> ... Question is, what
> would be the best way to photograph a candle lit to show it glowing and
> still be able to see the candle itself?
On and off I photograph lighted candles in the dark. I've been doing
this more or less as an experiment to see what effects various
shutter speeds do to the flames. Unfortunately I don't have any
results along those lines!
However, one think that I have discovered shooting candles is that
it helps to have a reflector nearby, but off-camera. The reflector
reflects the candle-light back onto the candles, so you can see
the bodies of the candles quite well. Without a reflector, the
light at the top of the candle puts the bottom of the candle in
shadow, and if there is any detail there, you tend to loose it.
With a reflector (I've been using white board) the candle-flame
provides its own fill light to illuminate the body of the candle.
The reflector combined with a "black hole", due to a missing
background, actually gives a pretty decent effect. Putting something
decorative under the candles (which will also be lit by the candles
and their fill) can be pretty nice and get rid of the "drab surface"
that the candles might otherwise sit on.
Bolo -- Josef T. Burger
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