Oct. 28, 2012 - Photo Workshop - Part 3 - Light Painting

One of the new techniques I learned at the North House Folk School photography workshop was “light painting.” Each of the workshop participants picked a small object and positioned it on a black cloth background. Mine was this blue wooden container. We mounted our cameras on tripods and set them for a 30-second exposure. After framing the object and manually focusing on it, the lights were turned out and we were in total darkness. We started our 30-second exposure and each of us used a small flashlight to “paint” our object, moving around to light all sides of it. The result (after several tries) was a softly lighted, almost glowing photo. I was amazed that a small flashlight could produce such a stunning picture.

BlueWoodenContainerGrandMarais20121005

We then switched objects with another class member. This carved figure was a little trickier because of all the angled knife cuts. For example, I found that I needed to hold my flashlight low and shine it under his hat to make sure his face was fully lighted.

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We also tried light painting on a much larger scale. During the day we photographed this little church at Maple Hill Cemetery near Grand Marais.

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Later that evening we came back just as the sun was setting. This was all the natural light that we had to work with; we needed to have some light in the sky so it would show up on the photo. We again set our cameras for a 30-second exposure. Then, on the count of three, everyone pushed their shutter button.

LightPaintingChurchMapleHillCemetaryGrandMarais20121006

Our instructor, Layne Kennedy, had a powerful hand-held spotlight. He used it to “paint” the church and this is the resulting photo.

LightPaintingChurchMapleHillCemetaryGrandMarais20121006