Painting with light: Tutorial

***devbobo*** · Apr-22-2005, 07:29 PM

A few people said they were interested in the technique I used for my 'Painting with light' photo in Challenge 36.

What you will need...

- Torch, I used a small MagLite
- Paintbrush
- Roll of Aluminium foil

-Tripod mounted camera (of course)
- Wired remote (optional)

Firstly, you need to make a snoot out of aluminium foil to attach to the end of the MagLite, so that you are able to control of the direction and spread of the light. Mine looked something like this...

Note: I use some electrical tape, to stop light coming through the gap in the join.

To make my life a bit easier, I attached my wired remote to the paintbrush as below...

With my camera set to manual, F/8, 5 secs and focused to infinity.

I held the torch and the paintbrush together as shown below. Pressed the shutter button. Held the MagLite still for about 1 sec, and then moved it away from the paintbrush as shown.

I knew how I wanted the end result to look, but it took about 20-30 exposures until I got a result I was happy with.

The photo below is the one I decided I was happy with...

However, I felt the lines with too uniform, so I found another exposure and added it as an 'overlay' layer to the original. This produced a more random light stream as below...

I then used 'curves' to change the color of the light to purple, and did some other clean up work. To produce the final result...

If anyone has any questions, don't hesistate to ask.

Cheers,

David

gus · Apr-22-2005, 07:43 PM

Very smart

well done.

**Shay Stephens** · Apr-22-2005, 07:57 PM

Yes, that totally rocks. It looks great!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Humungus

Very smart

well done.

***Andy*** · Apr-23-2005, 03:06 AM

ehughes · Apr-23-2005, 05:24 AM

That's incredible, thanks for sharing the secret...

rahmonster · Apr-25-2005, 06:05 PM

You know, I have been pondering for days how you made such a wonderful shot...Thanks for letting us in on the secret....Truly excellent

PeterGar · Apr-26-2005, 04:12 PM

Very nice... thank you!

**wxwax** · Apr-26-2005, 04:31 PM

Love tutorials. Thanks for sharing your technique, David.

BTW, your shot's a perfect example of what you can do if you visualize what you want ahead of time. I think that effective visualization always leads to a better image.

***devbobo*** · Apr-26-2005, 08:06 PM

Thanks everyone for your fantastic comments.

I really enjoyed this challenge, as I like trying out different things photographically...and like some others here, I was surprised at how easy it was.

BTW, wxwax thanks for moving this tut into the halls of wisdom...i feel honored

David

Charlie Brown · Oct-06-2005, 05:38 PM

thats an amazing technique that im so going to steal from you...seriously though man thats something i never would have thought of but will try to use in the future.

charlie

komet · Oct-06-2005, 09:49 PM

Very nice.

auraflora · Oct-07-2005, 07:00 AM

Very resourceful. I am also going to try this one out.

Thanks for sharing.

Michal

DanielB · Jan-03-2006, 01:09 PM

definitely gonna have to try this one out.

thanks for the step by step

Peter Dumont · Apr-09-2008, 04:21 PM

............... Sheer Genius !.....................

quest · Sep-22-2008, 05:59 PM

that is too cool. Thanks David

Apr-22-2005, 07:29 PM	#1
*devbobo* technicolored Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Melbourne, AU Posts: 4,273	Painting with light: Tutorial A few people said they were interested in the technique I used for my 'Painting with light' photo in Challenge 36. What you will need... - Torch, I used a small MagLite - Paintbrush - Roll of Aluminium foil -Tripod mounted camera (of course) - Wired remote (optional) Firstly, you need to make a snoot out of aluminium foil to attach to the end of the MagLite, so that you are able to control of the direction and spread of the light. Mine looked something like this... Note: I use some electrical tape, to stop light coming through the gap in the join. To make my life a bit easier, I attached my wired remote to the paintbrush as below... With my camera set to manual, F/8, 5 secs and focused to infinity. I held the torch and the paintbrush together as shown below. Pressed the shutter button. Held the MagLite still for about 1 sec, and then moved it away from the paintbrush as shown. I knew how I wanted the end result to look, but it took about 20-30 exposures until I got a result I was happy with. The photo below is the one I decided I was happy with... However, I felt the lines with too uniform, so I found another exposure and added it as an 'overlay' layer to the original. This produced a more random light stream as below... I then used 'curves' to change the color of the light to purple, and did some other clean up work. To produce the final result... If anyone has any questions, don't hesistate to ask. Cheers, David __________________ David Parry My Photos \| SmugBrowser Last edited by devbobo; Apr-26-2005 at 07:58 PM.

Apr-23-2005, 03:06 AM	#4
*Andy* SmugMug COO & House Pro Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: New York City Posts: 52,230	__________________ Andy Moon River Photography • Twitter • Facebook

Apr-25-2005, 06:05 PM	#6
rahmonster Bubbly Think Tank Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 1,376	You know, I have been pondering for days how you made such a wonderful shot...Thanks for letting us in on the secret....Truly excellent __________________ www.tmitchell.smugmug.com Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life...Picasso

Apr-26-2005, 04:31 PM	#8
wxwax Immoderator Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 15,442	Love tutorials. Thanks for sharing your technique, David. BTW, your shot's a perfect example of what you can do if you visualize what you want ahead of time. I think that effective visualization always leads to a better image. __________________ Sid. Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam http://www.mcneel.com/users/jb/foghorn/ill_shut_up.au

Apr-26-2005, 08:06 PM	#9
*devbobo* technicolored Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Melbourne, AU Posts: 4,273	Thanks everyone for your fantastic comments. I really enjoyed this challenge, as I like trying out different things photographically...and like some others here, I was surprised at how easy it was. BTW, wxwax thanks for moving this tut into the halls of wisdom...i feel honored David __________________ David Parry My Photos \| SmugBrowser

Apr-22-2005, 07:43 PM	#2
gus Major grins Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: the wasteland Posts: 16,204	Very smart well done.

Apr-23-2005, 05:24 AM	#5
ehughes Major grins Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Ca Posts: 1,658	That's incredible, thanks for sharing the secret...

Apr-26-2005, 04:12 PM	#7
PeterGar Major grins Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Santa Clarita, California (Los Angeles area) Posts: 293	Very nice... thank you!

Oct-06-2005, 05:38 PM	#10
Charlie Brown Loddi doddi Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 199	thats an amazing technique that im so going to steal from you...seriously though man thats something i never would have thought of but will try to use in the future. charlie __________________ I can only hope to progress to the point of one day being a second rate photographer, wish me luck.

Oct-06-2005, 09:49 PM	#11
komet Major grins Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 117	Very nice. __________________ komet gives light so that you may find the way.

Oct-07-2005, 07:00 AM	#12
auraflora Major grins Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Israel Posts: 470	Very resourceful. I am also going to try this one out. Thanks for sharing. Michal

Jan-03-2006, 01:09 PM	#13
DanielB The Kansas City Kid Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Lenexa, KS Posts: 2,344	definitely gonna have to try this one out. thanks for the step by step __________________ Daniel Bauer smugmug: www.StandOutphoto.smugmug.com 1D Mk II N 17-40 F/4L 50 f/1.8 mk II 70-200 f/2.8L 430EX

Apr-09-2008, 04:21 PM	#14
Peter Dumont Harlem shuffler Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 261	Sheer genius ............... Sheer Genius !.....................

Sep-22-2008, 05:59 PM	#15
quest Beginner grinner Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 1	that is too cool. Thanks David

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