Light Painting is Difficult...

DisasterDan · May 27, 2011

Well after learning about light painting on a thread here i decided to give it a shot. I had one of my friends dad help me out to learn the basics. I had no clue he was even a photographer until i saw his name in the paper under a picture. A photo journalist who would of guessed right?

Anywhoo all of them were taken with:
60D 18-55 Kit
ISO 500
F/22
30 Second Exposure
10 Second timer
And a tripod!
I just went around Manually popping two flashes set at 1/4 power with a friends help.

These two were the only Salvageable ones. There were alot with either me and my friends "Ghost" in the image. Kind of a bummer but im learning!

Here they are, Tear em' up, what i did wrong, suggestions for different techniques...anything! Thanks for any input in advandce.

1.

IMG_2660 by Daniel Palmerton, on Flickr
2.

IMG_2652 by Daniel Palmerton, on Flickr

480sparky · May 27, 2011

Don't hesitate to try it again. I'd suggest another flash or two high and behind (but still out of view) aimed down, so the roof & windshield are lit.

Robin Usagani · May 27, 2011

i also suggest doing it when the sound is down but you can still see some light in the sky. Just enough so you can have 30 sec exposure. Also use flip the thing down to make the flash really wide.

Josh66 · May 27, 2011

Yeah, like sparky said - they could both use a pop or two on the hood/roof. Maybe a pop into the bed too to define the edges of it.

edit
I'm thinking you could get the roof & hood by standing in the bed, and then maybe set the flash down in the bed (hidden by the sides) and pop it aimed towards the cab.

If you have any radio triggers, you can attach the receiver to the flash and hand-hold the transmitter and pop it with the test button so that you won't be in the shot for the bed one.

Josh66 · May 27, 2011

Also - assuming that it's dark enough ... I would just put it on bulb to give you more working time. Bulb at f/22 should give you at least a couple minutes to work with... Drop the ISO down to 100 for even more time. (And pop your flashes at full power instead of 1/4 for (almost) the same exposure.)

480sparky · May 27, 2011

Another idea just come to mind..... disconnect the battery so you can open a door, climb inside, and fire off a strobe to light the interior.

Josh66 · May 27, 2011

480sparky said:
Another idea just come to mind..... disconnect the battery so you can open a door, climb inside, and fire off a strobe to light the interior.

You can probably also just turn off the interior lights (I know I could only every car I've owned) so that they don't come on when you open the door.

(Either that, or just pull the interior bulb.)

DisasterDan · May 28, 2011

Dang! Thanks for all the replies and ideas! I DO have triggers, just picked up two more flashes yesterday so i should be giving it a try around monday night, Do y'all think having a strobe boomed above the truck would work to fill in the hood and roof area?