16 14 March 2020 I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113
Technique LIGHT PAINTING
Dennis Wolff
Dennis Wolff lives in Lüneburg Heath in Lower
Saxony, Germany, with his family, a dog and a cat.
When he’s not working as an auditor and supplier
developer he enjoys spending time with his family,
running, being out in nature and light painting. See
Instagram: @1607nightshift.Katrina Brown
Katrina Brown has been a commercial photographer
since 1994 and is passionate about night
photography. She loves experimenting with points of
light, the Milky Way and light painting. To see more
of her work visit Instagram: @redheadkatrina;
Website: http://www.lightpaintedart.com.Light painting allows me to make something
permanent out of something temporary. It is creating a
piece of art, only you can’t see it as it’s being made –
this uncertainty is very exciting to me. I like to create
scenes that tell stories, triggering thoughts and
emotions. My pictures involve multiple elements and
techniques. This type of photography is unpredictable,
and happy accidents are a big thrill when they happen.
Know your tools
I started out with a Canon EOS 1000D, and later switched to
an EOS 77D. You will need to invest in powerful torches
(1,000-2,000 lumen) for illuminating wider surroundings,
and creating shadows. I also use medium torches (500-
1,000 lumen), and a stroboscope. Small torches are handy
for ‘writing’ with light and illuminating people. Pool lamps are
good for lighting rooms and objects with colour, and a
headlamp or construction lamp can be useful.
Wait for a full moon
A full moon creates the most beautiful compositions and
shadows during a full moon. If the moon is hidden behind a
tree, a building or similar, special pictures can be created,
where the surroundings do not require additional lighting.
For me, light painting is a way of using photography to
capture certain moods, events, objects and people. I
love the handicraft element too. It helps to be interested
in artistic design because you need to balance colour
and light in a way that conveys a mood successfully.
Once you have perfected your light-painting tools, and
a location has been decided on, the process of creative
realisation can begin.
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, 24-70mm, 77.3sec at f/13, ISO 250
Turn on the
pool lights
RGB pool luminaires are
great for providing soft
background lighting or
adding colour to objects,
individual areas or entire
rooms. They are
dimmable and,
depending on the
model, the colours can
often be adjusted.Twist the
tubes
You can achieve a lovely
effect by twisting two
tubes with different
lighting together. One
tube can be operated in
stroboscopic mode, while
the other stays in
continuous mode. Both
tubes have the same
centre of rotation – to
make this easier you can
secure the tubes with
clamps. They are then
turned lying next to each
other so that no pipe
covers the other.
Canon EOS 77D, 10-18mm, 210-250sec at f/10, ISO 200/BOTH PICTURES © K ATRINA BROWN
© DENNIS WOLFF