I've found it very difficult to shoot objects on fire, compared to fires like campfires or fireplaces. A fire in a dark space seems very manageable, but trying to shoot an object that is visually interesting in and of itself but that is also on fire seems very hard to figure out--the dynamic range issues are puzzling. If it's dark enough to make the fire interesting, it usually means I lose the object, particularly if I'm trying to have a fast shutter. If it's bright enough to get the object, the fire seems dull.

 

Any thoughts? I'm particularly thinking about a few attempts I've made to shoot dried flowers with fire, hoping to get a bit of smoke as well as the bright ember lines along with the active flame.