You spin me right round

Dan Mold shows you how to safely create amazing fire spin images at night with basic camera kit and household items

- Dan Mold

Fire spin photos take light painting and turn it up to 11! If you’re looking for a photo project that is guaranteed to turn heads and leave your friends and family members wondering how you pulled it off, then a ‘fire spin’ photo is the project for you.

While not for the faint-hearted, a fire spin image can be created by packing a metal whisk full of wire wool and igniting it, tethered to a dog lead you then spin it around quickly, and use a long exposure on your camera to capture the brilliant light trails as the sparks fly off in all directions, also lighting up the night scene with exciting and vibrant effects.

Of course, working with fire is dangerous and won’t be for everyone. If you don’t like the idea of working with wire wool, you could instead securely attach a torch to piece of string to get an idea of how the technique works.

If you would like to try out a fire spin then it goes without saying that safety comes first. We strongly recommend shooting with a friend so that you can take the pictures while your friend does the fire spinning – why not pair up with another photographer friend and alternate? We also shot at the coast next to open water so that there was much less chance of starting a fire, and of course had a fire extinguisher to hand too, just in case. You’ll also want to avoid wearing flammable synthetic clothing, so wool is a good choice. Gloves, hat and eye protection are also essential to protect yourself against any stray sparks.

Raring to go? Here’s everything you need to know...

THE SETUP SHOOT AN INCREDIBLE FIRE SPIN

Get kitted out with all the gear you’ll need before you light up your fire photos

01 CANON EOS CAMERA