How Do I Light Paint?

Light painting is such a fun and easy way to give your images a little bit more flair. It can

also be a little bit intimating for first timers trying to figure out how to make light painting work for them. This is just a little look into my process and the easiest way I have found to have the best results with my own light painting. So, sit back, relax, get some coffee, and read on!

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Step 1: Having the Right Gear

Before you start to jump into trying out light painting, you first need to see if you have the right gear for taking your light painting shots. Something that people might not think about light painting is that you do NOT need fancy equipment for it to turn out awesome! Honestly, all you really need is your camera, a tripod, and a light source and you are all set to shoot! An extra helpful tool to have would be remote shutter for your camera. This helps keep the camera from shaking while you try to shoot. An easy fix for this is to set up a timer on the camera itself so that there is a little bit of time between pushing the button and the camera taking the picture.

Step 2: Setting Up

The next step is to figure out how to set up to take light painting photos. This is also is not a complicated set up either. Once you have figured out what lights you want to paint with and have your camera with your tripod, you are ready to set up the settings for your camera. In order to take the picture, you first will need a dark area. Next, you will need a long shutter speed (ex. 5 seconds or higher). This is important because the longer the shutter is open, the more light comes through, causing the ability to draw with the light that you have. Because you will be opening the shutter wide, you will need a bigger f/stop number as well as the lowest ISO number your camera can go (most common is ISO 100). Both of these settings even out the light that is being let in due to the shutter being open for a longer time. It also helps to lessen the chances of over exposure and helps focus better. Lastly, is to take your light source and move your light while the shutter is going off. This causes you to "paint" or "draw" with the light!

One thing that helps me while I am taking these kinds of pictures is taking some practice shots with your lights to figure out the framing of the picture. It can be hard to really see where your camera is pointing to when your shooting space is dark. Usually, I set up my tripod, with my camera on it, take a few pictures with my light, and then check

the camera after taking the picture to figure out where I need to move myself. If you have a subject or have a friend who is willing to help, you direct them to where they need to stand or be because you are able to be behind the camera's view.

Step 3: Have Fun with It!

Last step: have fun with it! Once you have these basics down, you can start to play, to experiment, and find your own style doing light painting. There is not a specific science to taking this type of photography. A lot of this is just experimenting with it until you get what you like or until you get it right in your own eyes. It's your photography. Do it your way!