camera to manual mode and take a few shots to establish how bright any ambient light in the sky might be. Typically I set my camera to an ISO of 100 or 200, with an aperture of f/8 to f/11, and a shutter speed between 20 and 30 seconds. In the menu settings on your camera there should be an option to turn noise reduction (NR) off. If NR is on it chews up lots of battery and takes double the time to review your photos. You're much better off shooting in raw mode and applying noise reduction in post-production. Shooting raw will also help you capture more detail and give you more flexibility to adjust variables such as white balance, exposure and contrast later on.
Start Shooting
Place the steel wool inside the metal whisk and gently spread it out. (By pulling the steel wool apart you maximize airflow and ensure a longer lasting effect.) Attach the whisk securely onto the long dog leash and hand it over to your trusty assistant. Remember, the person spinning the whisk must be wearing protective clothing. Dark colors are ideal as they will conceal the person spinning the whisk. Make sure that your subject is standing in a clear space and when you're ready have them light the steel wool, with the lighter or the 9-volt battery (rub the battery's contact points on the steel wool). Experiment with different spinning the whisk speeds, patterns and camera settings to get the effect you're looking for. In no time you will be capturing amazing light shows of your own.
Do you have any other suggestions? Do you have any similar photos you wish to share? Do you have any stories to tell about your experience doing a ring of fire?