Wright Loc: West Texas

Any night photographers out there? I've developed quite a lot of interest in all things night: Lightning; long time exposure by moonlight; even "painting with light."

Would love to see some of your results, and read any tips you might have on technique / types of locations.

Sorry, I don't have any pics ready to share right now -- I'll have to work on that soon.

mhinter Loc: Wisconsin USA

I've been trying it out as well. here's one I did about a month ago.
Actually my very first shot..

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6114/6328106047_c1b29b23e9_z.jpg
_DSF7454 by mhinter, on Flickr

mhinter Loc: Wisconsin USA

Here's another from last week...Any thoughts?

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6219/6381364393_696e4e51f9_z.jpg
night shot 3 by mhinter, on Flickr

T Loc: New York State

Good start!

If you can visualize the patterns that you are either creating or being given it's fun from that point on. A little photoshop to adjust the color balance the way you want it and to raise the density on long exposures...

Will be interesting to see how your snow shots work out. If we get snow. Or you do!

T

toffeles

You can pull off some fun nighttime shooting tricks using the modes built into most point-and-shoot cameras. I had a lot of fun with these sorts of pictures back in my clubbing/(ware)house-gatherings days.

Subject does a nice "light-paint" activity in a dark space or outdoors:
. Fire/Light Poi spinning
. Glow-stick/Fire/Light dancing
. Sports activity w/ Lights on body/limbs (martial arts work well)
. Whatnot with point-illumination on something moving (the micro-photon LED lights and similar work nicely)

With the camera on tripod or otherwise mechanically stabilized, snap pictures of the action in the "nighttime portrait mode with starry background" (or whatever your manufacturer calls it), with or without redeye reduction enabled--try both and see what you get.

When this works, you'll get a sort of "future time"/"frontwards-facing flame 'trailers'" effect from the short flash-illuminated foreground exposure that gets auto-composed with the longer no-flash background exposure. The former freezes the illuminated action, the latter creates the "future time" effect with the light burn-in.

Nicer still would be if the exposure orders were reversed, but thats not how the mode usually works. Note: If the camera gets confused trying to process the picture too much, it might just do nothing. Try an older point-and-shoot if turning off electronic "vibration reduction" doesn't help.

--tof

Wright Loc: West Texas

Thanks for posting, mhinter. I like your shots here -- it appears to me that your 1st one is an example of "painting with light", i.e., you painted the scene in some way with light. I'd love to read more about how you made that photo: Light source you used; exposure time; ISO setting; etc...

I recently went out in daylight to find a few good locations for attempting a moonlight shoot during the next full moon (around Jan. 8th, I believe). I found some good spots and plan to attempt a creek bottom / train trestle pic, as well as a bridge / creek bottom pic. I'm planning to attempt light painting underneath the bridge on the vertical supports -- those supports should be in shadow when the moon is almost directly overhead. My reading on this subject indicates that the shadowed areas of your scene are the only ones which can be effectively "painted."

Wright Loc: West Texas

Thanks for your words, T. I'm planning to give it a go during the next full moon.

Do you find that it is usually necessary to raise the density in PhotoShop on this type of photo? If not, then can you explain
when that step would come in to play -- is it when an image is over-exposed?

Thanks!

Wright Loc: West Texas

Appreciate your in-depth reply, tof.

I apologize for not mentioning up-front that I'll be using a DSLR -- the Canon 1D MkII. Therefore, I'll be using the bulb setting, as well as a remote control shutter switch to open /
close the shutter manually.

Couldn't agree more with your caution to use a tripod or other
camera support -- an absolute necessity for long exposures.

I'm not quite sure what you mean by "Fire/Light Poi spinning"; also "Whatnot with point-illumination on something
moving" -- could you expand on those two items, or better yet, post an example photo? I'm anxious to learn.

Thanks!

GTinSoCal Loc: Palmdale, CA

I'm glad we have another light painter here!
Now I just wish it would warm up so I can handle going outside! :D

Here's a shot of a flower done with glow poi.

GT

Wright Loc: West Texas

Thanks for your input, GT -- that's a beautiful painting job.

I need more info, though: Pardon my ignorance, but what exactly is "glow poi?" I have heard of many other painting tools, including handheld flash; LED flashlight; match; cigarette lighter; even portable spotlights (for big jobs) -- but I'm ignorant of glow poi. Can you also comment on why you use that?

Thanks! In return, I'll clue you in to the website of a legendary light painter of whom you may not have heard:
StuJenks.com He has some awesome stuff.

T Loc: New York State

When your light source is soft, thin, or pale Photoshop will be a friend until you get WRITTEN NOTES tucked into your camera bag on what types of source play what invidious tricks...

Most people are afraid of letting the light do the work and try to chase it right from the start. Until you get a feel for the power of a candle, and the insatiable appetite of velvet for light the surprises are both interesting and...energizing. Try adding up the ambient light to equal day and simply keep your time to or under that. Moving lights rarely over expose.

Enjoy experimenting, indoors and out, and train for the war against the dark...

T

GTinSoCal Loc: Palmdale, CA

Thank you!
Poi is traditionally used with fire, but the glow poi (led powered poi) are easier and safer to use. Since I do almost all of my light painting alone, fire is a bit of a stretch for me :-)
I like the poi for the geometric shapes you can create. I have a few of my own homemade light-painting tools - all of which are cheap. :LOL:
You can check out more about poi at the Home of Poi
http://www.homeofpoi.com/
and at playpoi,
http://www.playpoi.com/

A great spot for light painters is on flickr, Light Junkies (fitting name)
http://www.flickr.com/groups/lightjunkies/

GT

mhinter Loc: Wisconsin USA

Well, I was poking around on line and found this you tube video and I thought i would give it a try. I'll post the link at the end of this message so you can check it out. The guy that does the video has other ones as well. If you click on my flickr link that is attached to my pics. you'll find all of the camera settings there. If you have trouble locating them, just give me a yell.
Thanks

http://youtu.be/asx13Ah_xpk

mhinter Loc: Wisconsin USA

OOOps try this one.

http://youtu.be/LJkBLMhXvcQ

Wright Loc: West Texas

Thank you so much for the info, GT! I will definitely look in on the suggested sites for more info.

BTW, like your last photo, too!