The Art of the Spark

A juicy, sizzling hot burger is a low-effort, high-payoff summer classic. But capturing the delicious taste appeal on camera is not quite so easy; it requires a well-seasoned stylist, careful timing, a complex rig set-up and just the right amount of special effects. Click the buttons to the right for a peek into our process.

THE FLAME

Special effects man Geoff Binns-Calvey uses a custom flame rig to control the exact placement, timing and size of the flames. In this case, a light, almost translucent flare helps to keep the look realistic and doesn’t steal focus from the patty.

THE SMOKE

THE SPARK

No special effects here—just an all-natural by-product of the flame and the spark that hints at a wonderfully smoky, char-grilled flavor.

A second custom rig pushes flammable powder through a small tube that opens up just below the grill grates. When the powder hits the flame, it ignites into a brief flurry of sparks that imitates what happens naturally when a burger is flipped.