These are the entries for the March light painting contest. When picking your favorites please remember the THEME of this contest was to use the LightPaintingPhotography.com logo in the composition. Please list your top three choices (each photo is numbered in the title) in the comments section. Sank U.
Chris Benbow Scores Ezra Furman Album Cover
Light painting photography artist Chris Benbow has scored the Ezra Furman and The Harpoons album cover. Here is a short interview with Chris about the cover shot!
LPP ∇ So give me some background how did you get the job? The Ezra Furman Album cover I mean…
CB ∇ Well I received an email through my website from an american band who had seen an image they liked on Flickr, They said they would be interested in using my image for their latest album cover and would give me a few hundred dollars. I said I would be happy to. We spoke a bit about it then I didn’t hear anything for a while. Next thing their record label is in contact with me sending over contracts for me to sign Contracts were signed at both ends and payment was sent electronically and I get a few copies of the CD free also.
LPP ∇ Thats sick so you just randomly got an email? were you super excited or like oh this is BS?
CB ∇ Yeah I just got an email one day, I never know what to think when I receive emails, when I got an email about Luminary I was excited but thought “they are really going to fly 10,000 miles to film me” same as this “they want to pay me for a digital file” Sometimes it all works out fine other time it’s just hot air. You can usually tell the fakers a mile off, never hurts to research in to them before agreeing to anything, So I went on a research mission and found the band and record label to be pretty legit and have done world wide tours and the album would be on sale in shops.
LPP ∇ So they selected one of your images you had already shot?
CB ∇ Yeah, they didn’t give me a brief of what they wanted then I shot it, which I would love to do sometime, but it’s nice for people to want what you have already done rather than want a bit more or something different.
LPP ∇ Had you ever heard of the band before?
CB ∇ Nah not at all, they are one of those bands that are not in the top 40 or whatever but they are big enough to have a record deal and world tours, so a nice balance, after talking with Ezra about the cover I did listen to the band I liked what I heard which is even better, I’d hate to support something that I hated, sort of feels like selling out for money.
LPP ∇ Is the album out yet?
CB ∇ It’s out next week I think, on the 22nd/23rd, a pre-order is available though.
LPP ∇ Any idea how many copies they are printing? and are they using the image for any other promo stuff like posters or anything?
CB ∇ No idea how many copies are being printed I will find that out to see how many copies of my image are floating around. Yeah the contract said that they could use the image for promotional posters and leaflets as well, I think I get a copy of everything it’s on.
LPP ∇ Are you gonna buy an album?
CB ∇ Being the album artist I get a few copies for free, but if I didn’t I would be buying one for the fact my image was on there and it’s a decent CD, I did get a preview of the tracks before release.
LPP ∇ I would buy like 50 of them….. so where did you shoot the image and how long ago?
CB ∇ I shot the image at a house that had recently burnt down near my house, the owner who had died in the fire had an awesome car collection which had been some what damaged. It was taken in January 2007.
LPP ∇ Woah that pretty scary… did you know the guy?
CB ∇ Nah, I heard rumours of how nuts he was though, I think he started the fire himself.
LPP ∇ Strange…. I bet he would be happy to see your image of one of his cars on the cover of an album that will be seen around the world.
CB ∇ Hopefully I mean thats what it’s all about. Some of the places I sneak in to I always wonder, if the owner would find it on google and be outraged or pleased
LPP ∇ Well Congratulations…. great work, any advice for other light painters trying to get their work seen?
CB ∇ Networking is the key I think, Just make friends and be nice and good things will come back to you. It’s when you start chasing things too much that you’ll feel like nothing is happening.
LPP ∇ Cool man thanks for your time…
Check out Chris’s light painting photography artist profile HERE and his website HERE.
Welcome Vicki DaSilva
I would like to officially welcome brilliant light painting artist Vicki DaSilva to the Light Painting Photography family of artist. Vicki has been light painting since 1980, she is known for her light graffiti work as well as her elaborate installation based light paintings. She is the first to create “Text Light Graffiti” and the first female light painting artist. Check out some of Vicki’s images and her biography HERE.
PIKAPIKA Earthquake Project: Needs Your Help
Heres the deal, unless you have been in outer space the last few days you have heard of the massive earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan. The destruction that the people of Japan have suffered has been unimaginable! Now they are facing a possible nuclear meltdown of one or more of their nuclear power plants as a result of the damage from the 9.0 magnitude earthquake. The light painting artist over at Tochka.jp are putting together a light painting video and they are asking that light painting photographers from around the world help out by creating light painting images with messages of whatever you might like to say to the people in the effected areas of Japan. If you would like to contribute to this worthwhile project please click the link HERE to find out how you can help.
March Prize Pack
Get your entries in to win this light painting photography prize pack… click HERE to see the contest information.
Light Works Video
This is not exactly a light painting video in the way that you would expect, but the lighting effects were all created while the image was being captured not in post. Anyway I found some serious inspiration in it and I think you might to, enjoy…check the “behind the scenes” for the technique below…
Supernormals.org
Directed by Kaleb Wentzel-Fisher
Written by
Pat Duncan & Kaleb Wentzel-Fisher
Camera
Frank Larson
Michael Schissel
Kaleb Wentzel-Fisher
Crew
Ben Wood
Aric Grauke
Edited by
Kaleb Wentzel-Fisher
Graphics by
Aric Grauke
Muisc by
Frank Larson
Michael Schissel
David Kappy
Ben Wood
Kaleb Wentzel-Fisher
Behind the Scenes…
Dunlopillo Ad Campaign
Another light painting photography ad campaign! Dunlopillo, a mattress company, decided that light painting would be the perfect art form to use in their latest ad campaign for the launch of their new bedding collection “les lignes Dunlopillo 2011″. They actually set up a dark room in the middle of several mattress stores and held live light painting events where customers could go into the booth and get illuminated. Check out the video below, If anyone knows who the artist or artists are post it in the comments so they can get the credit they deserve….NEVERMIND thanks to the awesome light painting community we have the answer it was MASS lighter from France, check out his more of his work HERE and his facebook page HERE
Gel Card Tip: A Stolen Idea
Gel Holder
If your like most of us light painting photographers you’ve probably got a bunch of gels laying all over the place, when you go out to shoot you fumble around in the dark trying to find the green only to flash a shot of blue into your image, well this is another super simple light painting photography tip/tutorial that will solve your problems. I didn’t come up with this gel holder I totally stole the idea from seeing pictures of other peoples light painting photography tool kits I think it was either TCB’s or Trevor’s. Anyway thought I would share the tip I robbed, enjoy…CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL TUTORIAL
March 2011 Contest
The March 2011 theme for the monthly light painting photography contest series will be to use the LightPaintingPhotography.com logo in your composition. There is a PDF of the image here just click on the link that says contest logo and you will download the PDF file to be used however you see fit. You do not have to use it as a stencil it can be free hand or whatever just get creative. Submit your images to contest@lightpaintingphotography.com by the 21th of the month to win your LPP prize pack! Please remember to resize your images to 600 pixels on the longest side and 72 dpi. Click here to see the rules of the contest and how your images will be judged!
The Prizes ∇
Patrick Rochon Interview
Patrick Rochon creates some of the most awe inspiring light painting portraits in the world! His work is just incredible, Patrick uses vivid color combinations together with his unique brushstrokes to produce amazing works of ART. He was kind enough to find a moment in his busy work schedule to answer some questions for his light painting photography profile.
1. What is your name?
I’m Patrick Rochon and I’m a light painter since 1992.
2.Do you have an alias that you go by?
Just Patrick the light painter
3.Are you a soloist or are you part of a Light Painting group? If a group who is in your group?
Photography wise I’ve been working solo since 1992 but often I do collaborations. For live performances I was part of a few groups. With friends we created “Light Warriors Tokyo”, “Liquid Vision” and “Boa”. Now I work under my name and build teams for each project.
4.What is your level of Education?
College degree in photography, but I must say that the biggest learning I did was from traveling, living all kinds of experiences and specially from meeting great people and exchanging with them.
5.What is your occupation?
I’m a light painter, I explore it through photography, live performances and video.
6.How long have you been a photographer?
Since 1991 when I graduated.
7.How long have you been light painting?
Since 1992
8.How did you discover Light Painting Photography?
Trough a friend I saw a B&W photograph that had a slight light painting touch in it. I asked what it was and it sparked my mind.
9.What was your first Light Painting Image?
I started with my room mate and my girlfriend at the time. So since then working with people is my passion and speciality.
10.Film or Digital?
15 years of film, now digital and I’m loving it.
11. Do you believe in aliens?
Well I like to be logical and I love observing. I try to stay away from beliefs. of course I love looking at the stars and how vast cosmos is. When I do i think ” it can’t all be dead out there”. There are two very interesting article to read.
From the New York Time:
From CNN:
http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/02/02/nasa.kepler.planets/index.html?hpt=C1
The facts are getting more and more interesting.
Also this phenomena was published in a few major new channels:
ABC news:
http://abcnews.go.com/International/ufo-china-closes-airport-prompts-investigation/story?id=11159531
Daily Mail UK:
The Telegraph:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/ufo/8043055/UFO-closes-Chinese-airport.html
12.What is your standard Light Painting Photography setup?
Mmmm no standart, black background indoor is often used for portraits and nudes.
13.What is your favorite color?
All colors and I love transparency.
14.Who influences your Light Painting Photography work?
No one really, I did body painting before light painting. I also had other influences but mainly my curiosity to discover and create.
15.Who is your favorite Light Painting Artist?
I had the chance to witness Aurora Crowley’s process. He started as a hair sculptor and he was doing body painting and body design. We collaborated in 1996. Him doing the styling and the look on the model and me doing the ligt painting. Since then he started his own light paintings. It took a good 10 years of investment on his part to get to this point and now his fashion light painting is timeless.
16.What is your favorite food?
Non-chemical and non-industrialised food.
17.Do you create in any other mediums other than light painting? If so what are they?
Life in general is an art form. Creating your reality, creating yourself.
18. What is your favorite Light Painting Photography image that you have created?
I love the series with the Butoh dancers and also the shoot with Toyota. I hope to impress myself in the near future.
19. What is your favorite Light Painting Photography image of another artist?
I love what Manray did because it symbolizes the beginning of light painting photography. Also the serie Gjon Mili did with Picasso.
20. What is the most difficult part of Light Painting Photography?
Trusting your intuition, your instinct without tying to control.
21. How do you get you Light Painting Photography work seen?
Internet, blogs, magazine. I’m working on an erotic exhibition. I haven’t printed in a very long time. This is exciting.
22. Do you sell your Light Painting Photography work?
Yes, love it that’s alway an honor.
23. Are you represented by a gallery?
Not yet but working on it. I have an agent for commercial work 2M2: http://www.2m2.ca/
24.Where can we see more of your work?
Some is on Flickr, some on my site and some at the agency 2M2
25.What is your favorite quote?
In everything you do, no matter if it’s personal, professional or spiritual, there’s always a secret door waiting to be discovered,,,and you are the key to that door. I said this one in India 2009 in from of a crowd of 6000 university students.
27. What is you favorite activity other than light painting?
Growing, expanding and transforming.
32. Where do you find inspiration for your Light Painting Photography?
I don’t need inspiration, I just do it, it’s a practice.
34. Who would you like to kiss?
mmmm…
35. Why do you Light Paint?
Cause it’s magical
36. What is your favorite time to shoot?
Night
37. What is your favorite subject to shoot?
Portraits & nudes
40. Have you ever invented a Light Painting Photography tool?
If so what was it and how did it work? Working on new ones with my friend Sylvain Lavoie
41. Do you ever get sick of explaining your work to people?
I love it, I’m always exposing people to this form of art and I’m always giving my card so they ca see it on my site.
42. How many times have you heard the work photoshop when someone was describing or asking about your work?
aaaaahhh many times of course but photoshop can be art too, it’s just a tool and I love it.
43. What makes you happy?
The rise of conscious people in the world
44. What makes you mad?
The rise of dumb people in the world.
45. What part of Light Painting Photography do you enjoy the most?
The good surprises when you look at the result.
46. What part of Light Painting Photography do you hate the most?
The bad surprises when you look at the result.
47.Do you have a website? If yes what is the address?
http://www.patrickrochon.com
48.What is Light Painting Photography?
You answer this one..
49.Give me some advice for anyone that might like to try Light Painting Photography.
Do it often, have fun and get your friends involved.
50.Are you scared of the dark?
I love it.
To see more of Patrick’s work visit his light painting photography profile HERE.