LED lighting

Fiendish Astronaut · Sep 22, 2008

LED lighting works in a very different way from more traditional lighting. I know a photographer whose concert pictures looked solarised in some places in the purple LED light (the affected bits were patches of light blue). Unfortunately I don't have an example to show you, but I thought this was a weird phenomena. I know LED lights work by, as far as I know, forcing an electron to fall down the energy bands in such a way as a proton is emited in response. By doing this, an extremely specific hue is emitted that corresponds to a tiny wavelength. Whereas a normal coloured light might emit a relatively wide range of light.

I'm guessing the LED had overwhelmed this photographer's sensor on this occassion in parts of the image. If not, perhaps is there some other reason that is unconnected.

I have photopgraphed in a club that uses LEDs - I found it very very tough and had to twiddle with the white balance in post on every image. Although I did get one of my favourite pictures ever that night!

Nevertheless, it has got me thiking about LEDs as a source of lighting. Could they be used creatively, or are they a big no no to photographers? Might they even damage my sensor?

So I'm posting here hoping someone knows a bit more about LEDs - and to initiate a conversation of course! Wikipedia's a bit boring, and doesn't offer the comedy relief that you lot do...