LIGHTPAINTING – TIPS FOR BEGINNERS

For a long time I had planned to write an article in which I would describe as briefly and simply as possible how to get started in light painting. Now I have finally found the time. One thing right away: light painting is not easy. Light painting is not something you can do on the side. Without a lot of practice, you will hardly get usable results on the memory card. Watching and photographing the performance of a self-proclaimed master will not improve your own skills any more than reading this article.

This was one of my first light paintings. Well, not quite, this painting is a remake from 2017. The original painting was from 2012. This brings us to one of the most important points in light painting, reproducibility. Since in most cases the planned light painting cannot be realised right away, it makes the work much easier if you don’t wave the torches around unmotivatedly. It should be possible to repeat each individual step. After each failed attempt, the part that went wrong is improved. All other steps are simply repeated. Before you start to realise the picture, you should have as clear a plan as possible as to the order in which you will carry out the various steps. In the picture above, I first lit my model Erik, then painted the light trails behind him, shone the torch behind Erik towards the camera and, as a last step, illuminated the surroundings. Basically, the order doesn’t matter. However, if the model moves during the illumination or if I don’t paint the light traces cleanly, I stop immediately without carrying out the remaining steps. So you should always start with the most difficult part.

AUSRÜSTUNG

First of all, you need a camera that is capable of controlling exposure times of any length (bulb). Secondly, you have to ensure that the camera is stable. A good tripod is best suited for this. A lens with the shortest possible focal length makes the work easier because the distance between the camera and the light source is small. So that you don’t have to keep your finger on the shutter release for several minutes in bulb mode, it makes sense to use a remote shutter release. I currently use a Nikon D750, the Laowa 12/2.8 or the Nikkor 17-35/2.8 and a Benro TMA48CXL with a geared head for my pictures. But impressive light paintings can also be taken without expensive professional equipment.

I use a thick woollen cap to cover the lens quickly and securely during the exposure. I cover the lens to avoid unwanted light traces. Some light sources (fire, fireworks, glow lights, etc.) cannot be switched off at all. Other light sources are not easy to reach because they are mounted on a long pole. Furthermore, it is for your own safety to walk through the rocked-out lost place with your headlamp switched on.

LIGHT PAINTING TOOLS

And then, of course, you need one or more light sources. Basically, you can paint traces of light into the picture with anything that shines. There is absolutely nothing to be said against testing everything that can be found in the household for your first own experiments before transferring money for torches and light painting tools to the online dealer. LED toys, bicycle lamps, torches, sparklers, glow sticks or other things can be sufficient for the first attempts.

In the pictures you can see some very inexpensive light painting tools. Most of them I have misused (film cans, an acrylic salt shaker, coloured plastic test tubes, a bubble container and a diffuser for the Convoy S2+).

Acrylic blades can be used to paint very beautiful traces of light into the picture. In the first picture you can see blades that I cut out myself. In the other three pictures you can see blades from the online shop of Lightpainting Paradise. To connect the torch and the light painting tool, special adapters are best suited. But in a pinch, you can also use gaffa tape.

I like to use different fibreglass tools in my lightpaintings, especially for portraits.

To bring colour into the picture I use colour filters made of acrylic, colour filter foil, torches with coloured LEDs or RGB torches.

To illuminate larger areas, I use powerful torches like the Fenix LR35R (third from left) or the Emisar D18 (fourth from left). Both torches have a luminous flux of 10000 lumens.

To illuminate people, I use a narrow light source and scan the person from top to bottom, like a scanner. I built both of these myself. The housings are from the 3D printer. But this technique also works with a narrow work lamp. You simply attach strips of black cardboard or black plastic to the lamp.

Once again: For the beginning it is not necessary to buy 10000 lumen torches, expensive light painting tools or expensive special lamps like the AOAM RGB Critter. Only when you reach insurmountable limits with your existing equipment should you think about buying new torches and tools. Furthermore, in my opinion, an important aspect of light painting is that you build tools yourself as far as possible. This is also part of the creative work with moving light.

SETTINGS

The following things influence the brightness of the light trace: ISO, aperture, brightness of the light source, distance of the light source from the camera and the speed of movement of the light source. Basically, you should set the lowest (native) ISO value on the camera to keep the image noise as low as possible. The aperture should then be chosen first of all under creative aspects (depth of field). I usually work with apertures in the range of 5.6 to 11. Starting from this, I test the brightness of the tool in the picture with the chosen torch. It is most convenient if the torch used has as many brightness levels as possible. It is usually the best choice to change the brightness of the light source and only change the settings on the camera when you reach the limit with it.

In most cases, the exposure time depends on the length of the performance. I start the exposure painting the light trails into the image and then finish the exposure. Normally I don’t pre-select an exposure time.

PROCEDURE

Especially in the early days, you should not go out into the night alone. A helper who covers the lens during exposure is extremely helpful. Besides, light painting alone is hardly fun. It is advisable to cover the lens first and then start the exposure. The light painter then commands the assistant to uncover the lens when he starts painting the light trails. At the right moment, the lens is then covered again and the next step is carried out. In the picture above, I first turned the Orb, then painted the yellow light traces into the picture with EL-Wire, briefly switched on the red torch on the table and finally illuminated the room with green light. The exposure time was 335 seconds. For your first own experiments, you should start with a few steps. However, you should refrain from taking test shots and always take a meaningful picture with a well thought-out composition.

Especially in the early days, you should not go out into the night alone. A helper who covers the lens during exposure is extremely helpful. Besides, light painting alone is hardly fun. It is advisable to cover the lens first and then start the exposure. The light painter then commands the assistant to uncover the lens when he starts painting the light trails. At the right moment, the lens is then covered again and the next step is carried out. In the picture above, I first turned the Orb, then painted the yellow light traces into the picture with EL-Wire, briefly switched on the red torch on the table and finally illuminated the room with green light. The exposure time was 335 seconds. For your first own experiments, you should start with a few steps. However, you should refrain from taking test shots and always take a meaningful picture with a well thought-out composition.

Ohh… This post is already very long. I actually wanted to write something about the illumination of the landscape or the big lost place. I think it’s better to put that in another post. I’m sure hardly anyone wants to read that much.

Until then, I wish you lots of fun and success with your own first attempts and good light at all times.

Sven

Sven Gerard

Sven Gerard, Jahrgang 1969, geboren und aufgewachsen in Berlin. Er fotografiert seit frühester Jugend mit großer Leidenschaft. Neben dem fotografischen Erkunden zahlreicher beeindruckender verlassener Orte, widmet er sich seit mittlerweile 10 Jahren intensiv dem Lightpainting. Sein umfangreiches Wissen teilt er auf seinem Blog „Lichtkunstfoto.de“, weiteren Publikationen und in seinen Workshops. Darüber hinaus organisiert er Veranstaltungen zum Thema Lightpainting, wie „Light Up Berlin“. Gerard lebt gemeinsam mit seiner Lebensgefährtin in Berlin und hat einen erwachsenen Sohn.

Sven Gerard was born in 1969 and grew up in Berlin. He has been a passionate photographer since his early youth. In addition to photographically exploring numerous impressive abandoned places, he has been intensively involved in light painting for 10 years now. He shares his extensive knowledge on his blog ‘Lichtkunstfoto.de’, other publications and in his workshops. He also organises events on the subject of light painting, such as ‘Light Up Berlin’. Gerard lives in Berlin with his partner and has a grown-up son.