Better Times

When Aleks called me and asked me if I wanted to join and meet Tony for some steel wool photography I jumped at the opportunity!
Thank you both so much!

We met up at an awesome location near Varna, at an old, abandoned Russian Antonov An-2 airplane (more on this location in a future post). After a short explanation and some test shots we went for it. First a round with only a little steel wool, and afterwards a try with a normal amount. My initial test shots are worthy contenders for the title of worst photograph ever but my final shot turned out all right.🤣

Steel wool photography is nothing more than using long exposures to capture the motion of hot embers flying through the air through the act of spinning burning steel wool. These embers are so hot that they glow very brightly, and as they fly through the air the camera captures the streaks of light created.

If you do this, please be careful, you are literally throwing around hot, molten metal. This can cause serious harm to you, to bystanders, and cause serious fires.
– Wear protective clothing made from natural fibers, cover your hair, and wear eye protection!
– Choose a location without flammable materials (like grass, trees, vehicles, or wooden buildings)!
– Shoot right after it has rained, when everything is wet!
– Bring a fire-extinguisher!
– Make sure there are no hot spots, burning embers, and/or smoke before you leave!

With some care and preparation steel wool photography can be very rewarding and a lot of fun! When you have the chance to go with someone who has experience I can wholeheartedly recommend you do so and try it for yourself.

Do you guys like these kind of shots? Should I try and do more of them? Let me know in a comment below!

I hope you enjoy my photos as much as I do. If you do, why not follow me on Instagram: @jackoleenders. It will help me out greatly!