In my opinion, candles themselves are interesting enough to shoot on their own merit however; candlelight, along with the moody effect it gives to a darkened room, is always worth some photography time in my view.
In addition, a nice intimate candlelit room will win you points with your significant other, as long as one can avoid tripping over the dog during the experiment. Better yet, put bow wow outside with a bowl of Alpo before you start to keep him busy. Then, you should be able to enjoy your shot in the dark, with its wispy light and deep shadows, without interruption.
Moreover, candlelight photos usually look best when they convey a strong sense of warmth and coziness. Unfortunately, the orange light that they produce can often confuse your camera's automatic white balance, causing it to overcompensate and remove the warm feeling altogether in an attempt to capture what it sees as the 'correct' colors. Therefore, if you aren’t getting the warmth you want (in the photo) switch your white balance to cloudy or shade to boost the warmth.
When you shoot, expose for the flame itself to bring out the reds and yellows and fill that frame for a more dramatic effect. Try a grouping of candles as well. Give the shot a point of reference too in order to tell a story or add detail. Also, remember to bracket your shots when shooting just in case. Have fun and don’t forget to let the dog in when you’re done.
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