Light rays on black backround - how is this done: Any ideas on how to get light rays like this on a black background? I tried for an hour with flash and all I can get are starbursts...

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Light rays on black backround - how is this done

Oct 31, 2017 21:19:01 #

LiamRowan Loc: Michigan

Any ideas on how to get light rays like this on a black background? I tried for an hour with flash and all I can get are starbursts with relatively short rays.

Thanks for ideas!

(Download)

Oct 31, 2017 22:06:54 #

Steve DeMott Loc: St. Louis, Missouri (Oakville area)

LiamRowan wrote:

Any ideas on how to get light rays like this on a black background? I tried for an hour with flash and all I can get are starbursts with relatively short rays.

Thanks for ideas!

Try this
https://www.redbubble.com/people/annashaw/journal/3941909-the-easiest-way-to-make-rays-of-light-a-photoshop-tutorial-for-beginners

Oct 31, 2017 22:15:35 #

LiamRowan Loc: Michigan

steve DeMott wrote:

Try this
https://www.redbubble.com/people/annashaw/journal/3941909-the-easiest-way-to-make-rays-of-light-a-photoshop-tutorial-for-beginners

Thanks, that is amazing. So, it's possible the image I posted isn't even a photograph but a PS construction?! Wow.

Oct 31, 2017 22:25:57 #

Steve DeMott Loc: St. Louis, Missouri (Oakville area)

LiamRowan wrote:

Thanks, that is amazing. So, it's possible the image I posted isn't even a photograph but a PS construction?! Wow.

I tried to change the image to black and didn't have a lot of success with creating light rays. However, do a search for creating light rays in photoshop and you'll have more tutorials then you know what to do with.

Oct 31, 2017 22:34:09 #

LiamRowan Loc: Michigan

steve DeMott wrote:

I had searched for how to photograph light rays on black, which probably explains why I didn't find anything useful!

Searching for creating light rays in PS was a whole different story. I think I'm set.

Thanks so much!

Oct 31, 2017 22:46:48 #

Steve DeMott Loc: St. Louis, Missouri (Oakville area)

LiamRowan wrote:

Any ideas on how to get light rays like this on a black background? I tried for an hour with flash and all I can get are starbursts with relatively short rays.

Thanks for ideas!

Check out donolea tutorial on turning day into night.
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-486946-1.html

Nov 1, 2017 12:05:40 #

PGHphoto Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

LiamRowan wrote:

Any ideas on how to get light rays like this on a black background? I tried for an hour with flash and all I can get are starbursts with relatively short rays.

Thanks for ideas!

You can create that look outside photoshop but need to introduce some type of theatrical hazing. Theatrical hazers introduce very small particles into the air and they reflect /refract the light sources so you can see the beam. If you want to do a lot of that type of work, you can purchase cheap hazers on-line for around $150 (even have seen new units for under $100). You want the finest particulate that you can get in your price range. Low end units usually use larger particulates and basically can degrade the image quality like being in fog. High end units with a smaller particulate will give you better definition on the light beam with less image degradation.

Most musical concerts use hazers to get the full effect of the lighting.

Photoshop is a whole lot cheaper though and more consistent...

Nov 1, 2017 12:29:10 #

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

LiamRowan wrote:

Any ideas on how to get light rays like this on a black background? I tried for an hour with flash and all I can get are starbursts with relatively short rays.

Thanks for ideas!

Light from a flash is not bundled (that will show rays easily) and as that, is very "short" (it fades away too quickly)! You can very easily add them later in pp!

Nov 1, 2017 17:12:58 #

LiamRowan Loc: Michigan

speters wrote:

Light from a flash is not bundled (that will show rays easily) and as that, is very "short" (it fades away too quickly)! You can very easily add them later in pp!

Yes, that was my problem with initial experiments. I could get the rays, but they were very short and not like in the example posted. After looking at some of the links here I'm pretty sure they were done in PS. I haven't quite found the secret of how to get them on a black background, though.

Nov 2, 2017 12:41:38 #

papa Loc: Rio Dell, CA

It's big kid's shadow puppets and so simple you can make your own. Click here for a synopsis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gobo_(lighting)

PGHphoto wrote:

You can create that look outside photoshop but nee... (show quote)

Nov 25, 2017 10:57:05 #

papa Loc: Rio Dell, CA

P.S. You can certainly use a fog machine with gobo to enhance the light rays.

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