Search Results for: Digital

LightPaintingTools.com and LightPaintingPhotography.com, Team Up

March 27, 2012 by Jason D. Page

One of the questions that I get the most here on Light Painting Photography is what tools should I get and where can I get them. I had been working on some ideas, trying different ways of putting a store together to supply the products that light painters’ need. Then a few months back I saw light painting photography’s very own technical genius Michael Ross had already done it! Mike started the website LightPaintingTools.com where he makes some really cools S*!@ for light painters, things like Light Markers, Orb Tools, and RGB Light Wands.

So Mike and I started talking about what he was trying to do and why he started the website. We have a similar love of light painting photography and a passion for sharing it with the world. Soooooo we teamed up. In the tools section of this site you will now find links to the products offered at LightPaintingTools.com. I will keep you updated with his new tools as they become available! Now get over there and buy something so Mr. Ross can keep creating innovative tools like The Digital Light Wand for the light painting world.

Eric Staller Interview

March 2, 2012 by Jason D. Page

Recently I got the chance to talk with light drawing pioneer Eric Staller. I had always thought that some of Eric’s early work could be categorized as the first ever LAPP (Light Art Performance Photography) images, I still think I’m right but Eric doesn’t like to be categorized…↓↓↓↓↓ He was doing domes WAY WAY WAY before you.↓↓↓

LPP ∇ It is wonderful to get the chance to pick your brain a bit to see what you were thinking when you created some of your first light drawing images that have inspired a countless number of light painting photographers!

What was your first light drawing image, and can you tell me a little bit about your process and the experience?

ES ∇ ‘Walker Street’ was the first image that I printed. It was a 1-minute ‘sparkler drawing’ I did in front of my loft in lower Manhattan. Each sparkler lasted about a minute, so that was the amount of time I had to make the drawing. I would lock the camera shutter open, light the sparkler and quickly walk down the street, holding the sparkler at curb level, to complete the composition before the sparkler went out. I felt a strong sense of exhilaration, like running the 100-meter dash with a flaming torch! Getting the film back from the lab was even more exhilarating: it was magic, my presence was invisible! There was just this trail of liquid fire. Suddenly I was drunk with the possibilities. I proceeded to outline everything for my photos: cars, trucks, streets, and monuments.

The energy was packed into one-minute performances. I worked through the night and although I was alone and even lonely, my romance for the city was sweet indeed.

LPP ∇ What inspired you to create some of your first light drawings?

ES ∇ I had been doing slide shows, timer –activated installations of slide projections onto gallery walls, or screens suspending in space. They were moving paintings, musically inspired and consisted of a few hundred images that were seen dissolving into one another on the screen. This was many years before computerized multi-media and I remember how disturbing it was when my NY gallery called me to say that one of my slide projectors had jammed! I resolved to compact my choreography into still images, that I printed 30” x 40”. These have since been exhibited worldwide, although at the time most people didn’t know what to make of them.

LPP ∇ Funny you say that, presently when a light painter shows their work people usually think that the image is has been digitally altered. You had exhibited your light painting work worldwide but people at the time didn’t know what to think of it, can you expand on that a little bit. What were some of the reactions then and how do people react differently to it now?

ES ∇ I was represented by an art gallery in NY and when I did this series I thought I would be better represented by a photography gallery. Directors of photo galleries didn’t think what I was doing was photography!! It was thought to be a gimmick, a trick. Now (smart) people know I was ahead of my time!

Digital is way easier! For each of my photographic ideas I would be on location most of a night, and shoot a roll of 36 exposures. To get one winner, or no winner at all. I had to get the roll processed to see if one of these ‘takes’ measured up to what I saw in my mind’s eye.

LPP ∇ Was there a moment when it all clicked or was this series more of a work of trial and error?

ES ∇ I have had many ‘inspired accidents’ in my career but mostly I have a scientific approach to taking my work intellectually further with each artwork.

LPP ∇ What is your favorite light drawing you have ever created?

ES ∇ My next artwork is my favorite!

LPP ∇ Did you work alone or was someone there helping you to create some of your images?

ES ∇ I started working alone but hired an assistant once I received my first grant. Having an assistant enabled me to take longer and more elaborate shots.

LPP ∇ I know that you must have had some interesting encounters roaming the dark streets of New York in the middle of the night with sparklers and camera gear, is there anything you would like to share? Any interesting stories that happened on one of your light drawing shoots?

ES ∇ The city at night was an enchanting place for me. The plazas, bridges, parks and monuments, empty and eerily quiet at night, were dramatic stage sets waiting to be transformed.

Late at night I drove around in a beat-up station wagon, looking for places and ideas to jump out at me. When the moment was right I set up my Nikon on a tripod and planned a choreography with light. At dawn I would go to Fulton Street to watch the fishermen come in, or to the Lower East Side for the first hot bagels of the day.

My dreams in 1977 were taking the forms of fantasy architectures of light. I invented choreographies and volumes of light. I remember being impressed by the architectural uses of the human figure in Fritz Lang’s film ‘Metropolis’ and old Busby Berkeley films, and I began to think of the geometry of my body. By then I found that a 10-minute sparkler was available on special order. I attached one to the end of a broomstick and, using my arm as a compass, scribed arcs overhead as I walked up the middle of the street (Lightunnel).

Light Tunnel

The challenge now was to take it intellectually further with each photo; to wonder what effect this or that choreographic device would produce; and then, to be continually surprised by the result.

For Lightubes I spun the sparkler on the end of a string as I walked toward the camera; then ran back and did it again.

Light Tubes

I mounted 5 sparklers on a broomstick and held it vertically, at arm’s length for the 5-minute exposure Ribbon on Hanover Street.

Ribbon on Hannover Street

It occurred to me more than once that these were performances with light. Crowds of curious garbage men, night watchmen, workaholic Wall Streeters and the homeless gathered to watch the lunatic with the blazing broomstick!

LPP ∇ Prior to creating your own images had you ever seen any of Man Ray’s, Gjon Mili’s, or any other light drawing work, if so what did you think of this work?

ES ∇ I had known of the Picasso/Mili drawings.

LPP ∇ You call your work “Light Drawings” but you also talk about the performances. Are you familiar with the current “Light Art Performance Photography” and if so do you feel some of your early work should fall into this category or something different?

ES ∇ What I was doing was certainly performances with various light sources but it was the image, the end result that I was interested in. I’m not very interested in being categorized.

LPP ∇ You have shifted focus a bit from your light drawing work, do you still create in this medium or were you completed in 1980?

ES ∇ I have shifted more than a bit! I evolved from the photography into computerized light sculpture. My Lightmobile in 1985 was perhaps my most profound personal breakthrough, and the beginning of my ‘urban UFO’ series.

Since then my work has all been performance oriented, and increasingly political. And a lot of my job is manufacturing, promoting and marketing my circular 7-person ConferenceBike. See conferencebike.com

LPP ∇ What do you think of the present state of light painting photography?

ES ∇ It is amazing that it has become this movement, and there is a lot of great energy out there. There are some beautiful images being done, but most of the work has a generic-ness to it. I don’t see that anyone has taken it further than what I did more than 30 years ago.

LPP ∇ Are there any light painting artists that you follow or that ARE impressing you with the work they are producing?

ES ∇ Of all the artists on your site my favorite is LAPP-PRO.

LPP ∇ Do you think light painting has further to go? As one of the light drawing founders what do you think is the next step, or how would you as like to see it evolve?

ES ∇ The art form will certainly continue to evolve, just as more traditional art forms have continued to evolve. As with painting and sculpture, with their long traditions, the real innovations are few and far between. In fact, the easier it is to master a technique, the easier it is to fall into a mannerist sameness that most light painting/drawing falls into. Invention, originality, daring, that’s what I look for in art, and I rarely see it. The artist Christo is one artist that really interests me.

LPP ∇ Do you have any desire to revisit another light drawing series?

ES ∇ I felt that I took it as far as I could and that I was becoming too good at it! The surprise was going out of it and I moved on before I started to repeat myself. I don’t want to ever say never, but I am VERY doubtful that I will go back there.

LPP ∇ Thank you for taking the time to answers some questions it has been great to talking to you.

ES ∇ You can thank me by ordering my book OUT OF MY MIND at outofmymind.com!
There you will find 30 images beautifully reproduced, of these photos, that I did between 1976-80.

Michael Ross

Light painting photographer Michael Ross, a.k.a. TXPilot, is smarter than you and thank sweet baby Jesus he found light painting photography. Coming from an IT background you would think he would be able to come up with some gadgets, but Mike has taken it to the next level with inventions like The Digital Light Wand. Not only is he a Mad Scientist innovating light painting tools for the rest of us he also uses his genius to create some super cool images. Mike is known for his willingness to share his inventions and is always ready to help out a fellow light painter. Read Mike’s full light painting photography interview below, check out some of his images below!

Light Painting Photography Interview with Michael Ross.

LPP ∇ What is your name?

MR ∇ Michael R. Ross

LPP ∇ Do you have an alias that you go by?

MR ∇ TxPilot on Flickr and a few other places on the internet.

LPP ∇ Are you a soloist or are you part of a Light Painting group? If a group who is in your group?

MR ∇ I am a soloist mainly, but I do get some help from my sons, Kevin and Cameron, sometimes also. Cameron (http://www.flickr.com/photos/txmini/) is also into photography and has created some of his own Light Painting Photos. I have also had the pleasure of shooting with several other Light Painting Photographers scattered around the U.S. and Canada.

LPP ∇ What education do you have?

MR ∇ Some college and technical and leadership schools in the U.S. Navy also. I was in the Navy as an Avionics Tech which has helped tremendously in my Light Painting work. I have had no formal training in photography.

LPP ∇ What is your occupation?

MR ∇ I had a very successful career in I.T. for over 30 years and recently left all of that behind to open a photography school called Little Photo School (http://www.littlephotoschool.com/) . I have spent the last several months working out a detailed business plan and I am currently in the process of pinpointing the right location to get it going! Very exciting stuff!

LPP ∇ How long have you been a photographer?

MR ∇ I have had a camera in my hands most of my life and dabbled in the intricacies of it all every now and then. Every once in a while I would get lucky with some good shots. I started getting more serious about it in the early 90’s but really started getting into the more professional side of things about 3 years ago. This photo of Hale-Bopp Comet (http://www.flickr.com/photos/txross/6613797781) was taken back in 1997 on film.

LPP ∇ How long have you been light painting?

MR ∇ My first attempts at light painting where with my nieces during a family get together over the Independence Day Holiday in 2009. Probably the same way a lot of us get into it, using sparklers to draw light trails during long exposures.

LPP ∇ How did you discover Light Painting Photography?

MR ∇ After playing with the sparklers for a bit, I ran across a Light Painting image on flickr created by TigTab http://www.flickr.com/photos/tigtab This image (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tigtab/3976058678/in/set-72157622106954112/), which was created using cold cathodes and light stencils literally just blew me away! At that point I started digging more into it and experimenting on my own with different light sources. I ran across images created by Cindi and Austin Poole (http://www.flickr.com/photos/24491005@N06/sets/72157609144669334/ ) as well as Jeremy Jackson (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tackyshack/) and Duane Schoon (http://www.flickr.com/photos/duaneschoon/) which just helped to drag me into it even more! I became addicted to it very quickly!

LPP ∇ What was your first Light Painting Image?

MR ∇ This is the first LP image that thought was good enough to show anyone else. http://www.flickr.com/photos/txross/3885538349/in/set-72157622234691540
Everything prior to that was just experimentation with different lights and sparklers.

LPP ∇ Film or Digital?

MR ∇ Both. Digital for Light Painting primarily, but I also shoot Film as well. The instant feedback that you get from Digital is, in my opinion, what has really made Light Painting, and photography in general for that matter, take off over the past several years. But, that technical challenge of getting an image right the first time with film is a great thing as well. It is hard to beat film in certain areas of night photography, particularly when it comes down to really long exposure times.

LPP ∇ Do you believe in aliens?

MR ∇ I have seen them in many places! My hallway (http://www.flickr.com/photos/txross/4317547233/in/set-72157622234691540) , my backyard along with an alien Dog! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/txross/6335969859/in/set-72157622234691540) , and in Roswell, New Mexico! 😉 Even the Walmart in Roswell had a large sign on the front of the store stating that “All species welcome”, so they must exist right? Seriously, after sitting in the middle of the desert, looking up at the Milky Way and capturing images like this (http://www.flickr.com/photos/txross/5960153070), and thinking about the Rare Earth Equation and The Drake Equation. I think anything is possible! Even the possibility that everyone is wrong in making assumptions only on what is “known”, or thought to be known. One thing is for certain, it is impossible to rule ANYTHING out!

LPP ∇ What is your standard Light Painting Photography setup?

MR ∇ I shoot with a Nikon D700 and the lens that I use the most with Light Painting Photography is a Nikon 50mm f/1.4. I really like the way that lens handles the star burst effects with its aperture blade configuration. But it is sweet lens no matter how you slice it! I do use other lenses if the situation calls for it though and I have even used a 70-200mm zoom for a few shots and a 16mm fisheye as well. Of course a remote shutter release is pretty much mandatory for longer Light Painting work and a good tripod as well.

LPP ∇ What is your favorite color?

MR ∇ Blue

LPP ∇ Who influences your Light Painting Photography work?

MR ∇ Just about everyone! It is hard to pinpoint a specific “style” with my light painting images. There are specific details that I add to my images that could identify my work but I have a tendency to jump around a lot with different subject matter and different techniques. I like experimenting with a variety of subjects, tools, and techniques and that is probably fairly obvious if you look at my work. But just about every Light Painter I have run across influences my work in one way or another.

LPP ∇ Who is your favorite Light Painting Artist?

MR ∇ That is a tough one. I have a great respect and admiration for many different Light Painting Artists! They each have their own style and spin that they put on their work and there are images created by many of them that I would consider great works of art. It is impossible for me to hold them up to each other to compare them because they are all so different. However, there are some that I follow more closely than others simply because they put a lot of planning, preparation, and thought into their work. Troy Paiva (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lostamerica/), TigTab (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tigtab/), Blacklodge (http://www.flickr.com/photos/thebadseed/), Dennis Calvert (http://www.flickr.com/photos/denniscalvert/), Danny (http://www.flickr.com/photos/catch-light-ca/), Julian Cash (http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliancash/), Denis Smith (http://www.flickr.com/photos/biskitboy/), Julian Marshall (http://www.flickr.com/photos/julian_marshall/), JanLeonardo Wöllert (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lapp/), are all great examples and that is just a partial list!

LPP ∇ What is your favorite food?

MR ∇ Asian food primarily. Vietnamese Phở (a beef noodle soup) is right up there at the top along with spicy Thai Red Curry! But I can also go for a nice rare steak or BBQ just about any time also!

LPP ∇ Do you create in any other mediums other than light painting? If so what are they?

MR ∇ Yes, I do pencil drawings, pen and ink drawings, and have also worked with acrylics on canvas and water colors as well. I have an interest in wood carving also and have created some pieces in that area. On top of that, I have been a musician since I was very young and have played guitar, keyboards, trumpet, French horn, and the Ukulele as well! I still play the guitar and Uke every chance I get.

LPP ∇ What is your favorite Light Painting Photography image that you have created?

MR ∇ I think that the one that I personally like the most is the photo I call “Stoned Again!”. http://www.flickr.com/photos/txross/4887489438/in/set-72157622234691540 This was a photo that was created for a small Light Painting contest with the theme being “Mythology”. So I chose to create a magical scene were Medusa was turning a warrior to stone with her powerful gaze. So much planning, preparation, and experimenting with different techniques went into that shot that it turned into a major production. Besides having my son and future daughter-in-law helping me with the shot, I had help from friends as well in helping me to get ready for it. There is even a long story behind the title itself. So the reasons I like it are more for personal reasons than just the image itself, but I am pleased with the overall outcome.

LPP ∇ What is your favorite Light Painting Photography image of another artist?

MR ∇ Some of these questions are difficult questions to answer! It is hard to pick one favorite, but I have a few printed photos created by TigTab (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tigtab/) , Dennis Calvert (http://www.flickr.com/photos/denniscalvert/) , Jeremy Jackson (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tackyshack/) , Denis Smith (http://www.flickr.com/photos/biskitboy/) , and some others as well and I would like to add some prints from Freezelight (http://www.flickr.com/photos/freezelight/) and others too! Well thought out and carefully planned Light Painting images always catch my attention and easily top my list. TigTab’s “Secret Garden” shot and Freezelight’s “Lady and horse” image are very good examples. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tigtab/5390151702) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/freezelight/5087707172)

As a side note, I have started collecting Light Painting Photo books that have been created by Light Painting Artists. There are a lot of great LP artists out there and the number is increasing all the time which is simply fantastic! The more the merrier!

LPP ∇ What is the most difficult part of Light Painting Photography?

MR ∇ To me, the most difficult part of Light Painting Photography is getting the exact effect I am looking for with specific light tools and getting everything spaced and aligned the way I want it. Dealing with live subjects in a long exposure shot can also be a bit challenging.

LPP ∇ How do you get your Light Painting Photography work seen?

MR ∇ Primarily via the internet, my website, Flickr, 500px, Google Plus, YouTube, etc.

LPP ∇ Do you sell your Light Painting Photography work?

MR ∇ Yes, Fine art prints of my work are available via my website.

LPP ∇ Are you represented by a gallery?

MR ∇ Not at this time, but I am working on that.

LPP ∇ Where can we see more of your work?

MR ∇ Most of my work can be found on my personal website or on my flickr account.
http://www.mrossphoto.com
http://www.flickr.com/txross

LPP ∇ What is your favorite quote?

MR ∇ It is a quote a friend told me a while back that I think originated somewhere else and then I might have turned it around a bit. It goes “Shoot for Moon! Even if you miss and land among the stars, you have still made a great accomplishment!”

LPP ∇ Who is your favorite artist?

My favorite at the moment is a street artist in Melbourne, Australia that I have been watching that goes under the alias of Kaff-eine. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/_kaff-eine_/)

LPP ∇ What is you favorite activity other than light painting?

MR ∇ Flying! I have been a pilot since the late 80’s and there is nothing quite like the feeling of spreading wings and taking to the air. One of these days I will figure out the best way to combine Flying with Light Painting! 😉

LPP ∇ Tell me a good light painting story.

MR ∇ I have met up with several light painters that I have met online and have had the pleasure of doing collab sessions with about 17 or so different Light Painters to date! They are all great people and there is a great story to tell about each of the sessions! But probably the best (and craziest) meeting that I had was with Danny (http://www.flickr.com/photos/catch-light-ca/) of Catch-Light Photography (http://www.catch-light.ca/) in south central Ontario, Canada!

This trip started with me tagging along with a friend of mine to the big air show (AirVenture) in Oshkosh, Wisconsin at the end of July in 2011. My friend owns a super sweet airplane and it is a treat to fly with him every chance I get! But being able to fly from Texas to Wisconsin with him and then go to one of the biggest and best air shows in the world was a huge treat!

Well, it just so happens that this friend has a daughter that has chosen to live and go to school in a little town in Ontario, Canada, about an hour away from Toronto, and he said we would be stopping in and spending a day or two with her on the trip as well. So I sent an email to Danny to see if he would be available to meet up while I was there. I lucked out with it all and everything fell together with the timing so Danny and I made plans to meet up during this trip. Danny also had the perfect place for us to go!

So, after 3 days of wearing myself out, walking around and taking photos at the air show and getting my “aviation fix”, we flew to Port Huron, Michigan, rented a car, crossed the border into Canada, and started the drive to little town that my friend’s daughter lives in. I dropped him off about noon and took off to meet Danny in the little town where he lives in Stayner, Ontario which is just off the south end of Georgian Bay. It was about a 4 and half hour drive to get to where I was going. I met Danny at a coffee house and we were soon off on another 3 hour drive north to the small town of Burk’s Falls, Ontario.

Along the way, Danny and I stopped in a small town for dinner and had some great conversation about photography, Light Painting and a life in general. We continued on towards Burks’ Falls and the sun was setting just as we arrived at our destination. Danny was ultimately taking me to a place that was literally out in the middle of nowhere called The Screaming Heads! It was simply amazing! Danny is a great guy and we did a lot of talking and a lot of shooting and we literally stayed there all night until the sun started to lighten the sky on the horizon the next morning! I think we both had a fantastic time! Even though it was scary as hell out in the middle of that country, where bears, moose, and I am sure other things roam the night! And I can’t get past this story without mentioning the kazillions of monster mosquitoes that tried to carry Danny, me, AND our camera equipment away! When Danny told me there were bears in the area, I looked at him and said, so this is where that old funny saying comes in that I don’t have to outrun the bear, right!? I just HAVE to outrun YOU! 😉

I had such a great time shooting with Danny that I would go out of my way to do it again! And that WILL happen someday! It was awesome! (Did I say that already?) After we left, I drove the 7 and half hours back to pick up my friend and we headed back to the airport to make our way back to Texas. I was absolutely exhausted, but it all well worth it!

LPP ∇ Tell me a nightmare light painting story.

MR ∇ I haven’t had anything happen that I would call a full nightmare yet, but I am sure my turn is coming! I have been scared to point of finally shutting things down and getting the hell out of Dodge a few times though! One was while out in the middle of the Sonoran desert, East of Tucson, Arizona, just after midnight in an area where Cougars and Mexican Grey Wolves were seen regularly. That in itself was enough to keep my adrenalin pumping! It always seems like when you are out in an area like that, the sounds around you are amplified and you always get the feeling that you are being watched! All of this after getting a few unexpected “surprises” while doing a bit of exploring earlier in the night. Let me tell you, when you walk up to a Saguaro Cactus after dark and notice a hole in the side of it, and then you shine a light inside to see how deep the hole is and suddenly see a large reptile peering back at you from inside, it can REALLY get your heart racing! Nothing like having a large lizard staring you down just inches away when you really were not expecting anything to be in there! Not really a nightmare, but I don’t want THAT type of nightmare!

LPP ∇ Have you ever been arrested or ticketed for light painting?

MR ∇ Not yet! But I was beginning to think that was going to happen when a Travis County Sherriff and some Austin Police officers came up on us during the Texas-By-Light tour. This was in May 2010 when Marko93 was here from France meeting up with Light Painters in different areas of Texas for the filming of the Texas By Light project. Other artists included Marko (http://www.flickr.com/photos/marko-93/), David Wilhelm (http://www.flickr.com/photos/artandsteel/), Matt Crawford (http://www.flickr.com/photos/earsaregood/), Jake Ramirez (http://www.flickr.com/photos/sumerianlights/), and several others as well. We were all at an old railroad bridge that Jake had created some images at prior to the meeting. The bridge is located in a city park which closed at 10:00 PM and it was well after midnight by that time.

The bridge is known by the law enforcement there to be a popular drug hangout so when they saw a crowd of cars and people there, they were definitely suspicious. I talked to them for a little while and explained what we were doing while showing them some light painting images that I keep stored on my phone for such occasions. They were skeptical and some of the props that were laying around on the bridge such as skulls and other things didn’t help the situation, but they finally let us continue but told us to get things wrapped up and out of there soon.

LPP ∇ What do you say to people when they see you light painting and they ask “what the hell are you doing”?

MR ∇ I am probably one of the few Light Painters that has actually had the opposite happen to me. While doing some Light Painting in an art district in Downtown Dallas, and actually in the middle of a shot, a guy walked past us on the sidewalk and said, “Doing some Light Painting!?” I was shocked speechless!! That is the ONLY time that has ever happened to me.

MR ∇ Usually when someone asks what I am doing, I will take the time to stop and explain it to them and show them the examples I might have on the camera or on my phone.

LPP ∇ Where do you find inspiration for your Light Painting Photography?

MR ∇ In anything and everything around me all of the time! I think that this is probably true with photographers in general but even more so with Light Painting Photographers, it is hard not look at things and think about how it would look light painted or how it might be used in light painting.

LPP ∇ Who would you like to punch?

MR ∇ I better keep that one to myself. Not many get the “honor” of being on that list and the list is not long at all, but those that do make the list have earned it! And they know who they are!

LPP ∇ Who would you like to kiss?

MR ∇ Ummm… I better keep that one to myself too! ☺ It is a self incrimination thing! Ha!

LPP ∇ Why do you Light Paint?

MR ∇ It is the challenge and creation of art of that draws me to it! It is that moment when the image appears on the LCD screen on the back of the camera to reveal the final work. It is the disappointment of something not being just right and then doing it all over again! It is working towards that perfection. It is the work towards achieving the goals of creating an image that was only a part of imagination prior to that moment. It is the individuality of it. It is the awe of watching someone else create a light painting image for the first time and watching the magic in the eyes of those that see it happen. It is everything about it that is the reason I Paint with Light!

LPP ∇ What is your favorite time to shoot?

MR ∇ Dark:30! Actually, Anytime I can get time to shoot is my favorite time! But the later the better, particularly if I am in a public area that usually has a lot of people around it during the day.

LPP ∇ What is your favorite subject to shoot?

MR ∇ I like shots that involve people, but landscapes and cityscapes are also something I enjoy.

LPP ∇ Where is your favorite place to shoot?

MR ∇ The desert! Or anywhere where the Light Pollution is minimal. The desert is an awesome place to be in the middle of the night. The stars are, well, literally, out of this world! It is definitely spooky but really cool!

LPP ∇ If you could travel anywhere to Light Paint where would you go?

MR ∇ There would be so many places that I would go if I could go anywhere. Canada, Alaska, Ireland, Australia, Mexico, Easter Island, Egypt…, the list is long! I would have a really hard time choosing only one place though but Easter Island would be really awesome! There are many places right here in the U.S. that I would love to visit and work some magic with as well. I will get there! One place at a time!

LPP ∇ Have you ever invented a Light Painting Photography tool? If so what was it and how did it work?

MR ∇ Yes, several of them! The list is really too long to list them all here. I have been called the Guru of Light Tools on more than one occasion and called a Mad Scientist even more often! So that should tell you something! Even the people at Radio Shack have looked at me really weird when I have walked up to counter to check out in the past with hands full of LEDs and other electronic components.

The most significant tool that I have created, and definitely the one I have the most work in to, is the Digital Light Wand which you have covered on your site (https://lightpaintingphotography.com/?s=Digital+Light+Wand) when I released the tutorial on how to make one (http://mrossphoto.com/wordpress32/light-painting/) so I won’t get into too much detail with it. It is a programmable RGB LED light strip that uses an Arduino Microcontroller to control the LEDs in turning on and off and with specific colors in a timed sequence. I have a complete video and PDF tutorial on how to build one on my website.

Another invention is one that I call the Light Painting Muli-Tool (http://mrossphoto.com/wordpress32/portraits/light-painting-multi-tool/). Others have called it “The Swiss Army Knife” for Light Painters. I have photos of it on my website as well. It is a tool that can be used for creating perfect orbs, circles, UFO’s and Domes among other things.

I have also created many different types of light tools to do specific things such as calligraphy writing, creating small spheres, etc. I even created a small device to create a little 3 inch high orb and another one to create an orb that is 17 feet across and almost 6 feet off the ground! And yet another tool with levered arms to create an orb Snowman! Inventing new tools is part of the fun of Light Painting for me and I have a long list of ideas that will take many years to work my way through! For those tools that I have created already, I have photos of most of them on my website or my flickr site.

LPP ∇ Do you ever get sick of explaining your work to people?

MR ∇ No, not at all. I love spreading the word about this truly unique art form and it is personal mission of mine to do just that! I want the rest of the world to know about what we do!

LPP ∇ How many times have you heard the word photoshop when someone was describing or asking about your work?

MR ∇ Too many! And it does get annoying sometimes! But there are plenty of people out there that are just that way. They think that they know it all and they have it all figured out. I actually feel sorry for them in a way. If they are so closed minded that they don’t allow themselves to see other possibilities, they will miss a LOT of the beauty and wonder that is all around them!

LPP ∇ What makes you happy?

MR ∇ Learning something new and teaching others something that is new to them.

LPP ∇ What makes you mad?

MR ∇ People with closed minds that seem to have a problem seeing past their own ego.

LPP ∇ What part of Light Painting Photography do you enjoy the most?

MR ∇ The creative release. The discovery of new techniques and invention of new tools to make new things happen in the world of Light Painting.

LPP ∇ What part of Light Painting Photography do you hate the most?

MR ∇ Light Pollution! Some day the world will figure out that we don’t need to have all of the friggin’ lights on all the time! Of course, living so close to a metroplex that has 6.3 Million people in it (Dallas/Fort Worth), light pollution is something that I have to deal with all the time. But I am at least thankful that it is not as bad here as it is along the north eastern coast of the U.S. or other parts of the world. At least here, I can still drive for a few hours and get to a point where I can see the Milky Way with no problems.

LPP ∇ Do you have a website? If yes what is the address?

MR ∇ http://www.mrossphoto.com
http://www.facebook.com/mrossphoto
https://plus.google.com/113179096930771919621

http://500px.com/TxPilot
http://www.youtube.com/user/michaelrross1
http://www.LittlePhotoSchool.com
http://www.facebook.com/LittlePhotoSchool

LPP ∇ What is Light Painting Photography?

MR ∇ Light Painting Photography to me is Art! It is the photography equivalent to an artist using oils and a brush on canvas. It can be as simple as using light to highlight objects in a night photograph or can be as complex as creating an entire scene using nothing but different light tools and everything in between. Just like with oils and canvas, the art that is created is unique to the artist. How the artist uses these tools for creative expression is the ultimate beauty in what we do!

LPP ∇ Give me some advice for anyone that might like to try Light Painting Photography.

MR ∇ Buy my eBook! 😉 Ha! Actually, the best advice I can give goes along with the quote I mentioned earlier! Shoot for the Moon! Practice! Experiment! Aim for the top and create something that you will be proud of! Anyone can do anything if they set their mind to it. Just set the goal and, in the words of one of my favorite Star Ship Commanders, “Make it so!”

LPP ∇ Are you scared of the dark?

MR ∇ No, I am not scared of the dark. However, I AM scared of what else comes out IN the dark! 😉 I have this HUGE fear of being eaten alive by a Mountain Lion! So… In order to make sure that doesn’t happen, or being attacked by anything else for that matter, I usually do not go out without being armed! 🙂

Michael Ross Interview

January 3, 2012 by Jason D. Page

Light Painting Photographer Michael Ross, Inventor of the “Digital Light Wand”, has been hard at work promoting and progressing light painting. He has started a photo school that will teach courses specific to light painting photography, he has written a light painting photography book, and he will have some of his own work published this month in Photo Technique Magazine. I got the chance to catch up with mike recently to how the F*#! all this happened…..

LPP ∇ Hey Mike so you have a lot going on in your photography world, your school, light painting book, and getting published tell me whats happening…

MR ∇ That is for sure! There is a lot going on in my world right now. I have been in the process of starting up a Photography School that will offer courses which will focus on specific areas, such as a course to teach moms how to take better photos of their kiddos and of course a Light Painting course.

In the midst of all of this, I have been able to complete a Light Painting “How To” book that is focused on teaching beginners not only the basics of how to use their DSLR cameras, but how to use them with light painting to give them a good solid kick start in the art form.

LPP ∇ That is a full plate are you still working a “normal” job as well or is this your full time gig now?

MR ∇ I have left the I.T. career that I have been working in for over 30 years behind. I am pursuing my dream now.

LPP ∇ Thats is awesome I bet it feels great! you say you are in the process of starting the photography school, have you already taught some classes or are you still putting it all together?

MR ∇ I have been teaching small classes and informal sessions on the side for quite some time. I am still in the process at the moment to find a good location for Little Photo School and have also been working on creating the formal course materials and presentations. It is a TON of work but I am having a blast doing it!

LPP ∇ Is the building of the Little Photo School the inspiration for your new light painting book? Will it be used as sort of a text book?

MR ∇ The book has been something I have been working on for a while. And with all of the work on the school materials in teaching the basics of how the camera works, along with the experiences that I have had in teaching others camera basics and Light Painting, I decided it was a really good time to complete it all. It helped me put together a good foundation for teaching photography basics as well for some of the other classes I will be offering in the School.

This specific book, “LIGHT PAINTING PHOTOGRAPHY – A Complete How To Guide for Beginners” was written for someone that wants to get into Light Painting and may have even purchased their first DSLR to get into it. It could basically be looked at as a guide for jumping into “Manual Mode” by using Light Painting Photography as the subject.

LPP ∇ Thats great! I know there are a few other light painting books out there, but I think this will be the first “HOW TO” book. Do you have a lot of people that come to you wanting to learn specifically light painting? Our art form is growing everyday, do you see the growth in your teaching with more people wanting to learn?

MR ∇ There has definitely been a lot of interest in Light Painting and it seems to be growing more every day! I have had the pleasure of leading a few Light Painting Photowalks that were offered by one of the largest camera shops in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and that is where the idea for the book first hit me. For each of the walks, a lot of time was spent at the start teaching folks how to get their cameras set up for Light Painting. It just seemed like there was a need for the book, so I worked on putting it together to fill the need.

LPP ∇ Did any other light painters contribute to the book?

MR ∇ None of them did directly. But I do mention a lot of them throughout the book and have a few pages of “Other resources” listed where I provide links to their work.

LPP ∇ Thats nice of you to give a shout to your fellow light painters… I saw that you are also getting some images published tell me about that.

MR ∇ That has been in the works for a while now and actually started with a college student in Oslo, Norway contacting me about doing an article on me for a project in his school work. I agreed and to make a long story short, he did great with the article with his school work and then ended up submitting the article to Photo Technique Magazine. They had received another article from photographer Stan Patz in New York, who does different types of studio Light Painting, and they decided to dedicate an issue to show the extreme differences in Light Painting.

LPP ∇ Wow that is sooo cool you help out a random student in Norway and you end up in Photo Technique Magzine! When will it be out?

MR ∇ It is the Jan/Feb issue of Photo Technique and should be on its way to subscribers and newsstands as we speak.

LPP ∇ Are these the first light painting images you have had published?

MR ∇ Not the first, I had a few images published in a Photo magazine in France as well. This one has a much larger circulation though I think which is really exciting!

LPP ∇ How many copies are you gonna buy?

MR ∇ LOL I think at least 10 of them!

LPP ∇ I would clear the rack….. Well congratulations on all your much deserved success, where can people find your book, “LIGHT PAINTING PHOTOGRAPHY – A Complete How To Guide for Beginners” and where can they find out more information about taking some classes at the Little Photo School?

MR ∇ The book is available both on my personal website at http://www.mrossphoto.com/wordpress32/ebooks/ and the Little Photo School website as well which is located at http://www.littlephotoschool.com/

LPP ∇ Thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions now get back to work….

Light Painting Photography, Holiday Gift Guide

December 8, 2011 by Jason D. Page

Do you have a light painter who is a friend of family member, maybe a brother….and your like S#*! I dont know what to get this idiot. I don’t even like him, but mom is gonna be pissed if I don’t get him a gift again this year. Well have no fear here are a few killer ideas…

Any of lights from Coast would make for a great new addition to any light painters arsenal. The HP 21 is the baddest light around if your looking to light up a city block or the moon.

Got a few less bucks to spend this year the HP line with the finger tip focus (so easy even the idiot can’t screw it up) are great light painting brushes! Looking for a stocking stuffer how about the TX10 a great light for light writing or light calligraphy. The TX10 has four colors, white, red, green and blue – each controlled by a separate switch. The G5 and G10 lights are awesome lights for making stars or “fairy dust”… One more great idea that is often overlooked is a HEADLAMP for finding your way in the dark.

WHEN YOU BUY FROM LIGHTSANDKNIVES.COM USE THE PROMO CODE LPP AT CHECK OUT TO GET 15% OFF ON ANY COAST PRODUCT THRU DECEMBER!!!

Light painting artist Darren Pearson, a.k.a. Darius Twin, makes some rad stuff. If you haven’t seen Darren’s work your computer must have been broke for the last few months. Darren has been “Blowing Minds with Light Lines” with his light painting images of dinosaurs and other creatures. He has a store where you can buy prints as well as some super cool T-shirts with his imagery on them. A shirt with a light painted dinosaur on it, that is the perfect gift for your idiot brother? CLICK HERE FOR THE STORE.

Light painting photography supporter Adorama has every piece of photo gear you could possibly need. Cameras, lenses, tripods, gels, shutter releases, and flashes!

A good tripod has got to be one of the most important things used to create a nice light painting image. Is your idiot brother holding his tripod together with duct tape then get him a Slik 500 HD Tripod and make his life. Just make sure the weight of his camera system doesn’t exceed the max of 11 pounds. Which it shouldn’t unless he has been feeding his camera doughnuts.

So the idiot has a good tripod how about getting him a Gorillapod. With this little monster you can get any angle imaginable. Get way down low to the ground or wrap it around a tree, you can literally put this thing anywhere. Again make sure the weight of the camera rig doesn’t exceed the 6.6 lb limit of this tripod.

Are you sick of holding the button down while your idiot brother dances around with glow sticks in front of the camera. I know its makes no sense to you and when girls walk by its super hard to strike up a conversation with your idiot brother dancing around like a fairy. If you get him a shutter release like the RS-80N3 or the more advanced TC-80N3 you will never have to push the button again. Both of these shutter releases are for Canon camera’s if your idiot brother has another kind of camera then click HERE.

Want to speed up the process of your idiot brother taking pictures so you don’t have to stand around with him for hours and hours? One way to do that is to get him a flash that has a fast recycle time. The Canon Speedlite 580ex is extremely fast. Not only is it fast it gives you complete control of the amount of flash you shoot into you image. Don’t have the loot to spend and why would you, what has he ever done for you anyway, well then check out these other still great but less expensive flashes.

Ok just admit it you love the idiot. I mean maybe he let your dog go and maybe he accidentally slept with your girlfriend, twice. But he is your brother and you guys are blood. Just because he stole your identity and ran up your credit cards is no reason not to get him a fantastic holiday gift. He did apologize for putting that kilo of cocaine in your car and calling the cops to let them know you had a little too much to drink when you were driving home from the bar . He’s your brother go ahead and get him what he really wants the Canon 5D Mark II, or if you love him a little less the Canon 7D, or even less the Canon Rebel T3i.

Another light painter who has been creating some cool products is Nocturne. He has just released the Noctography Gel System that he designed with Rosco Gels. He also has some rad hats and T-shirts with his light painting imagery on them. Check out Noctune’s online store HERE.

Still not feeling inspired. Why not buy a print from one of the amazing light painting photographers listed HERE and HERE. You will not only be getting your idiot brother an amazing gift but you will also be supporting the artist that inspire him and art form that he loves so much. Buying a print from one of these visionaries allows them to continue to make history.

P.S. If you don’t have an idiot brother please insert sister, cousin, uncle, niece, nephew, boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, or wife. We all have and idiot.

P.S.S. If you are a Featured Artist and/or Bright Talent Artist and have a product link you would like added into this post please e-mail ASAP.

Brian Hart

Light painting artist Brian Hart has been creating his light painting images for some time now. He has developed a style of light line work that can be instantly recognized as his own. Brian’s exposures can go for 20 minutes or more in which he intricately traces every detail of a scene. He is also know for creating technically complex images such as “Dark Water” and “The Garden” where Brian shoots upwards of 200 individual [unique] photographic exposures with the intent of placing them all together to create one grand image. His work has been shown on an international level. View some of Brian’s images below and read the entire light painting photography interview. If you would like to see more from Brian check out his website HERE.

Light Painting Photography interview conducted by Jason D. Page in 2011

LPP ∇ What is your name?

BMH ∇ brian matthew hart.

LPP ∇ Do you have an alias that you go by?

BMH ∇ i do not.

LPP ∇ Are you a soloist or are you part of a Light Painting group? If a group who is in your group?

BMH ∇ not part of a specific collective but make drawings with others often.

LPP ∇ What education do you have?

BMH ∇ undergraduate degree in studio art [drawing, photography, design].

LPP ∇ What is your occupation?

BMH ∇ freelance photographer/illustrator/designer/retoucher. i’ve been working for a large corporation, in and around their photo studios, for the past 5 years.

LPP ∇ How long have you been a photographer?

BMH ∇ about 10 years.

LPP ∇ How long have you been light painting?

BMH ∇ i’ve been making light drawings since 2006.

LPP ∇ How did you discover Light Painting Photography?

BMH ∇ staying up late, camping out with friends along a river in northeastern iowa.

LPP ∇ What was your first Light Painting Image?

BMH ∇ drawing a face with my cell phone.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=123324295531&set=a.123323990531.215074.827380531&type=3&theater

LPP ∇ Film or Digital?

BMH ∇ both.

LPP ∇ Do you believe in aliens?

BMH ∇ i think the probability is high that life exists elsewhere in the universe – yes.

LPP ∇ What is your standard Light Painting Photography setup?

BMH ∇ camera, tripod, remote, pin lights, people, dark dark darkness.

LPP ∇ What is your favorite color?

BMH ∇ black.

LPP ∇ Who influences your Light Painting Photography work?

BMH ∇ the people who participate in making light drawings with me, other light artists, other artists in general.

LPP ∇ Who is your favorite Light Painting Artist?

BMH ∇ there are so many amazing light artists out there – both historically and currently practicing – but i’ve been really drawn to the work of tokihiro sato lately. His images are really amazing and i felt a connection with them immediately upon being introduced to them by a coworker.

LPP ∇ What is your favorite food?

BMH ∇ green curry chicken.

LPP ∇ Do you create in any other mediums other than light painting? If so what are they?

BMH ∇ ‘traditional’ photography, drawing [i love ink on paper], digital work, painting [infrequently] – basically any 2D medium i feel very comfortable with – not skilled in three dimensions.

LPP ∇ What is your favorite Light Painting Photography image that you have created?

BMH ∇ i really like ‘manhattan’s library’, as far as a single-shot light drawing goes.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=343133825531&set=a.127278690531.219281.827380531&type=3&theater

and for the composite image light drawings, I suppose ‘dark water’.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150439569655532&set=a.10150439569515532.634555.827380531&type=3&theater

gonna keep pushing the envelope in 2012, so keep your beadies peeled.

LPP ∇ What is your favorite Light Painting Photography image of another artist?

BMH ∇ pretty big fan of tokihiro sato’s ‘photo respiration #22’ [and the rest of his photo respiration series].

http://www.dandeliarts.com/UploadPic/2009822152481638.jpg

and I’ve always loved this image from french light artist, bruno mesrine.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2370355701490&set=a.1200645259460.2030416.1328411713&type=3&theater

LPP ∇ What is the most difficult part of Light Painting Photography?

BMH ∇ finding enough time to work on it.

LPP ∇ How do you get you Light Painting Photography work seen?

BMH ∇ well, the internet is pretty huge. i’ve also been lucky enough to show my light drawings in several gallery/museum group shows locally and internationally. but my favorite show i’ve been in so far was papergirl berlin back in 2009 [i think]. the work was submitted, shown in some large warehouse-like space for two weeks, then given away to people on the streets of berlin. free art – a beautiful idea.

LPP ∇ Do you sell your Light Painting Photography work?

BMH ∇ as far as ‘are they for sale?’ – yes. as far as ‘have you sold any?’ – no.

LPP ∇ Are you represented by a gallery?

BMH ∇ i am not.

LPP ∇ Where can we see more of your work?

BMH ∇ my facebook page [http://www.facebook.com/brianmatthewhart] is currently the largest repository of my light drawings [amongst other creative endeavors]. you can also check out my antiquated google site [http://sites.google.com/site/brianmatthewhart/] for a modest selection of work.

LPP ∇ What is your favorite quote?

BMH ∇ ‘i want to work in revelations, not just spin silly tales for money. i want to fish as deep down as possible into my own subconscious in the belief that once that far down, everyone will understand because they are the same that far down.’

jack kerouac in a letter to ed white (july 5, 1950)

LPP ∇ Who is your favorite artist?

BMH ∇ egon schiele.

LPP ∇ What is you favorite activity other than light painting?

BMH ∇ drawing.

LPP ∇ Tell me a good light painting story.

BMH ∇ went to a local beach to do some solo drawings in the lake one night. this semi-drunk homeless guy walks up to me as i’m tracing a boat in the water and asks me what I’m doing. i tell him about the process and he stands there as i complete the exposure. he then joins in for a few drawings over the next hour or so, we talk a bit about life and we go our separate ways. his name was jim and he was definitely the most random cohort i’ve had in making light drawings.

the drawing i was doing when jim approached me [you can just make out his silhouette on the right side of the frame as he stood there watching me]:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150252843860532&set=a.127278690531.219281.827380531

and here’s one of the drawings that jim and i did together:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150252843835532&set=a.127278690531.219281.827380531

LPP ∇ Tell me a nightmare light painting story.

BMH ∇ my friend andy and I were out just a couple / few weeks ago drawing on a golf course. we had just finished an exposure of this tree – outlining it in red – and he suggested we do another exposure of the tree with several colors, chosen at random / on the fly as the camera was exposing. we were setting up the shot / our cameras and it started to snow, so this was going to be the last shot that night. it was maybe like a 5-10 minute exposure and I heard both the click of the shutter when i opened it and the click of the shutter when i closed it – but when we were walking back to the car the photo wasn’t on the camera – it had somehow not written to the card. time for a new card or time for a new camera.

LPP ∇ Have you ever been arrested or ticketed for light painting?

BMH ∇ no.

LPP ∇ What do you say to people when they see you light painting and they ask “what the hell are you doing”?

BMH ∇ i tell them what i’m doing.

LPP ∇ Where do you find inspiration for your Light Painting Photography?

BMH ∇ everywhere.

LPP ∇ Who would you like to punch?

BMH ∇ bad people.

LPP ∇ Who would you like to kiss?

BMH ∇ sexy people.

LPP ∇ Why do you Light Paint?

BMH ∇ i’m fascinated by it. it’s the most interesting way i can currently think of to make images.

LPP ∇ What is your favorite time to shoot?

BMH ∇ late.

LPP ∇ What is your favorite subject to shoot?

BMH ∇ people [in general], people [interacting], structural interiors, geometric forms.

LPP ∇ Where is your favorite place to shoot?

BMH ∇ inside, friends’ houses / apartments, places i haven’t shot in before.

LPP ∇ If you could travel anywhere to Light Paint where would you go?

BMH ∇ anywhere there are a bunch of other light artists to collaborate with. of course, drawing the terracotta army in china would be an amazing experience.

LPP ∇ Have you ever invented a Light Painting Photography tool? If so what was it and how did it work?

BMH ∇ i have not.

LPP ∇ Do you ever get sick of explaining your work to people?

BMH ∇ never.

LPP ∇ How many times have you heard the work photoshop when someone was describing or asking about your work?

BMH ∇ never in describing [or at least i’ve never heard anyone use that word while describing my work], but people used to bring it up when asking about it in the past. i think more and more people are becoming aware of the technique – they’re becoming more informed – so it’s less often that i need to explain that there is no manipulation of my light drawings.

LPP ∇ What makes you happy?

BMH ∇ so many things.

LPP ∇ What makes you mad?

BMH ∇ willful ignorance, dishonesty, a closed mind.

LPP ∇ What part of Light Painting Photography do you enjoy the most?

BMH ∇ the relatively undiscovered territory; the ‘newness’ / freshness of the technique; the potential just waiting to be unlocked / discovered / exposed.

but you might say, ‘brian, people have been doing this for almost 100 years now’, and i might say, ‘yeah, but not like we’re doing it these days’. i don’t think we’ve even really scratched the surface of all the different ways you can make an image with a camera, and it’s a very exciting endeavor to undertake.

i also really like making strange new images with other people – so, the sometimes social aspect of the technique is a pretty big draw for me.

LPP ∇ What part of Light Painting Photography do you hate the most?

BMH ∇ waiting for the image to process in-camera [when shooting digital with a noise reduction filter].

LPP ∇ Do you have a website? If yes what is the address?

BMH ∇ http://www.facebook.com/brianmatthewhart
http://sites.google.com/site/brianmatthewhart

LPP ∇ What is Light Painting Photography?

BMH ∇ i could really go on for a while about this, but let me say that my idea of light painting is bouncing light off of objects and into the camera – indirectly lighting / painting the scene with white or colored light. i see my work, and the work of almost ever other light artist, as light drawings – directly shining light into the camera as a line-making technique. i think a lot of people out there label their work as light painting incorrectly – i don’t see the connection with making a bunch of lines with light and the idea of painting.

so, for my work at least, it’s very important to make this distinction – as far as communicating what i am trying to achieve with these techniques. i’m not trying to make an exquisite painting, i’m making drawings.

but tomato-potato, don’t know if it really matters with all the different names that images like the ones that this community creates are labeled with [light painting, light drawing, light writing, light art, light art performance photography, light graffiti, lightgraff, and on and on and on…].

to each their own.

LPP ∇ Give me some advice for anyone that might like to try Light Painting Photography.

BMH ∇ your light source is critical. your environment is critical. low low iso. try different aperture settings. don’t do what everyone else is doing. experiment. play. work with others. as much as your images can benefit from a bunch of planning, don’t forget to just open the shutter and see what you get. you’re working with light – educate yourself in optics and the physical properties of light – know your medium.

LPP ∇ Are you scared of the dark?
BMH ∇ yes.

Arturo Aguiar

Light painting artist Arturo Aguiar has been capturing images since 1999. He was born in San Juan, Argentina in 1963 and studied physics at the University of Buenos Aires. Arturo’s shoots on film and his favorite light painting artist is Dean Chambelain. Touches of Dean’s influence can be seen throughout the beautiful images in Arturo’s body of work. He works alone and says this of his light painting work, “The use of light and color has an artistic, conceptual meaning. Without light and shadow, nothing can be determined. The contrasts between the sudden flashes and darkness accentuate the mystery of mankind, emphasizing our beauty and at times, our own darkness.” Arturo’s first solo show was held in 2000 and over the past decade his work has been shown in Argentina, France, Spain, Portugal, Mexico, the United States, Costa Rica, Colombia, Belgium and Germany. View some of Arturo’s images below, read his full light painting photography interview, and for even more images and information check out his website www.arturoaguiar.com.

Light Painting Photography interview conducted by Jason D. Page in 2011

1. What is your name?
Arturo Aguiar

2. Do you have an alias that you go by?
No

3. Are you a soloist or are you part of a Light Painting group? If a group who is in your group?
I work alone in all my projects.

4. What education do you have?
Autodidact artist and photographer. Academic background in Physical Sciences.

5. What is your occupation?
Artist and Professor of Mathematics at the University of Buenos Aires.

6. How long have you been a photographer?
11 years.

7. How long have you been light painting?
11 years.

8. How did you discover Light Painting Photography?
It was my own idea, then I discover that light painting it’s actually used by others artists.

9. What was your first Light Painting Image?
A self-portrait.

10. Film or Digital?
Film

11. Do you believe in aliens?
Yes and no, or no and yes.

12. What is your standard Light Painting Photography setup?
A tripod, a camera and flashlights.

13. What is your favorite color?
Blue.

14. Who influences your Light Painting Photography work?
Many painters and art critics.

15. Who is your favorite Light Painting Artist?
Chamberlain.

16. What is your favorite food?
Salads.

17. Do you create in any other mediums other than light painting? If so what are they?
Animation.

18. What is your favorite Light Painting Photography image that you have created?
Kitchen with Aloe, 2007

19. What is your favorite Light Painting Photography image of another artist?
Ann & Erica by Chamberlain.

20. What is the most difficult part of Light Painting Photography?
The ideas.

21. How do you get you Light Painting Photography work seen?
With large format photographs.

22. Do you sell your Light Painting Photography work?
Of course, I’m an artist.

23. Are you represented by a gallery?
Yes.

24. Where can we see more of your work?
HYPERLINK “http://www.arturoaguiar.com” www.arturoaguiar.com, Praxis International Art – Buenos Aires, Argentina; Galeria Elsi del Rìo – Buenos Aires, Argentina; Galeria Sicart – Barcellona, Spain; Jacob Karpio Gallery – San Jose, Costa Rica.

25. What is your favorite quote?
“Nothing can be known without the lights and shadows” Leonardo Da Vinci.

26. Who is your favorite artist?
Rembrandt.

27. What is you favorite activity other than light painting?
Listen to music.

28. Tell me a good light painting story.
Painting with light makes me happy.

29. Tell me a nightmare light painting story.
I took pictures in an abandoned cemetery with the technique of Light Painting and did not leave any pictures I made in the cemetery and the camera stopped working for three days. Was it a curse?

30. Have you ever been arrested or ticketed for light painting?
No.

31. What do you say to people when they see you light painting and they ask “what the hell are you doing”?
Never happened to me.

32. Where do you find inspiration for your Light Painting Photography?
In arts and in everyday life.

33. Who would you like to punch?
Anyone.

34. Who would you like to kiss?
Irina.

35. Why do you Light Paint?
Because of the pictorial gesture of lighting by hand.

36. What is your favorite time to shoot?
Spring.

37. What is your favorite subject to shoot?
All, if I like what I see.

38. Where is your favorite place to shoot?
In the dark.

39. If you could travel anywhere to Light Paint where would you go?
Indonesia.

40. Have you ever invented a Light Painting Photography tool? If so what was it and how did it work?
Every day I invent something.

41. Do you ever get sick of explaining your work to people?
Yes

42. How many times have you heard the work photoshop when someone was describing or asking about your work?
Many times.

43. What makes you happy?
To live!

44. What makes you mad?
Wasting time.

45. What part of Light Painting Photography do you enjoy the most?
Painting with light.

46. What part of Light Painting Photography do you hate the most?
When I do not like the result of my work.

47. Do you have a website? If yes what is the address?
Yes. www.arturoaguiar.com

48. What is Light Painting Photography?
One way of making art.

49. Give me some advice for anyone that might like to try Light Painting Photography.
Experiment freely.

50. Are you scared of the dark?
Sometimes.

Letter to the Editor

September 14, 2011 by Jason D. Page

I get e-mails like this every few weeks and I just wanted to share one with all of the light painting photographers that help to make this website possible. Thank you.

Message:
To all persons it may concern with this website… I AM COMPLETELY MIND BLOWN! I THINK I HAVE FOUND MY ART FORM I WISH TO EXPLORE!!! A TRUE EPIPHANY FOR ME ON ALL LEVELS!! Although, I enjoy and appreciate the arts, a brush stroke masterpiece from myself will never materialise… However, I enjoy digital photography and whilst on an appointment with an artist much more talented than myself… By far!!! The subject came to a video from “So Red The Rose” by Arcadia… I knew the video, but I could nor remember the title of the track. The video was memorable… Sleeping Beauty theme, as far as I could remember. Thanks to the latter day wonder of the internet I rediscovered and savoured to the utmost, the video of Arcadia’s Missing… This went onto a brief exploration of Light painting Photography… Hence, why I am here and of course, a brief study of the master light photographer Dean Chamberlain. I WANT ALL I CAN EAT ON THE SUBJECT, THIS WEBSITE IS MY CORNER OF CYBERPARADISE! Monumental thanks beyond number to all contributors…. I will be back to browse more, even if all the relevant kit and kaboodle and camera expertise will take a while to amass. Without a doubt I will relish finding out more about this sensory blast of an art form! All The Very Best To One And All! Many thanks again!

Linda.

Seize The Night

August 18, 2011 by Jason D. Page

Will Baltazar sent in the light painting stop animation. This is the first attempt at a light painting animation for this freshman light painter, the results are pretty cool. Will made this piece in his house over the course of a week, check out the interview below.

LPP ∇ Its a cool piece man, I can appreciate the amount of work you put into it.
What camera/equipment did you use?
WB ∇ Thank you soo much! The camera i used was a Canon Digital rebel xsi with an 18-55mm lens. As for the equipment, i used small keychain leds and electronic glowsticks. Very small budget.

LPP ∇ How long did it take to shoot it?
WB ∇ The shooting process was about 30 hours, but i stretched that over the course of a week, since i had to wake up to go to high school each morning. Id set a quota for the amount of shots id want to get done each night, so having a goal helped.

LPP ∇ What did you learn from making the video?
WB ∇ If I learned anything from this video, its patience. Drawing and tweaking and redrawing and cheking pictures hundreds of times is no easy task. I also learned a lof of different ways to use my lights as far as effects i could make with them.

LPP ∇ Are you going to make another one?
WB ∇ I do plan on making another one, some time in the future. The time in between will be spent by taking my light painting to new levels, so that when the next video is born, its quality will surpass this one.

LPP ∇ Did you shoot it alone or with help?
WB ∇ I shot this totally alone. The only “help” i had was the model agreeing to pose throughout such a lengthy process, but the drawings, editing, directing and everything else that went into it was all me.

LPP ∇ What inspired you to make the piece?
WB ∇ My inspiration to make this LP video was kindof testing my creative limits. I wanted a medium that was difficult and flexible enough to where if i did it and did it well, i (and people that watched it) could have a glimpse of just how powerful imagination is. And i also wanted to prove to myself that i could stick to this project and finish it.

LPP ∇ Who is your favorite LP artist?
WB ∇ My favorite LP artist has got to be this guy on Flickr. His username is like {tcb}. In being lp artists, we find ourselves able to look at other pieces and decypher how they managed to execute them, but tcb leaves me clueless, and i find that refreshing.

LPP ∇ How did you discover LP?
WB ∇ I discovered LP through google. When i first got ibto photography, id spend a lot of time googling tutorials, and among them was one for long exposure photography. The examples they posted were of LP. and i went from there.

LPP ∇ What was the first LP video you saw that inspired you to create your own?
WB ∇ The first LP Video i saw that inspired me was called “Light warfare” on Youtube by Freddie Wong. I thought it was so magical and creative itd be a crime for me not to try.

LPP ∇ Any other info you would like to add?
WB ∇ Additional info is just that this was made in my bedroom, at home, with the help of a friend and only about 30$ on materials. It was made when i was 17 (im 18 now). So, if people have a beautiful vision, i dont believe that the lack of professional resources or education is reason to not make it a reality. Anything is possible.

Aaron Bauer

Light painting artist Aaron Bauer, a.k.a. Drtongs, has been capturing images since 2005 and creating disappearing light designs since 2009. Aaron works long nights to create his images, frequently shooting from night fall until the sun comes up. His favorite place to shoot is the great outdoors and Aaron tries to incorporate the human figure into his images “so people can relate better”. He has recently been developing the technique of what he calls “single exposure trickery” where the final image looks as though it has been double or even triple exposed creating a very distinct style on light painting photograph. Check out some of Aaron’s images below, read his full light painting photography interview, and for even more images and information check out Aaron’s website www.bauerphotography.net

1. What is your name?
Aaron Bauer

2. Do you have an alias that you go by?
Drtongs

3. Are you a soloist or are you part of a Light Painting group? If a group who is in your group?
Most of my is solo but I like to travel to meet up with other light painters.

4. What education do you have?
I have a little college background that I did nothing with.

5. What is your occupation?
Chefery

6. How long have you been a photographer?
I’ve been taking pictures for 5 yrs.

7. How long have you been light painting?
2 yrs

8. How did you discover Light Painting Photography?
Todd Blaisdell A.K.A BlaisOne. He wrote my name in the air with a flashlight some years ago and something just clicked.

9. What was your first Light Painting Image?
It was under a bridge in Ft Lauderdale I had taped a couple sparklers to a glowstick and spun it around.

10. Film or Digital?
Both

11. Do you believe in aliens?
I believe TackyShack is an alien!

12. What is your standard Light Painting Photography setup?
I mainly use flashlights. Steel wool, fireworks, LED tools, led glowsticks, orb tools, imagination.

13. What is your favorite color?
Warm colors

14. Who influences your Light Painting Photography work?
SO many I don’t want to start naming cause I might forget some.

15. Who is your favorite Light Painting Artist?
I really like Rosetta Pierre and Dean Chamberlain

16. What is your favorite food?
ATM Lingua (Cow Tongue)

17. Do you create in any other mediums other than light painting? If so what are they?
Food and music

18. What is your favorite Light Painting Photography image that you have created?
“The Things She Carried” http://www.flickr.com/photos/drtongs/4964231301/in/set-72157625016344682

19. What is your favorite Light Painting Photography image of another artist?
Portrait of Laura Huxley by Dean Chamberlain
http://www.deanchamberlain.com/port_2.html

20. What is the most difficult part of Light Painting Photography?
Winter time

21. How do you get you Light Painting Photography work seen?
FLickr and word of mouth

22. Do you sell your Light Painting Photography work?
Sometimes

23. Are you represented by a gallery?
No

24. Where can we see more of your work?
www.flickr.com/photos/drtongs

25. What is your favorite quote?
“Deeper meaning resides in the fairy tales told to me in my childhood than in any truth that is taught in life.” ~Friedrich Schiller

26. Who is your favorite artist?
Salvador Dali

27. What is you favorite activity other than light painting?
Day dreaming

28. Tell me a good light painting story.
Tackyshack and I get together every so often to shoot and hang out for a weekend or longer. One particular visit Tacky and I decided to shoot three counties in one session. We started off in Catawba Valley, Va (where the Blueridge and Appalachain Mountains meet) on some land my mother has there. We went through Roanoke, Va and ended in Floyd, Va where Tacky resides. We shot for 14hrs and as the sun was rising through the trees and exposures were less than a min we called it quits. We are very competitive in a friendly way when we shoot together so it was a “who got the best SOOC shot” for every frame. We explored a lot of different techniques that we didn’t normally explore and it was very eye opening. I will always take the time to shoot with Tacky 10hr drive or not. We have known each other for years and just so happened to be getting into LP around the same time and were reacquainted through the flickr LP community. Cheers Tacky!!!

29. Tell me a nightmare light painting story.
The other day I went to the Indianapolis Museum of Arts to ask permission to use the 100 acres park they own for some night time photography. They said they would email to set up a meeting. I received the email and it stated I was not granted permission to use the 100 acres at night and if I’m caught there I will be arrested. Then they went further to tell me I had to take down all the photos I had taken there previously from my website and no longer able to use those images for business cards and such or they will take legal action.
I wrote back disappointed in their email, rules and regulations stating I will not take them down It’s my art and I will show it to whom ever I want. (a little childish perhaps) but I was livid. I probably wil end up taking them down if their lawyers call. ☺

30. Have you ever been arrested or ticketed for light painting?
No, luckily just asked to leave. A lot of the times the officers will tell me not to trespass but then say something like “we are heading this way”, pointing in the opposite direction of the land I want to shoot on “and we won’t be back for a couple hrs) wink wink.

31. What do you say to people when they see you light painting and they ask “what the hell are you doing”?
Pelt them with flaming balls of steel wool. Maybe get them dancing with a roman candle.

32. Where do you find inspiration for your Light Painting Photography?
All the great Light Painters on Flickr.

33. Who would you like to punch?
I’m pretty passive… unless tequila is involved.

34. Who would you like to kiss?
Ummm… who wouldn’t I want to kiss!

35. Why do you Light Paint?
To create something that can only be seen in a photograph.

36. What is your favorite time to shoot?
10 at night it’s a good 8 hrs to shoot til the sun comes up.

37. What is your favorite subject to shoot?
Math. Oh, wait to shoot? Hmmm… I like it all. I do like to have human figures in the picture so ppl can relate better.

38. Where is your favorite place to shoot?
Atm, I really like shooting at old barns.

39. If you could travel anywhere to Light Paint where would you go?
Space station

40. Have you ever invented a Light Painting Photography tool? If so what was it and how did it work? Invent, no. I have made a couple from other peoples designs and they worked just fine. There are some crazy talented light builders out there. TxPilot being most fascinating to me.

41. Do you ever get sick of explaining your work to people?
Yeah a little.

42. How many times have you heard the work photoshop when someone was describing or asking about your work?
Too many

43. What makes you happy?
Good music

44. What makes you mad?
Getting ticks

45. What part of Light Painting Photography do you enjoy the most?
When you nail a shot on the first try.

46. What part of Light Painting Photography do you hate the most?
The outdoors is limited to darkness.

47. Do you have a website? If yes what is the address?
www.bauerphotography.net

48. What is Light Painting Photography?
Painting your vision with lights in real time.

49. Give me some advice for anyone that might like to try Light Painting Photography.
Experiment with anything and everything.

50. Are you scared of the dark?
I’m scared of the noises I hear in the dark.

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