STUNNING pictures of rings of fire, created by burning steel wool, were taken by a student on a beginners’ camera course.
David MacLean, 44, used long exposures to photograph the motion of hot embers flying through the air. The extraordinary effect is created by stuffing steel wool inside a whisk, setting it alight and circling it in the air. The hot embers glow brightly, and as they fly through the air the camera sensor captures the streaks of light created.
MacLean, from Kilwinning and a telecommunications engineer, attends the basic camera techniques course at Ayrshire College and took the amazing pictures at Ayr Harbour, with the help of his lecturer, Nick Grigg.
MacLean said: “I was so pleased with the way my pictures turned out. The lecturer kept spinning the wool and hitting it off the ground, it was really cool. It looks like fireworks are going off, I was so pleased with how it looked. My lecturer tied wire wool to a piece of string and set the wire wool alight and swung it in a circular motion striking it off the ground.”
MacLean, who attends the camera course weekly, said his interest in photography started after the birth of his son, Harris, three month ago. He and 12 classmates went to the harbour to test out the steel wool photography.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here