9

CHAPTER
NIGHT AND LOW-LIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY / Light Painting

    ■   Change the focal length. If you use a zoom

lens, try changing the focal length during the

exposure. For example, if you use a 24–70mm

lens, then try starting at the 24mm focal

length and zoom out as the flashlight starts to

lose momentum. This can create different

effects, and the pattern seems to either get

closer or farther away as the focal length

changes.

This is a great photography experiment that you

can try any evening, and no two light patterns

will ever be exactly the same. Just a quick word

of warning: This can be really addictive and you

might find yourself spending hours making differ-

ent patterns.

complex-looking patterns. For Figure 9-16, I

changed the color of the light from red to

yellow by using colored gels, and then to

white for a second or two with no gel to get

the colors you see.

■   Change the direction of the light. This is a

great way to get more complex shapes and
patterns. You start the flashlight swinging and
then start the exposure; when you think it is
enough of the first pattern, just put a piece of
black board over the lens, start the flashlight
swinging in the second direction, and then
remove the black board. For Figure 9-17, I not
only changed the direction of the swinging
light but I changed the color as well.

ABOUT THIS PHOTO The color change in this pattern was all done in the camera — or more accurately, in front of the camera — by using
colored gels over the front of the lens. I used a red gel, then quickly changed it to a yellow gel, and then removed the gel altogether at the end. Taken
at 47 seconds, f/10, and ISO 100.

9-16