Story Behind The Still – FireBlower

I get asked about how I shot this image more times than any other.
Fire is more usually captured at dusk but the fact that these flames were caught in high light against a deep blue sky is what makes this picture so arresting.
Click on it to reveal the story behind the still image as seen in Digital Photographer
I’m a little late with this post so blame it on being lazy or just being out of touch in Lapland.

fireblower by john hicks

story behind the still

It was great to be asked by Digital Photographer to talk through the lighting techniques behind some of my still images.
I don’t think of myself as a technical so much as an instinctive photographer. I love watching the play of light and how it shapes, highlights and contrasts things. I think I have more of a feel for photography than a desire to analyse it. When I compose a shot it’s like having a band playing in my head and I arrange the lighting like a man who knows his music but isn’t interested in how the notes are formed.
I’m in awe of the whole gear head thing but I’m more of a ‘get out there and just do it’ guy so see if you can guess how I took this shot and then click on the image to find out for real.
john hicks story behind the still digital photographer