How to: Create Light Paintings with Sparklers

If you’re doing the holiday weekend right, you’re gonna end up with some sparklers. Maybe because you’re at some official bash with picnic tables and kiddie pools, maybe because your buddy grabbed a three-pack when he went to get ice, but let’s face it – sparklers are awesome. And the Fourth of July isn’t the same without them. And while you’ve got ’em, you should make some light paintings! No, not Thomas Kinkade-ish silliness, but long exposure photos that capture the movement of light over time. 

You can’t quite get this effect with a smartphone, as you need full manual settings to set the long shutter speed. But though the visuauls are impressive, it’s actually quite easy to pull off. 

Janae Hardy offers a full how-to on A Beautiful Mess, and shows you how it’s done. So! Grab some friends and a camera, and make some cool images this weekend. Have an awesome Fourth of July. 

Light Painting with Sparklers [ABeautifulMess.com]