Burn It Till It's Black
An amazing shot i captured a few months back.
An amazing shot i captured a few months back.
Read less
Read less
Aug, 2014Views
503
Likes
Awards
Top Shot Award 21
Summer 2020
Absolute Masterpiece
Superb Composition
Outstanding Creativity
Jaw Dropping
Superior Skill
Peer Award
Top Ranks
Top 30 rankTop 20 rank week 1
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 2Top 10 rank week 1
Categories
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Discover more photos See all
Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photo in my bedroom when I was still living with my parents. At the time driving my parents nuts with my photo experiments was a common occurrence, although when I was done they would be amazed by the results. I used my cajon (Spanish snare drum) as a table and took turns lighting sparklers and tossing them into clear glass containers. When the sparkler's heat shattered the bottom of a mason jar I decided to use an old spice jar instead which lead to this photo. I really wanted to capure as much detail as possible with a slight level of motion, so I had my settings at F/18, SP 15/1 and an ISO of 400.Time
Ironically I shot this photo on The Fourth of July at 8:30 PM and I didn't realize that until now. Apparently I was too busy in my room taking pictures of jars rather than being out with family watching fireworks.Lighting
When taking this photo my first requirement was a dark room, so I made sure all the blinds were closed as it was still early evening. My only source of light was the sparkler I threw into the spice jar.Equipment
I shot this photo using my Canon T4i, my mounted lens was a EF 35mm 1:2 IS USM, and the tripod was the Sunpak 5858D.Inspiration
Aside from the knowledge I gained from my father, I am a self taught photographer. I spent sessions like this training myself on the settings and tricks of using a Digital SLR and I was currently working slow shutters. Around this time I liked to sit in a dark room and shine flashlights through transparent colored items at the camera while using a slow shutter. I admired the waves of color contrasting with the black background, but I began seeking more. I wanted something with a stronger subject matter and I was bound to what I had laying around the house. Combine that with the holiday and I created one of my most prized photos.Editing
When post processing I usually do not like to do a lot to alter my photos, I usually stick to adjusting the levels. First I lowered the highlights to bring out additional detail and to turn the color above the rim from a pure yellow to a slight orange. Also I darkened the shadows just a bit for added contrast and I increased the clarity to bring out the detail of the outer rim.In my camera bag
When I am out hunting for photos I always have my Canon T4i mounted with an EF 70-300mm F/4-5.6L IS USM (telephoto zoom.) Depending on my destination I will have either my EF 35mm 1:2 IS USM (wide angle) or a Macro EF 100mm 1:2.8 L IS USM. Occasionally, I also bring my Nikon D70s with a infrared sensor mounted with a AF-S Nikkor 35mm 1:1.8 G (wide angle.)Feedback
The best advice to those trying to capture something similar to this photo is to just experiment and see what works. Learn to admit that you do not know everything and try something new for the sake of learning. I took seven horrible photos of the same spice jar leading up this one, I made adjustments every time and ended up with a wonderful result. Thank you for this opportunity to be considered for the Viewbug blog, you have no idea how much it means to me!
