No More Orb Feet – Light Painting Tutorial

In this Light Painting Photography Tutorial, I share a fundamental Light Painting principle: Light Erases Darkness.
To illustrate this concept, I use the common issue of “Orb Feet,” something I often see from newer Light Painters — and even some experienced ones.

When creating a Light Painted Orb, the person making the orb is standing in one place. As light spills around their feet, it can unintentionally show up in the image. While sometimes this might be a desired effect, in most cases it’s not.

The solution is simple: by using the core principle of “Light Erases Dark,” you can illuminate the area where your feet were to effectively remove them from the final image. A small glow of light underneath the orb can cleanly erase the foot shadows.

The tools used in this tutorial are from LightPaintingBrushes.com — a great resource for creating orbs, lines, textures, and more.

Watch the Full Tutorial

Examples of Orb Feet

Below are some image examples where the creator’s feet appear in the light painting. Just a small amount of illumination on the ground would have removed these traces:

Light Erases Darkness — In Light Painting and In Life!

Want to learn how to Light Paint a spiked orb like the one featured in this video? Check out the tutorial here:
Spiked Orb Light Painting Tutorial

For more Light Painting tips and techniques, explore the full Tutorial Library or start with our Light Painting 101 guide.