One of the ways to draw attention to your photography is by doing unusual things with your light. From long exposures to introducing new lighting elements (flashlights, strobes, neon… the list goes on) – there is ample opportunity to push your creative boundaries and create truly unique portraits that embrace the unusual use of light, and allow you to paint with light in ways you’d never imagined. In this challenge, Lindsay plays with long exposures and the use of a flashlight to create the unexpected (see her full description here on her blog). The best part? To start playing around and experimenting the only things you really need are a dark room (and we don’t mean a photo darkroom – simply one where very little light can enter), your camera and any light source from a glow stick to a flashlight.
Get Challenge No. 8 – Paint With Light, right here.
One of the best things about leveraging light in unique ways is that it not only results in exciting end results — but in a world crowded with amateur photographers taking cell phone photo shoots, it helps you stand out. Its a way to uniquely position your photos, and to develop a style all your own that helps set you apart in what, with today’s modern technology, is a very easily accessible artistic medium, and crowded space. Check out the video below for a full description of how Lindsay approached this challenge.
We don’t want to steal too much of Lindsay’s thunder, so check out the full description of how she achieved the results below here on her blog. That said, here are some of her tips before you start shooting to help achieve your desired results.
Light Direction Is Important: When painting with light on a person, remember that the direction of light still matters. The angle of the light will dramatically affect the end result, so think long and hard about what elements of your model you want to accentuate.
Gel Packs: A pack of gels can help you turn your LED lights and flashlights into colored light sources.
Photographer/Light Painter: By wearing black as the photographer/painter, you will ensure that your own skin and body don’t register on the camera – saving all of that goodness for your subject.
Want more? Check out what Lindsay has to say on these and more tips where she outlines her setup and approach in great detail.
Want to hear it straight from Lindsay herself? Check it out here.
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