Painting with light

Tonight i tried painting with light, something i've been dying to have a go at for ages, i took several shots and did a lot of work in ps (with the dodge tool) afterwards on this first shot, the second one is the same shot but nothing done to it other than a sharpen and crop and finally shot three (different shot and amount of light) has nothing done other than sharpen and crop, please critique on the shot and which you think is the best paint with light version thanks, i think i like the last one best but i'm still debating lol

kuhl, this is so much fun. I did this a couple years ago. I think I posted them here. The one with the fruit and a rose. I am not sure how you did yours but put my camera on a low shutter speed and on a timer then I took a torch and ran it over the subject to lighten it up in the areas that I wanted lighter. It was heaps of fun.

hugs
Emilie

Hey - nice experiment Sharon - #3 for me. Looks like fun................

i've been busting to have a go at this too!!!!!! number 1 is my fav!!!!

thanks for the replies guys, yup it was fun, although i was a bit impatient, i set the shutter to the longest time available ("30) and f/stop to f8.0, forgot to change my iso so it was still at 100, i have a remote for the bulb setting but this is where i became impatient and didn't use it, i just wanted to see the results lol now that i have some shots done and seen what i can do i will try again with a little more patience and the remote, i just wish i had a torch that gave off a narrow beam to that i could paint aound the edges like the effect in the first shot, i used an ordinary small torch and believe it or not to get the bluish colour i used my multi function lighter lol it has a very small torch on the end of it like those keyrings you get to see where your putting your key and it's a blue light it gives off, i tried a mixture of the two.

Cool Pics Sharron
I think I'd have to go with #3. It has a very early morning feel to it.

-Griz

I think they're all awesome !! I don't understand the "painting with light" so there is no way I could critique.......

Sharon, I have a crystal vase that looks very much like the one you have there...

OK - just realised this in the the "Critique" section - so here goes:

They are crap!

Opps! no! thats not how I wrote the critique section ummmmmm ok - here goes part 2.

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I have never considered doing this 'painting by light' but find your photos here something of an inspiration. Definately one to try.

#1 doesn't work too well for me - it appears to have a high degree of post edit , especially around the vase when the dodge has created a wee bit of a ghost. For me the flowers remind me of a disco when you can see a white bra under a dark T shirt due to the disco ultra violet light - too heavy an impact on the white edges.

#2 has a much better selection of light where (I assume) you cast the torch around. The reflection on the vase is really good and the exposure on the book spot on for my taste - however I can see the torch on the wall above the radio.

#3 I love - the colours are wonderful, the vase is crystal clear (obviously an expensive heir loom) and the light and shadow give a wonderful mix. Of the three shots this one is the most 3D, the clearest and the most interesting giving me the desire to look at the props you used.

A wonderful and inspirational experiment Sharon - your honesty in that a torch with a narrow bean would work better is a useful tip - could this be achieved by cutting card to shine your existing torch through??

There you go - critique. Hope it make sense.

John

i've seen it done in magazines with amazing results!! but im not sure how to go about it really.... like you i need to just experiment with it!!

Fee wrote:

i've seen it done in magazines with amazing results!! but im not sure how to go about it really.... like you i need to just experiment with it!!

I've seen it done in magazines as well - but we are talking about Sharon photos Fee .................... concentrate woman!

ah hahaha..... (groans)...........

Definitely #3 is my favourite Sharon, I like the way everything is visible. The light and shade on the very sharp flowers is great.
You have more patience than me, that's for sure.
The other two are not to my liking. Sorry!

Thanks guys, Griz it was 2am when i took these (the darkest it gets in the summer here in Scotland) so the early morning glow must be from the 2 different coloured torches (1 white the other blue) but i agree it does look kinda early morning, Kathy & John the vase was a wedding present and although expensive not an hierloom unfortunately, Kathy & Fee you should give this a try it's fun, all you need is a tripod a torch and a long exposure, just paint the subject with the torch never lingering on one spot for too long.
John thanks for the critique,

byteme wrote:

OK - just realised this in the the "Critique" section - so here goes:

They are crap! Payback? lol

Opps! no! thats not how I wrote the critique section ummmmmm ok - here goes part 2.

--------------------------------------------------------

I have never considered doing this 'painting by light' but find your photos here something of an inspiration. Definately one to try.

#1 doesn't work too well for me - it appears to have a high degree of post edit , especially around the vase when the dodge has created a wee bit of a ghost. For me the flowers remind me of a disco when you can see a white bra under a dark T shirt due to the disco ultra violet light - too heavy an impact on the white edges. totally agree

#2 has a much better selection of light where (I assume) you cast the torch around. The reflection on the vase is really good and the exposure on the book spot on for my taste - however I can see the torch on the wall above the radio. that's actually my water heater switch reflecting on the wall lol

#3 I love - the colours are wonderful, the vase is crystal clear (obviously an expensive heir loom) and the light and shadow give a wonderful mix. Of the three shots this one is the most 3D, the clearest and the most interesting giving me the desire to look at the props you used.

A wonderful and inspirational experiment Sharon - your honesty in that a torch with a narrow bean would work better is a useful tip - could this be achieved by cutting card to shine your existing torch through?? Good idea thanks i'll try that

There you go - critique. Hope it make sense. wonderful sense thankyou

John

Thanks Jan, i'm liking that other 2 less now too

You put the fire on the object ??

torch = flashlight

lol@Kathy sorry kathy i keep forgetting you call them flashlights over there