A lot of creative energy can be expended in image manipulation, but here John Piper explains how he produced some stunning images largely using on-site techniques, with less software manipulation.
My own light painting began with a powerful hand-held torch pointed at a subject in the dark, which produced an interesting way of highlighting the subject. Later I attended a creative light painting workshop and a glamour portrait photo shoot which combined off-camera flash with creative lighting effects. I found along the way that light painting allowed me to create different and pleasing images by using unconventional lighting and equipment. So-called “light painting” is a form of photography where different artificial light sources are shone or ‘painted’ on a subject in the dark to produce an interesting visual effect, presenting a standard subject in an unusual way.
It differs from normal flash photography because the light is manually pointed, waved, spun, twirled, streaked or flashed near or on a subject during a long exposure, extending anywhere from 30 seconds up to many minutes. The majority of the effect is created ‘in camera’, but by shooting multiple exposures of the same composition and ‘painting’ light into different areas of a scene, the exposures can also be blended. All that’s required to get started with light painting is a DSLR camera, a sturdy tripod, a remote shutter release, some interesting but inexpensive light sources; and most importantly, a good idea, theme or subject.
A Basic ‘Painting’ Kit
Your camera’s mode dial will need to be switched to the ‘Bulb’ setting. Because light painting in the dark can require exposures of a minute or longer, a remote shutter release is essential. A basic unit will be sufficient, but I recommend a unit with a timer function so a pre-calculated shutter speed can be set. The type of lens you’ll use depends on the scene and what kind of composition you want. I use a 16-35mm f/2.8 lens on a ‘full-frame’ DSLR, which is effective for landscapes because it provides a wide vista and creates the chance to capture streaking clouds in the night sky during long external exposures. A sturdy tripod is also important, because the camera needs to be left while the photographer wanders around the scene painting the subject with light...
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: Tips on shooting wildflower images; Foto Biennale 2011; Pro printing - mini-labs or online?; How using a tripod can assist making quality images; Locations: Mansfield & District, Vic; Tips on how to get maximum benefit from photo software programs; Olympus E-PL3.