There are various places where you can buy specialist lightpainting tools such as www.lightpaintingbrushes.com with all sorts of gadgets and gizmo's to get you started. But you can achieve the same effects with everyday household objects.....in this case net curtains!
Don't burn your bridges
Waving a pair of net curtains around in the dark whilst waving a torch with the other hand:
Making objects appear inside other objects using only a camera and two lenses
Fitting a 6 ft 4 inch lightpainter in to a 4 inch wall socket.... Lens and tripod swapping shenanigans in a derelict factory
For this shot, first I worked out the composition on the wall with the socket and rehearsed the lighting. Once happy with this element, I then switched tripods and lenses to point at a 6ft 4 ins lightpainter and line up the said lightpainter in the correct position. Once happy with the lighting, I start the exposure and light up the wall socket. I then place the lens cap on the camera and move the camera to the other tripod already pointing at the silhouette. I swap lenses and use a pair of net ccurtains to make the green gelled faux flames outlining the silhouette. All this sounds a little complicated but it's worth the effort.
Net curtain waving champion of the world...
The great thing about net curtains is that they pack up real small in my bag and you can take them pretty much anywhere if you want to do a little improvisation:
Circles of OCD
This time instead of a net curtain, I used a Sainsbury's supermarket carrier bag! We visited a new to us tunnel this evening just off the Stocksbridge Bypass north of Sheffield and set up just as the dark arrived. I lined my lightpainting buddy up in the centre of frame and created an improvised outline using the carrier bag. This outline is achieved by furiously waving the bag whilst waving even more furiously a flashlight at the bag.
About me:
I usually specialise in shooting lightpainting images but occasionally dabble in urbex and artistic model photography. I'm always on the lookout for someone to collaborate with; please don't hesitate to get in touch if you'd like to create art.
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