Light painting
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Light painting is a photographic technique in which exposures are made using a handheld light source, usually at night or in a darkened room. The light can either be used to selectively illuminate parts of the subject or to "paint" a picture by shining it directly into the camera lens. Light painting requires a sufficently slow shutter speed, usually a second or more. Like night photography, it has grown in popularity since the advent of digital cameras because it allows photographers to see the results of their work immediately.
Light painting can take on the characteristics of Tableaux Vivant or a quick pencil sketch. Picasso was photographed in 1924 doing a quick sketch in the air.[1]
[edit] Technique and equipment
A variety of light sources can be used, ranging from simple flashlights to dedicated devices like the Hosemaster, which uses a fiber optic light pen.[2] Other sources of light including candles, matches, lighter flints, and Poi are also popular.
A tripod is usually necessary due to the long exposure times involved, though a very steady hand may suffice for exposures down to around 1/6th of a second. Alternatively, the camera may be placed on or braced against a table or other solid support. A shutter release cable or self timer is generally employed in order to minimize camera shake.
Manual focus is often used since autofocus systems may not perform well in low light. In addition, photographers often use a slow film speed or low ISO setting on a digital sensor to minimize grain (or digital noise) and increase exposure tolerance, as evaluating exposure is often tricky.
[edit] Notes
Spacewriting
ZeReK : [1]
Marko93 : [2]
