Photo Essay: Campfire Fireworks in Vermont

Every summer we go camping with the kids. And we gather around the fire-pit most evenings to enjoy a campfire. The kids and I seem to share the same pyromaniacal tendencies. And Gillian likes to “roast” (burn) marshmallows.

This year we were camping in Vermont at Ricker Pond Park. It’s one of several campsites set up in the Groton State Forest, about a forty-minute drive east of the state capital, Montpelier.

During one of the campfires, I invariably pull out my camera and take shots of the fire. It’s interesting taking pictures without the use of flash. I also leave the camera set to automatic and see what happens. My Nikon D7000 does an impressive job dealing with low-light situations. You can shoot away and check out the results.

The fire was very cooperative. A couple of the logs began to sputter – snap, crackle and pop! – shooting sparks up above the flames. The camera did a good job capturing the trace-lines. An interesting light show.

Astonishing effects. The camera doesn’t need to be placed on a tripod. Just hand-hold it; point at the fire; and wait for a burst of sparks before carefully squeezing the shutter. Even at this low light, the D7000 can shoot at about 1/30 of a second.