In my time as a lightpainting photographer for the last 10 years or more, I have often been accused of being obsessed with fire, especially when used for lightpainting photography. The trouble is, the use of fire can be somewhat dangerous!
When I say dangerous, creating the lightpainting image with fire is hazardous to health, mine and others. And inevitably using fire doesn't always go according to plan!
This is a post of very nearly disastrous images which could so easily have ended in an ER being treated for burns!
I must be stupid?
Take an egg whisk, stuff it full of fine grade steel wool, attach it to a cord and spin around on the spot with the steel wool burning. This must sound like I may need my head examining!
The Trouble with Cheap Fireworks
Every year around October, most of the supermarket chains here in the UK sell small boxes of cheap fireworks. Small and cheap is good for lightpainting since they don't burn for very long. If I'd bought these for a display, I'd have been very disappointed. But for lightpainting purposes, they're perfect.
Unfortunately being apparently a random selection in a box, some of the fireworks creates unpredictable bangs and don't necessairly behave as expected!
This one didn't quite work out as planned but shows the chaos created as the firework burns and bounces off the walls!
Say Cheese
This was one of the first lightpainting sessions with @inksurgeon. He didn't quite know what to expect when I asked him to pose in the frame. I stood behind Rob in the dark and lit a firework attached to a pole and spun with a drill. The loud bangs from the firework could easily have led to Rob needing fresh underwear but credit where it's due and he didn't flinch! Some swear words may have been uttered!
Overdoing it!
Sometimes less is more and here I've loaded too much steel wool in the croc clip attached to a drill. It still amazes me how much trust my fellow lightpainters place in me when I'm stood at the back of the frame trying not to set myself on fire!
Thank Goodness for Centrifugal Force
I always advise people attending lightpainting sessions with me to wear clothing they wouldn't be worried if it were damaged. Here I stood with my arm in the air as high as I could get and spun burning steel wool on a drill with a friend posing without flinching! I'm pleased to say the model here is still a friend and wasn't harmed!
The Shot of the Shot Shot
When a lightpainter turns up to a session with magnesium strips to embed with the steel wool, I immediately distance myself from the person burning said magnesium.
When burnt, magnesium burns white hot and at a much higher temperature than steel wool. It also has a tendency to set fire to the surroundings. Which is not always desirable!
Here instead of shooting the burning steel wool and magensium orb, I decided to shoot the cameras shooting the action. A much safer option!
Gimbal Gone Wrong
Sometimes it's not the fire that causes the trouble but the gear you're shooting it with. Here the gimbal supporting the camera wasn't secure enough and moved during the exposure! It lead to an unexpected result!
The Furry Hoodie within
In collating the images for this post I came across this image shot with @fadetoblack posing in his old faithful furry parka. I used two flashguns and a zoom lens to make the parka appear within the parka etc. I'd like to try this again and I'm still not sure whether the steel wool helped here or not!
The Crystal Ball Shot
Using crystal balls in photography I always found a bit of a cliche and something the Instagram generation might partake in. Imagine my surprise when a lightpainter turned up with one and I fell in to the trap of shooting a crystal ball!
Another example of using magnesium strips mixed with steel wool.....
Combining effects
I shot this one more than 6 or 7 years ago. It was one of the first times I combined techniques and swapped tripods or lenses during a continuous exposure. The lit up graffiti on the walls wasn't in the right place in the building we were stood in so I tripod swapped to make it appear so. I've used this technique quite a bit since.
About me:
I usually specialise in shooting lightpainting images but occasionally dabble in urbex and artistic model photography. I'm always on the lookout for someone to collaborate with; please don't hesitate to get in touch if you'd like to create art.
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Lightpainting is a photographic technique in which exposures are made by moving a hand-held light source while taking a long exposure photograph, either to illuminate a subject or to shine a point of light directly at the camera, or by moving the camera itself during exposure. Nothing is added or removed in post processing.
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With great pleasure @fastchrisuk. Cheers! 😀
Lightpainting does not work without the smell of fireworks. 😂
I have to take care not to confuse the smell of fireworks with my burning hoodie....
😂
😂
and burning hair and flesh?
🤔...
There is no art without pain. And about hair... there is not that much hair on my head. 😂
Haha, yup, definitely no art without pain. You must be reading the hair that was on my mind. I had the thought that hair was not much of a concern for you. Mine is long and already the colour of fire, so I don't need to volunteer to have it all singed off, already singed it on a candle a few times. 😂
Don't do this at home. 😂
Absolutely not, no way, nadda, never ever! 😂
😂
The famous Parker Zoom is an instant classic.
Thanx for sharing!
Also, we could have a Fundme campaign to get some new Light Painting underwear. If need be.
Haha, a fire retardant coat would be appreciated too! I've lost count of the number of dark hoodies I've had to throw out due to the number of scorched holes!
These are all eye candy for me, sorry you can't hear my intakes of breath as I look at each one.
Fire and I are not a good mix. It likes to burn me at every opportunity, so I'd never consider playing with it to become a human torch, lol.
😂 If I were in Rob's place, I'd need to be fully dressed in my welding suedes and shield.
Some favourites, so hard to choose, but they are "Say Cheese", "Gimbal Gone Wrong", and the last image.
How do you switch out tripods and make that work so well? Also, same with switching lenses.
Thanks @nineclaws :-)
The newcomer to lightpainting often ends up burning steel wool and not necessarily in a safe manner. There's been a couple of examples I can remember where steel wool set fire to an old wooden house and a shipwreck burnt to a crisp. These incidents tend to bring light painters in to disrepute but the "real" lightpainters are maybe more careful. I certainly am!
For the lens swaps it's best to use manual lenses noting aperture and focus point on the body of the lens. The lens swap has to be done in complete darkness so as to avoid polluting the image sensor with stray light. It takes some planning and practice but with a little rehearsal it's easy enough.
For the tripod swaps, it's necessary to plan in advance. You set up the 2nd part of the shot 1st. And the 1st part 2nd! I use the same Manfrotto tripod heads so there's not too much fiddling around in the dark. The process involves shooting one element of the image and replacing the lens cap but without ending the exposure. You then transfer the camera to the other pre-arranged tripod and shoot the 2nd part of your image. The tripod swap can also be combined with lens swaps too.
One of these days I will get around to making a YouTube video to demo the process but life is too short lol
You're welcome, really loving what all of you are creating and posting.
I can see how newcomers could have issues with using fire and holy crap, burning down structures, yikes! I've had a longstanding habit of burning myself without meaning to, just with ordinary things in day to day life (second and third degree burns), which has made me super cautious about all things burny, especially fire. I wouldn't even attempt lightpainting with steel wool on fire, and especially magnesium! Another reason that I love seeing what you're creating here.
Thanks so much for the detailed explanation about lens and tripod swapping. That's just what I needed to get an image of how you do each. Now I'm thinking about all the equipment lugging, lol.
Haa, some memories there dude!
Haha, so funny listening to muffled panic lol
😂
You have nerves of steel wool.
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Fire definitely serves you well. Dangerous, perhaps, but the results are spectacular!