subscribe 0330 333 1113 I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 14 March 2020
Move beyond
the basics
We all know the basics of light
painting: mount your camera on a
tripod, select bulb mode, and use a
light source to paint in front of your
subject. However, if you want to get
more creative and use tube lighting,
you need a bright torch (about
1,000 lumens), a plastic tube, and
some creativity. Armed with all of
this you can start ‘drawing’ shapes
behind your subject.
Make yourself
invisible
To make a perfect circle, start and
stop behind one of your subject’s
legs (to avoid any overlay). Keep
your exposure within three
seconds, and within that time ask
your subject to be completely still.
By keeping good alignment behind
your model, you will make yourself
completely invisible. Trust me, it’s
easier than it looks!Dim the lights
Mount your camera to a tripod, and make sure the room is
dark. If it helps, you can keep a very dim lamp on to see,
without it affecting the exposure.Mix diff erent light sources
Experiment with combinations of continous light, fl ash and,
of course, the light from a torch (200 lumens works for me,
but you might decide you need something brighter). You can
also use colour gels.Experiment with fl ash
Set your camera to rear-curtain sync and use a long
exposure so you can paint before the burst of fl ash comes.
Try 5sec, 10sec, 20sec, and so on.Daniel González García
From Mexico, Daniel González García has always had
a passion for self-expression through the arts. He is
currently working on a dance portrait project
entitled Dancing Lights – the images here feature
ballerina Patricia Amezcua. To see more of his work
visit Instagram: @dgzzfoto.LIGHT painting allows you to be very creative, and it
helps you to break out of the conventional way of doing
things. I see it as a kind of game; playing with lights in
the dark. When I’m creating a portrait I like to think
about all of the possibilities available to me. You can
create many diff erent environments, and you learn a lot
about lighting! I really enjoy that brief moment just
before you see the picture. It can be a pleasant surprise.Make your
own light
painting
tools
Take an empty
soda bottle and fi ll
it with cellophane,
then attach your
torch to the
bottleneck.
Alternatively, use
a roll of baking
paper attached
to a torch – now
you have your
own lightsaber.Nikon D750,
38mm, 15sec at
f/13, ISO 100Nikon D750,
38mm, 13sec at
f/13, ISO 100THIS IMAGE AND ABOVE © DANIEL GONZ ALEZ GARCIA
© ERIC PARE