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Light Painting
I have been looking at Dav Black's website a bunch, and seen his articles about light painting, but it never sunk in until I saw this video: http://www.sportsshooter.com/special_fe … index.html They used the technique for a model. Normally, I dont shoot this kind of stuff (my profile here is mostly a "standby" type of thing), but I really want to find someone to go do a lightpainting expedition with....it'd be really interesting! Jun 08 05 07:22 pm Link My very first 'paint with light' assignment was dished out to me while I was a photographer in the US Air Force. My squadron commander called me and told me that the base commander wanted a black and white photograph taken of the inside of hanger #3, with 5 aircraft inside, and he wanted the photo TOMORROW MORNING! It was 4:30 in the afternoon in January, and the sun had already set behind a hill by that hanger. I told the squadron commander that all I had was a Vivitar 283 flash and a Pentax Spotmatic 35mm camera. He told me: 'I don't give a shit what kind of equipment you have. Get the fuck out there and get that picture, or Im gonna have your ass on a platter in the morning'. (they're not big on compassion or ediquette in the military). By the time I got to hanger #3, it was dark. The hanger had only two (100 watt light bulbs inside, one above each door, not near enough 'available light' to provide anything decent for a photo. So here's what I did. I sat the Pentax (with a fixed 28mm lens) on a tripod, and elevated the camera approximately 20 off the floor on a roller transport cockpit ladder. I set the camera on the 'bulb' setting (camera shutter is open until you deactivate it). While the shutter was open (approx 7 minutes), I turned off both the door lights, ran round inside the almost pitch black hanger, flashing the Vivitar 283 flash in various corners of the building, also flashing each plane in a few different locations. I performed this ritual a total of 6 different times (six photos) that evening, running around inside that hanger, looking like a moron to a few foot soldier security guards. They asked me what I was doing, and when I told them, the said: That's fucking crazy... those pictures aren't gonna turn out'. I said: Wanna bet? After I developed the film, I found one shot in particular that was quite sufficient, with all the planes lit up, and enough detail on the inside of the building to print up a pretty decent photo. Jun 08 05 08:38 pm Link Posted by Mark Perdomo: If you want another cool source for lighpainting sort of stuff look at some of O Winston Link's pictures of trains. They're not exactly light-painted but they're kind of blurring the line. Jun 08 05 08:56 pm Link ive been experimenting with lightpainting with still lifes lately...fun stuff. Jun 09 05 01:13 am Link That must be annoying as hell for the model to get light flashing back and forth in her face like that though. Jun 09 05 01:50 am Link Marcus..O Winston Link work is amazing isn't it? Regarding light painting, I used a HoseMaster for a couple years way back-this device was extremely bright and had all sorts of controls and tips...very cool. I would mix strobe on the face to freeze expressions and 'paint' everything else. I eventually got tired of running around in the dark dressed in black like some crazy photo-ninja. Jun 09 05 01:57 am Link Posted by Arturo J: Yes, I use the same for I do not usually like the full on light painting look. A mix is good. Jun 09 05 08:03 am Link Posted by Arturo J: LOL! That gives me a heck of a mental image! Jun 09 05 08:56 am Link Okay, I responded but the page timed out.  I said....I've done several light painting shoots before. You can contact me to see images. And I said more but I don't remember and I don't feel like typing something else that'll make me sound stupid. lol Jun 09 05 09:03 am Link Posted by Marcus J. Ranum: Posted by Arturo J: LOL! That gives me a heck of a mental image! I do not know about Presto. Jun 09 05 09:11 am Link I'll post a light paint shot I did long ago sometime soon. I also like the idea of mystery or just the fact each shot will be different. Digital does take the pain away since results are available now. Us old-timers used something called "polaroids" back in the day to get the painting more or less down. Also...this is VERY important. Do NOT wear white socks with your Ninja outfit. Jun 09 05 11:40 pm Link This is a light painted image. D100, 2 pink flashlights. Best, Stu  Jun 10 05 09:06 am Link With light painting wouldn't the model have to pose perfectly still since you're keeping the shutter open longer? Jun 10 05 12:14 pm Link Posted by Jarod: Depends on the technique and the outcome wanted. Jun 10 05 02:17 pm Link I have been experimenting extensively with "painting with light" for the last year or so. It is becoming my signature style, and many people are blown away by these photos when they learn that they are NOT digital manipulations, but done with light alone. Yes, Jarod, the model has to pose perfectly still. I usually use 30 second exposures, but occasionally have done as long as 2 minutes for particularly challenging images. I do not use flash or strobes. I use a hand-held tungsten light with a 25 watt bulb. I move around directing the light selectively at the model and/or the backdrop until I achieve an interesting lighting effect. All of mine were done in a studio setting, but I've seen others do this outdoors at night. I have a handful of these images in my MM portfolio, and a bunch of them on my website (http://www.scottpix.com/gallery/people/paintwl.html) Another good photographer using this technique (whom I actually learned it from) is the Danish photographer Emil Schildt (http://www.vraahojskole.dk/emil/index.htm) Jun 12 05 08:43 pm Link As you can see from the still life I have on my images, I have been doing painting with light for years and I have rented a HoseMaster system, but when you are not doing that much with that type of system it's best to rent it instead. Also with teh image I have on my page, I am also working with a polariod back, so I can test the light each exposure before putting it to film. Jun 12 05 08:52 pm Link  2005 Marksora This was one of the first pictures that I ever took when I was 12 years old. I will try to find some more from the series and others. And this is from 1993 Friday magazine, on my billboard project in NY city with various uses of light painting to portray Gods and Goddess of today's consumer culture. This was on the corner of Broadway and Prince st. It lasted 15 months from beginning to end. With A total of 8 separate main billboards.  1993 Marksora Jun 12 05 08:57 pm Link Posted by Jarod: I did a light painting shoot last week, though a lot of the painting was around me as opposed to on me. The only time I had to hold perfectly still (as in, don't even breathe, let alone blink) was when the light source was on my face. Other than that, it was blinking and breathing as normal. Jun 13 05 10:02 am Link Love Light Painting. I have been experimenting with it for a little under a year now. I had quite a few light painting images up on MM but took them down recently. You can view my light painting work at my site however at http://www.lunadigitalphoto.com I do straight up light painting and a combination of light painting and strobes. Im hooked! Jun 16 05 06:33 am Link I love light painting. It's very cool stuff.  Jun 25 05 09:09 pm Link Scott, I was going to recommend Emil Schildt's work, but you beat me to it. He has amazing control of the process. Jun 26 05 09:44 am Link Jun 27 05 12:42 am Link Posted by Alex Alexander: Hey Alex thats what the girls used to call me!! Jul 06 05 09:06 pm Link Posted by Jarod: i was a poet, but i got tired of suffering for my art. Jul 06 05 09:33 pm Link thought some of you might get a kick out of this... selling my house, and wanted a more interesting shot of my backyard, so I came up with this....yes, i know the ropelights are hot, but I did light paint the grass with a single flashlight. d2x, 5 seconds at F4, 12mm, iso 100. gitzo 1548 tripod.  Jul 12 05 06:50 am Link |
Since then I've used the technique for other tricks like forcing a caught highlight on a surface with a single pop here or there. 
