Daredevil photographer proves how far he will go for the perfect shot as his shoes and tripod are set alight by volcano lava flow

• Kawika Singson withstood the intense heat above a lava flow at a Hawaii volcano
  
• Admits he takes risks and will go to the 'center of the earth' to get best picture

By Becky Evans

Published: 09:04 EDT, 15 July 2013 | Updated: 12:31 EDT, 15 July 2013

He proudly claims he will go to the 'center of the earth to get the best shot' and for this image he nearly did.

Kawika Singson withstood the intense heat of a lava flow and allowed himself to be set alight in order to get this photograph on top of a Hawaii volcano.

The photographer stood on a thin layer of rock just centimeters above magma and it was so hot his tripod and shoes set on fire.

On fire: Kawika Singson was shooting in the volcanoes of Hawaii, which was so hot his tripod and shoes caught alight

Mr Singson has refused to divulge the exact location of the shoot but insists it is genuine and has not been tampered with.

He told Petapixel: 'I don't like giving out my locations. It's a secret. Plus, I don't want people to go there and get hurt.'

The extreme hiker and photographer said he takes 'many risks' to get the image he wants and this was taken on July 4, this year.

'I thought it would be pretty cool to take a lava pic with my shoes and tripod on fire,” he was quoted by Petapixel as saying.

Despite some skeptics claiming the photograph must have been doctored, Mr Singson said the flames and lava were real and it was so hot he could only stand there for a few seconds.

He positioned himself on a thin layer of rock directly above the magma.

Scorching: The extreme photographer admits he takes risks as he plies his trade around the volcanoes of Hawaii, such as this one at Kilauea

Dedication: Photographer Miles Morgan's shoes and tripod melted as he shot lava on the scorching surface of the Kilaeua volcano, Hawaii

Previously, his shoes have started to smoke as he takes shots around the volcanoes of Hawaii, where he lives, but he said this was the first time they had actually caught fire.

On Hawaii, the temperature of lava hovers around 1,100 degrees.

Mr Singson is not the first photographer to risk life and limb to guarantee a great shot.

In May, Miles Morgan took the concept of extreme living to another level after his shoes and tripod melted as he did a shoot among the same active volcanoes.

His work his taken him just inches away from bubbling, fiery lava spewing from the many craters that dot the islands.