Using funky lighting technique. Feedback appreciated

[mebz]

Guys,

I've been playing around with a lighting technique. Would be great to get your feedback. Obviously the background should be cleaner but i was really only trying it out for now.

http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/9255/18482025xm2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/2763/69881837cp5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[lticket]

yeah you could make something cool outta that- gotta love funky lighty shizzle;

http://sa.dontstayin.com/a1/4e/a14e8832-f442-4f5d-b5a5-706005261cfb.jpg

http://sf.dontstayin.com/f1/33/f13341c7-0e2d-43e0-bc5d-2c465a704e65.jpg

http://sc.dontstayin.com/c1/b8/c1b89389-ce57-4634-9044-5750d5a2ac3b.jpg

http://se.dontstayin.com/e3/8a/e38ac114-0012-47ea-a90b-403d8eee7503.jpg

[weirdo109]

I like the angel in the club the best, think it's the better shot.
Nice to try something different.

[Highlander]

mebz, they do look good, but IMHO I think you need to do something with the light. At present, you have just randomly waved it above the object. Try tracing around the object? A long time ago, someone posted a pic called electric laces (or something like that) that was really cool, where they 'drew' the laces in, on a shoe.

Lee, nice shots. Also like the club angel best.

Anyway, here's my attempt at light painting.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sypix/222799680/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/66/222799680_b84244f261.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Light Bulb" /></a>

[Len]

Here is one of my attempts;

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/214/468364886_3c2c727b59.jpg

[emeyedeejay]

I love this technique - must give it a go some time ... Great shots

(Len if you remove the ?v=0 in your img link the image will show in the thread...)

[Len]

Thanks, emeyedeejay. Edited the post.

[Boink!]

Here is one of my attempts;

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/214/468364886_3c2c727b59.jpg
that's pretty damn good, Len. :thumbs:

Any chance for a link to your other flickr stuff?

[emeyedeejay]

That looks like it came from a Springsteen album cover :thumbs: It's awesome!

[emeyedeejay]

Guys,

I've been playing around with a lighting technique. Would be great to get your feedback. Obviously the background should be cleaner but i was really only trying it out for now.

http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/2763/69881837cp5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

That looks like something from an ad campaign ...

I really must try this out.

What are you using as a light source?

[Matholwch]

Here is one of my attempts;

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/214/468364886_3c2c727b59.jpg

Wow, gotta agree - excellent stuff!!

[Matholwch]

My attempt, with a washing line - gave the photo to my mother, as a mother's day gift some years ago, to say thanks for washing all my clothes over the years :lol:
http://www.rhif12.co.uk/misc/slides/IMG_4776.JPG

[superleeds123]

C'mon guys spill the beans on the technique please.

[1966]

Here is one of my attempts;

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/214/468364886_3c2c727b59.jpg

That really is superb!!

I can't post my example as it's a rather rude word written with sparklers!

What do you guys use as light sources?

[Boink!]

I can't post my example as it's a rather rude word written with sparklers!
:lol:

[Highlander]

Gotta agree with everyone else, Len's photo is fantastic. As said above, it could have come off an albulm cover.That's the kind of thing I meant by tracing around objects.

I use a mini maglite without the top on, as my light source.

BTW, does anyone remember the photo I referred to earlier - 'electric laces' or similar. Did a search, but could not find it. Did I imagine it!! :nuts:

[Sam]

Yep, I remember. It was a pair of hiking boots with the laces drawn in I think. IIRC it was one of the early winners in the monthly photo comp. I can't remember who took it though :(

[chet-lee]

Here's a couple of mine I first posted a few months ago, I love the technique. I use a mini maglite and some small pieces of lighting gels. Can get tricky squeezing it all into 30 seconds :)

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bongobongo/160370797/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/72/160370797_d028a33f23.jpg" width="500" height="331" alt="Power Up!!!" /></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bongobongo/147172495/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/47/147172495_02dd8ac7a4.jpg" width="500" height="327" alt="Ninja Strike" /></a>

[1966]

Yep, I remember. It was a pair of hiking boots with the laces drawn in I think. IIRC it was one of the early winners in the monthly photo comp. I can't remember who took it though :(

Looks like (http://thedvdforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4711904&highlight=electric+laces#post4711904) it was in Harold1066.

Was this it?

<a href="http://img337.imageshack.us/my.php?image=lacesat7.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/561/lacesat7.th.jpg" border="0" alt="Free Image Hosting at www.ImageShack.us" /></a>

[Highlander]

That's the one. Thanks.
I can't imagine the number of attempts he must have had to achieve such a perfect lace-up!!

[RomerojpgX]

All work for me :)

[GarethH]

How do you do this? How long do you keep the light for?

[Len]

that's pretty damn good, Len. :thumbs:

Any chance for a link to your other flickr stuff?


I have a lot of my stuff dotted around the place, I've images on flickr, photobox and I also have my photo a day blog.

My Flickr Photos (http://www.flickr.com/photos/l_r_scott/)

My Photobox Gallery (http://www.photoboxgallery.com/L_R_Scott)

My Photo a day blog (http://www.blipfoto.com/leon)

[Len]

How do you do this? How long do you keep the light for?

Personally, the photo of the guitar took a total of about 50 seconds

[Boink!]

I have a lot of my stuff dotted around the place, I've images on flickr, photobox and I also have my photo a day blog.

My Flickr Photos (http://www.flickr.com/photos/l_r_scott/)
Added you to my contacts. :thumbs:

[ColstInnit]

i think it may be one of those morning and may sound really stupid...but still cant figure out how its done :S are you just shining the maglites a the objects and it follows the end of the beam, or are you running round and its following the bulb? wondering why theres no blur from the movement of hands etc? gonna have to wait til my eos300d arrives tomorrow before i can start experimenting...cannot wait..need something to take pictures off until the good weather returns.

[thefunkygibbon]

is this some kind of magic circle secret or something? a few people have now asked but noone has described how to do it!

i presumed it would be a long exposure but cant see how there wasnt blurring of other things in the picture if that was the case.

[Pheonix]

You move the torch around in the image. Its moving too quickly to see your hand, but the light is much brighter, so shows up.

[lticket]

erm... tripod? :p

[thefunkygibbon]

yes i know that a tripod most likely was used.. but take the pictures you posted in the 1st page .. how could the torch move around but the person in the images stayed deathly still and there is no image of whatever moved the light around?

:Edit: or is the torch used from *behind* the camera .. shon at something in the frame?

[1966]

erm... tripod? :p

Or a flash, which I imagine is how you did your club ones.

[Len]

is this some kind of magic circle secret or something? a few people have now asked but noone has described how to do it!

i presumed it would be a long exposure but cant see how there wasnt blurring of other things in the picture if that was the case.

No magic circle- I hope this description helps, this is how I do it.

Setup your item in a dark room, the darker the better. Lock the camera off on the tripod. Set your focus manually, set your speed and aperture manually. I normally use f16 and between 1 second and 30 seconds. I use a mini-maglite with the top taken off.

I fire open the shutter and then slowly move the bulb of the torch over/round/above the object I'm working with. Because the room is dark, the only thing that is recorded is whatever the camera can see - which is the light. (It's a similar process as getting car lights to streak)

You can spiral round an object, similar to what the original poster did;

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/190/468368080_f3f6171b34.jpg

or just fool around;
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/170/468362994_65b00c9992.jpg

You can use different types of torches to produce other effects, for this one I used a small cheap LED torch;
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/216/468372427_7e3a450948.jpg

[Highlander]

Yep, good description, Len. :thumbs:
That is exactly how I do it.

[ColstInnit]

thanks for the description..much appreciated...looking forwartd to giving it a go :P

[GarethH]

Tried this last night and it works well. I find that I don't need to set the focus manually (which is a pain in the dark), simply turn your main light on..autofocus...turn your main light off and switch back to manual so your camera doesn't adjust.

Are you using an Orange bulb for the ones above or adjusting in photoshop? How do you do this in those club shots? Keep the girl from blur but have a long exposure?

[Highlander]

So where are the results?? Or do we have to wait until the weekly photo comp ;)

I guess there's flash involved in the club ones. 2nd curtain sync? Or whatever it's called ...

[lticket]

Flash :) Don't need to use second curtain... as it's pretty dark the subject will "appear stationary"... might have some more fun with these sorta shots soon!

[RPG]

I've had a crack at this before now too;

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/210/466465641_a2e76d2914.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/231/466465331_6f5669b8e0.jpg

I found the longer the exposure, the better quality (and less noise) on the image. I used a red LED and a white LED.