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Light Painting


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8 replies to this topic

#1
msrif

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Hello folks, I'd like to try my hand at light painting.  I have a pretty powerful flashlight.  It's a Streamlight ProTac HL3.  It seems like it might do the trick.  But I was wondering if anyone else here has any suggestions for the best flashlight to do this kind of thing.  I'd like to consider a flashlight that could be focused so that I can go pretty wide with the light.  

 

Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  



#2
Jerry_

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It depends on what you want to achieve.

Narrow focussed lightsources will allow to draw
Wide open sources could be used behind lightshields with a picture cut out

Unless you also want to achieve some effect from moving the camera, you will need the camera mounted on a tripod, as lightpainting requires long term exposures.

Could you tell us a bit more what you want to do?

#3
nbanjogal

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Yes, Jerry is right--it would help to know what you have in mind...the scope of your project so to speak. I've done some light painting on a grand scale and a small scale--different tools for both.

 

This image was light painted with an LED panel (on low!) on a stand very far away...

 

9662145600_2afd8eacdb_b.jpgMilky Way over the Moulton Barn by Nicole Fernley, on Flickr

 

 

And this little still life was light painted with a little LED flashlight with a little PVC pipe elbow taped to the end of it:

 

22685983862_207ebdc7b6_c.jpgMemento Mori by Nicole Fernley, on Flickr

 

One thing to remember with light painting is that brighter is not always better because you are often doing long exposures. Often a little flicker of a flashlight will be sufficient, but as you experiment you will likely figure that out.

 

Another thing--whatever light source you choose, you will likely want to add some color filters to warm up the light a bit. That can be as easy as taping colored cellophane to your flashlight.

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#4
msrif

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Thanks folks, sure appreciate it.  I guess to start out, I'm just looking at painting things that are fairly close.  Probably no more than 50 away.  So something I can paint with a handheld flashlight.  Also, maybe something I can add light to during the day with long exposures.  Like the undersides of leaves on a tree, or something like that.  And yes, I'm up on a tripod for sure.  I'm trying the longer exposures by using ND filters.  

 

I'm interested in the light source you might use.  I hike a ton so would like to have something that I can easily carry.  I think some of the very bright flashlights would work.  And really, that's a great idea on adding cellophane over the lens of the light.  I'll have to try that too!  

 

Thanks again.  



#5
Ron

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As Nicole said, you really don't need a huge amount of light. In fact, it's probably better to build up the light on your subject gradually than to blast it all at once. I would suggest that you try a small LED flashlight on a couple of things in your backyard. I think you'll be surprised at how much light even a miniature flashlight can produce. If nothing else, this experiment will give you some idea of how much light you'll need to do what you want to do.  I would also suggest that you do this around dusk (or a little after) so there's still some color in the sky.

 

--Ron



#6
msrif

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Thanks Ron.  I have a clip light that I've used in the past.  They are surprisingly bright.  I carry one of these in my pocket every time I'm out.  It seems to work really well for close up work.  And I'm now carrying a Streamlight that supposedly generates a thousand lumens of light.  Not sure it's that bright but it does light things up.  It hangs on my belt fine.  But I was just looking around for a light that can be focused narrow and wide.  It seems they are available but before I buy one, just wanted to know if anyone else has experience with some of these flashlights.  They can be pretty expensive.  

 

I'll take your advice about trying this around dusk.  Maybe that's where I need to start.  In the backyard!  :-)



#7
Ron

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I carry a miniature ottlight (designed for crafts and sewing) with me in my bag. It's just a little folding thing with 12 small LED's. Very compact... in fact that's what it looks like. And, very bright.  Anyway, I use it primarily to provide fill lighting when I shoot orchids and other flowers. It works very well for that.

31G0RDYzEQL._AC_UL320_SR282,320_.jpg

This might not be the solution you're looking for because it isn't designed to throw it's light very far although for close ups < 10ft. it works great. I bought one just like this for around US$10.

 

--Ron

 

 



#8
etphoto

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Back in the film days I use to paint with light all the time. I was in law enforcement at the time and it was difficult to photography crime / accident scenes at night. Tripod, open shutter and a hand held strobe unit did the trick. Used my hand to cover the lens (since the shutter was being held open), remove hand, point strobe and fire, cover lens again, change strobe angle and repeat.

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#9
JeremyDunmanPhoto

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Got to remember with light painting sometimes to much light is a bad thing. I had to figure that one out the hard way.