Light Painting Photographer Hugo Baptista is taking 3D light painting to the next level. As a 3D animator and avid light painter is was a natural progression. This is some exciting and ground breaking work and Hugo is more than happy to share it with you! Check out some of Hugo’s images, videos, and a little interview I did with him to find out more about this radical advancement in light painting photography.
LPP ∇ How long have you been creating this type of light painting?
HB ∇ I made my first one on 11 Jan 2011
LPP ∇ How did you discover this technique? What inspired you to create these images?
HB ∇ Two years ago I was inspired after watching Making Future Magic. I wanted to do that too and I figured out how. Amongst other things I am a 3D animator so it was a very natural process for me to incorporate that knowledge into my other passion, light painting.
LPP ∇ What are you calling this light painting technique?
HB ∇ I call it 3DCSLP (3D cross-section light painting) but classifications mean very little to me so please call it whatever you want.
LPP ∇ Can you tell me a little bit about the process?
HB ∇ First I create a 3D model in 3dsmax, then I render an animation of a scan of that model like an MRI scan. Light painting a 3D model with that scan can be done by playing that animation on any screen (ipad, phone, TV) and transporting it (in the direction of the scan) while the shutter of the camera is open.
LPP ∇ Are there any limitations that you see or can you pretty much create a 3D light painting of any object?
HB ∇ Yep I can model pretty much anything and it will be very recognizable if it’s Light Painted smoothly. Plus there are thousands of free 3D models available online already so I wouldn’t need to model the Eifel tower for example, only make the scan of it.
There are limitations like not being able to do a 360° turn of an object because there aren’t any double sided screens (yet). But now that I mention it and in an attempt to plant some seeds: I had an idea some time ago of projecting the video on translucent paper. The projector and paper screen would be on wheels and with that you’d be able to shoot 360° around an object…
LPP ∇ What is the next step? I know you have a plan for your running man animation?
HB ∇ Yes, my plan is for the running man to be free of geographic constrains and run by the hands of other lights painters out there who have the patience required to make a stop-motion light painting video. I recently made this “Erect part 1”:
At the end you see how the running man looks when running. I would love to collaborate on Erect part II where he’d be running in other countries, with other tools, and with other light painters, new ideas. Why? Because it’s a lot of fun and didactic to work together and not have the enormous distances between us be the deciding factor.
In this vimeo group: https://vimeo.com/groups/lpobjects I have more 3D cross-section objects for you to try and plan on regularly uploading more objects. If any light painters make a sequence of photos of the running man please message me http://www.oddballgraphics.com/contact/ so I can send you a dropbox link for you to share your photos with me. I will edit them into Erect part II and working together we will make something to be proud of.
LPP ∇ Thank you Hugo, really looking forward to seeing how this technique progresses and Erect Part II!
Below you will find the RUNNING MAN animation if you would like to contribute to Hugo’s Erect project, WHICH YOU SHOULD!!!
cross-section animated man for light painting: 30 poses of 10 seconds each. Direction of scan is up>down down>up as to avoid resetting the position of the device for each frame.
To make a light-painting stop-motion video out of these animations you need to swipe your mobile phone, tablet, computer screen or TV during a 10 second exposure for each pose. Because this is an animation you need to make the same motion consecutively while taking photos of each “pose” to create your own video of a running man made of light. The best way to transport the light-giving device manually is to imagine it a CT scanner (in this case a vertical CT scan) and you’re essentially assembling an imaginary object with light.
Hugo also was cool enough to make a 3D animation of the Light Painting Photography Logo, If you create any light painting images using this animation we will post it to the LPP Facebook page with a link to your work.
To make light-painting photos out of these animations you need to swipe your mobile phone, tablet, computer screen, TV during 10 seconds (or more if you intend on drawing more objects) while the shutter of your camera is open. You then have a photo with a 3D object that can be rotated depending on the direction you transport it. The best way to “swipe” manually is to imagine your device is a CT scanner and you’re essentially assembling an imaginary object with light. Each object has a different length which means some animations are to be swiped over a shorter distance than others. The size of the screen also obviously affects the distance it has to travel.
Leachy says
Great article on one of my favourite LP techniques. Hugos’ work is evolving it to the next level with his custom animations. These scans are crying out to be shot in stereoscopic 3D too. That LPP logo version is superb.. Get scanning people!