subscribe 0330 333 1113 I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 14 March 2020 17
Don’t use just one light
Use a variety of tools, light modifi cations
and colours to ‘paint’ the scene. Think
as though you are creating a painting.
In the dark, your camera is like a
black piece of paper, so take your time
to paint well.Think before you act
Before you start creating your image
think about what you want to convey- it might be an emotion, a mood or a
statement. With that in mind, think
about which colours will convey your
message. Next, consider if you need a
model or not. With the big decisions
made, set the scene and try to recreate
what you saw in your mind’s eye.
Kit yourself out
Many light-painting tools can be
handmade, but one essential purchase
is a dimmable torch that is small
enough to fi t into tubes or pipe fi ttings.
I prefer tactical torches that have
pressure switch triggers, making it easy
to turn them on and off. Homemade
tools can be made using fl uorescent
tube guards, with gels added for colour.
Soda bottles, plastic pool toys, pretty
much anything with colour and the
space to fi t a torch inside it can become
a light painting tool! See my website for
more about the gear I use.Consider your
positioning
Don’t stand next to the camera and
paint the scene from this viewpoint- much like onboard fl ash, the results
will appear fl at. Instead, move to one
side of the camera, or even way behind
it, to shape and create varying degrees
of depth in the picture.
Perfect your exposures
Remember that the best metering
system is your eye. Expose the scene
for the ambient light and then build the
shot by testing your light sources. The
brighter the ambient light, the more
lumens the torch needs. You can only
control your light, not the ambient
light around you, so that’s the variable
you change when building up the
scene. If you really don’t know where to
start, begin at ISO 100, f/8, with a
1,000 lumen light source and then take
it from there.Plan ahead
Make a list, a storyboard; whatever
helps you think through your ideas
ahead of time. This way your success
rate will be much higher and you
will carry less gear to your location.
Also, plan to wear as much black
clothing as possible to avoid being
seen in the pictures.Select your subject with care
This is crucial. Choose materials that allow light to bounce off
them properly so you can light a subject or surroundings
properly – human skin and stone are two good examples.
Light the subject
Use your light painting tools to light your subject, not the
background. When you are ‘drawing’ a shape, try to move
the light source in a way that creates contrast between
these two elements.
Andrea Riezzo
Andrea Riezzo lives in the city of Lecce, Apulia, Italy.
He collaborates with various artists and uses
photography (and light painting) to provide unique
experiences to tourists visiting Apulia. To see more
of his work visit Instagram: @sublument and
@andriezzo; Website: http://www.sublument.com.What I love about light painting is the ‘wow’ factor a
picture can have. Sometimes it feels as though you are a
magician. With a light source, and some carefully
considered movements, you can create something
unique. But there must be context, a story or a sense of
place. For that reason, I don’t like abstract light
painting, using too many colours or, worse still,
creating too many shapes. For me, less is more. I have
been inspired by Eric Paré (see page 14), but over the
years I have developed my own style, correcting my
mistakes as I go along. It’s not easy to coordinate
breath, movements, equipment and a model in one
shot, but it is possible!
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV,
16-35mm, 20sec at
f/2.8, ISO 8000Sony Alpha 7 III,
24mm, 4sec at f/4,
ISO 400Stay focused
There are plenty of
elements to consider
when you are light
painting, so keep your
mind on the job and try
not to get distracted.Stay local
When you’re looking for a
location for a light
painting shoot, start with
your local area. I’m lucky
in that I live in a beautiful
region of Italy with clear
skies and peaceful shores
on my doorstep, but use
your imagination.Make
connections
Go to any hardware store
(or search online) and
you will fi nd plenty of
translucent materials that
can be connected, in
some way, to a torch.
Your set-up might look
ugly, but who cares –
light painters work in the
dark so no one needs to
see your DIY handiwork! © ANDREA RIEZZO