Does anyone do Painting With Light?

[russellsnr]

Hi, Now to those who do the light painting, making lines and sparks sorry but not after this.
I have been looking for sites that have either small items or landscape/seascapes only at night or studio with just basic torches and maybe a flash but not a lot of joy. For example please see http://www.daveblackphotography.com/...t-1-the-basics

Many Thanks for any help
Russ

[Sponge]

I just recently got interested in Lightpainting so I can't recommend any sources (I'm reading a book on night photography that touches on the subject) but thanks for the link. It's descriptive but I'm not sure why he suggests to use ISO 400 for a long exposure and then ends up using f32 on the first example. Either way he's getting nice results.

[russellsnr]

I just recently got interested in Lightpainting so I can't recommend any sources (I'm reading a book on night photography that touches on the subject) but thanks for the link. It's descriptive but I'm not sure why he suggests to use ISO 400 for a long exposure and then ends up using f32 on the first example. Either way he's getting nice results.

Hi, If you want to see more how he does it in the studio he has a video on the Kelby site called P W L, A Unique approach.

[victor]

Russell,

A couple of months ago my camera club presented an evening of lightpainting. The following is one of my photographs from this workshop. The exposure was : 180 seconds @ f4.5 ISO set at 100. Lens Canon 10-22mm. Camera set on tripod. The tree was lit by 20 flashes at full power using a Canon 580 EX II flash gun. The streak of lights are cars passing on the road.



Hope this helps

Regards

David

[Sponge]

Hi, If you want to see more how he does it in the studio he has a video on the Kelby site called P W L, A Unique approach.

Thanks Russell! I will take a look once I get a chance.

Cheers,
Patrick

[russellsnr]

Russell,

A couple of months ago my camera club presented an evening of lightpainting. The following is one of my photographs from this workshop. The exposure was : 180 seconds @ f4.5 ISO set at 100. Lens Canon 10-22mm. Camera set on tripod. The tree was lit by 20 flashes at full power using a Canon 580 EX II flash gun. The streak of lights are cars passing on the road.



Hope this helps

Regards

David

Hi, David, if that was your effort you did really well with it.
This is kind of what I want to do but rather than a flash I would use just a torch on the trees especially the dead tree.
Thank you for your reply to the OP.
Russ

[William W]

Does anyone do Painting With Light? . . . I have been looking for sites that have either small items or landscape/seascapes only at night or studio with just basic torches and maybe a flash but not a lot of joy. . . any help

Yes, I do.
IMO it is a very useful technique to know how to do for particular applications; and also for use in emergencies.
For photographing small objects, I suggest using a LED light with a reasonable spread, like a ‘book-light’, I carry one of these in my camera bag:


***

The example below is using a technique of ‘evenness’ – so a long shutter speed is required to allow appropriate and enough movement of the light – I think that the evenness of the light (if that is what you want) will be your biggest challenges when shooting small items.

I think that getting in there and Practicing (and making mistakes) will actually reap more benefit than searching for websites.


© 2008 WMW AJ Group P/L AUS

Tech: EOS5D + EF50F/1.4 + 12mm Tube + Tripod
Shooting: F/13 @ 20s @ ISO 50
Pocket LED as shown above, was the only light source.

WW

[Val Mansfield]

You might want to have a look at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ef2G3GDPMq8&feature=plcp

[russellsnr]

Yes, I do.
IMO it is a very useful technique to know how to do for particular applications; and also for use in emergencies.
For photographing small objects, I suggest using a LED light with a reasonable spread, like a ‘book-light’, I carry one of these in my camera bag:


***

The example below is using a technique of ‘evenness’ – so a long shutter speed is required to allow appropriate and enough movement of the light – I think that the evenness of the light (if that is what you want) will be your biggest challenges when shooting small items.

I think that getting in there and Practicing (and making mistakes) will actually reap more benefit than searching for websites.


© 2008 WMW AJ Group P/L AUS

Tech: EOS5D + EF50F/1.4 + 12mm Tube + Tripod
Shooting: F/13 @ 20s @ ISO 50
Pocket LED as shown above, was the only light source.

WW

Hi, Bill this is reall very good, it is what I was looking for, already ordered the penlights. Anymore examples of your work?
Russ

[russellsnr]

You might want to have a look at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ef2G3GDPMq8&feature=plcp

Hi, Val, thank you for the link, watched the video, IMO he does tend to do a bit to much in PP with this but always helpful to no.
Russ

[William W]

it is what I was looking for, already ordered the penlights. Anymore examples of your work?

Yes, lots: but I don’t think you are you asking for a broad sample of my photography, which I display on forums?


I do think you are asking about ‘Light Painting’ specifically, then no, not so many are available for two reasons: I don’t own the copyright to them and also, for any instructional purpose here - they will all be similar in Subject matter to that one above and also have the same lighting technique (i.e. all will have ‘evenness’)

I pulled that image from my archives, specifically as an illustration to address this thread. It is one of several images I made at a Workshop for Wedding Photographers.

The background and brief for that particular shot (and others similar) was predicted on discussions about “The Rings Shot” and “The Cake Shot”. . . Participants in the workshop were moaning about how difficult these two shots were to make and also how important and necessary all the Flash ‘accessories’ (and also a Macro Lens) were to be able to make ‘perfect’ images.

So . . . I removed ALL their Flash units from their bags and stated that they had all just “fried” – (which was quite interesting for those who arrived at the workshop with only ONE flash head – but that’s another story about carrying back up gear).
And then the assignment was to make a ‘Ring Shot’ and a ‘Cake Shot’ with only the equipment remaining in each Participant's gear bag . . .

***

My main interest is Available Light Portraiture and therefore I don’t do “light painting” so much as an artistic endeavour, although I do dabble now and again, basically just to keep my skills up and for a bit of fun and I have played extensively with Multiple Flash Exposures moving the head around the studio but that was a long time ago at Tech and with film and heaven only knows where those negs are now: but I think you are investigating this avenue of ‘artistic endeavour’ and I did have a sample and some experience to share in regard to “small items” – so that’s why I answered . . . and perhaps these comments will also assist . . .


What I have learnt is - there are TWO basic types of light painting: using multiple Flash exposures from different positions (like I did at Tech) and I didn’t think that was much fun , but I did learn a lot from the exercises – if you follow this line, then I suggest it is best to understand all about how to use Manual Flash and understand how multiple exposures ‘build’ (hints: set the Flash to expose each Flash hit about ½ Stop UNDER what you would use if it were there were only ONE exposure. Do up to FOUR only Flash hits, and master that technique first, before you even think about doing more.)

The other type of painting is using Torches – and I like this much better. One small, but bright LED is great, IMO, because it can be ‘modified’ with a snoot or a diffuser and also the Colour Temperature is reasonably exact – older ‘Flashlights’ are quite bothersome in both respects.

Once you begin experimenting with the penlight, I think that you’ll find intuitively an “aperture to distance” relationship. What I mean is, I went about this by establishing that I required a LOW ISO to ensure I had the Shutter Speed I required to have enough TIME to craft the light in the style I wanted: from that point I am usually working at ISO50 or ISO100 so I can be at about 20 to 30 seconds exposure time. From this base point, I know that if ALL the exposure is with the LED at about 18inches from the Subject - I will need to be at about F/11.

Because the ACTIVE ingredient in the light painting is the ‘movement of the light’ the way I (generally) approach the technical aspect of making the correct exposure is - nailing the ISO and the SHUTTER SPEED and then adjusting the aperture to address how far away the light will be working.

Obviously for larger Subjects (and still using only one LED), there needs to be an adjustment – and I would bump the ISO first – that allows for there to be still a long Shutter Speed and a reasonable aperture – working around F/8 to F/16 is handy. I have a picture of a Piano Keyboard - I will see if I can find the file and dig it out and post it for you.

WW

Also : Thank you for your kind comment.

[William W]

Here is one of the Piano Shots I mentioned, I was playing around, making some ‘barn doors’ for the book-light:


"C-Major"
Tech: EOS5D + EF50F/2.5 + Tripod
Shooting: F/11 @ 30s @ ISO50

Also, please note that the above two sample shots, (“C-Major” and the Ring Shot), are basically straight out of the camera. IMO the whole idea of "Light Painting" is to get it SOOC. The only Post Production is just a little sharpening and maybe a touch up for the Colour Correction. Though if you set K = 5500° and nail the exposure, the Colour will be very VERY close to perfect, SOOC.

That doesn't mean to say I want an argument about the merits (or not) of using Photoshop as an adjunct to Light Painting - it just means I am only commenting on the singular aspect of Light Painting.

The Piano shot is a tad underexposed - ISO100 would have been a better choice - but as I mentioned the idea was all about how effective the barn doors would be.


WW

[russellsnr]

Bill, Again IMO excellent work on the keyboard, I think if it had been brighter it would loose that kind of atmosphere look I feel it has.
Without being rude, you state "Though if you set K = 5500°" In the video on Kelby training he states 10,000 is optimum at F8 and 30 seconds for a starting point, but until I get the chance to try it I will just have to wait!!!!!
As for light sources, I await the delivery of two LED lights from States side (half the price than in the UK even with P&P).
Once I have got my setup I will give it a go (as they say).
Results will post here for comments but only light ones please.
Russ

[xpatUSA]

As for light sources, I await the delivery of two LED lights from States side (half the price than in the UK even with P&P)

60 bucks each, made in a far-off land . . . wonderful for what I do!



'scuse the mess!!

There's a book mentioned over on dpReview . .
http://www.dpreview.com/articles/858...by-joe-mcnally

[William W]

Without being rude, you state "Though if you set K = 5500°" In the video on Kelby training he states 10,000 is optimum at F8 and 30 seconds for a starting point, but until I get the chance to try it I will just have to wait!!!!!
As for light sources, I await the delivery of two LED lights from States side (half the price than in the UK even with P&P).
Once I have got my setup I will give it a go (as they say).

I don't take that comment as rude - it is simply a question.
I haven't looked at the video.
I have no idea what lights are being used in the video.
Please note, that for these “small Subjects” I am using a little ‘booklight’ – it was about $14.95 AUS.


And, for example, my light as seen above, is in no way similar to the sample of the TWO LED lights posted above, in the Macro / Copy stand rig.

WW

[russellsnr]

Hi, Thanks for all the replies.
Just in case someone out there wants to give night photography a go or painting with light outdoors I found this on the net that may be of use.
http://www.dacre.net/moon/moonframe.html

Thanks Again
Russ

[Markvetnz]

Here is one I took 3 months ago. A car was driven over the bridge during one of the exposures. 240 exposures. ISO 1600, 40 seconds, F8.00.