Amateur Photographer - UK (2020-03-14)

18 14 March 2020I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.ukI subscribe 0330 333 1113

Technique LIGHT PAINTING

RodEvans

RodlikestoexploreandcaptureNewSouthWalesvia

landscape,astro,360,time-lapseandlightpainting

photography.ToseemoreofhisworkvisitInstagram:

@rod.evans.visual, YouTube:rod.evans.visual,

Steemit:steemit.com/@rod.evans.visualandRed

Bubble:redbubble.com/people/rodevans/shop.

Lightpainting,forme,is a formof

meditation;it keepsmeinthe

momentandallowsmeto

momentarilyputmyworriesaside.

It alsoforcesmetogetoutand

exploremysurroundings.I have

foundsomanyamazinglocations

duetomydrivetocreateinteresting

lightpaintingcompositions.The

styleofpaintingI prefer– orthat

I’mmostknownfor– is hand-

drawnorbsusingacrylicrodsor

tubes.ThemainthingI loveabout

lightpaintingis saying‘wow’when

I see what I have captured.

Thinkoutsidethebox

Whenyougointoa storeandsee

plasticitems,trytoseethemfortheir

colourandshapeandimaginewhat

theywouldlooklikeif theyhadlight

shiningthroughthem.Mostof mylight

paintingtoolsaremadeoutof itemsI

havefoundin dollarstoresorfound

lyingaround.I veryrarelybuy purpose-

builtlightpaintingtools.

Keepasketchbook

WhenI headoutona shoot,I always

takemoretoolsthanI need.WhenI get

tothelocationI useabouttwoorthree

of themforthepictures,andthenpack

upmygearandheadhome.ButwhenI

gethomea previouslyconceivedidea

popsintomyheadandI think,‘Why

didn’tI dothatwhileI wasthere?’This

hashappenedonnumerousoccasions,

sonowI havea bookforwritingdown

mythoughtsandsketchingdesigns and

shapes,whichI takewithme.

Takeheatpacks

WhenI’mshootinglongexposuresin

thecold,mylenscanstarttofogupdue

totheheatfromthecamerabody.Asa

result,I amconstantlyusinga lens-

cleaningclothtowipeoffthemoisture.

Tocombatthis,I attachheat packs for

Canon EOS 650D, 12mm, 37sec at f/5, ISO 200 hands under my lens.

Usearemoteshutterrelease

Forthefirstfewof yearsof mylight-paintingadventures,I set

thetimerto 10 secondsandthenrantogetintoposition

beforetheshutteropened.Attimesthiswasawkward,

becausetherewereobstaclesI hadtonavigatein thedark

(graniteboulders,deepwaterycrevicesetc)soonedayI

investedin a remote-controlledshutterreleaseformyDSLR,

andI haveneverlookedback.It allowsmetoopenandclose

myshutterfroma distanceof upto100maway,whichsaves

mea lotof hasslewhenI’moutonlocation.I highly

recommend this for anyone interested in light painting.

Canon EOS 650D, 18mm, 83sec at f/3.5, ISO 100

Photoshopcomposite:

CanonEOS650D,10mm,

f/4.5.Stars:30sec,

ISO 3200 mushrooms:

15sec, ISO 100

ALL PICTURES ON THIS PAGE © ROD EVANS