The Koprivnica Renaissance Festival is one of Croatia’s most visually striking historical events, transforming the medieval town of Koprivnica into a vivid tableau of knights, artisans, musicians, and fire performers. The festival celebrates Central European Renaissance traditions, attracting artists from across the region. Among the highlights was a breathtaking fire show that blended theatrical choreography with raw elemental power — a perfect canvas for motion, light, and emotion.

The goal of this shoot was to capture the fluid rhythm of fire in motion, emphasizing its organic flow and contrast against the dark medieval setting.

To achieve this, I used:

• Frame rate: 100 fps for ultra-slow-motion playback, highlighting each flame’s movement and texture.
• Lens: A fast zoom lens (f/2.8) for depth separation and soft bokeh in the background.
• Lighting: Only natural firelight and ambient glow from torches, preserving the authenticity of the performance atmosphere.
• Color approach: Grading focused on warm tones, deep blacks, and subtle golden highlights to evoke the intensity and ritualistic feel of the scene.

The camera was handheld due to limitations doing my best to keep the performers’ energy at the center of the frame while letting the environment breathe.

What sets this piece apart is its fusion of historical ambiance and cinematic slow motion. The juxtaposition of 16th-century reenactment with modern digital capture creates a timeless visual narrative — a dialogue between past and present.
Instead of documenting, the piece seeks to translate the emotion of fire — transforming a fleeting performance into an intimate visual meditation.

This project demonstrates how even in uncontrolled environments like live festivals, intentional lighting use, frame rate, and camera framing can elevate event coverage into cinematic storytelling.