“Flaming Gauntlet” – Mid North Coast of NSW, Australia – Drew Hopper – Featured Photographer
Since reading “Trick Photography and Special Effects…” from our E-book selection, I have really gotten into painting with light. Today’s image is a spectacular example of what you can do with a bit of creativity and patience. Drew’s image reminds me of “The Time Warp” from Rocky Horror. It really is some of the best light painting I have seen. Although he doesn’t give up too many “secrets” he does have some cool examples at his website and portfolios. So check them out after reading his story below and maybe you will find a great print to hang on that empty wall of yours. “God’s Canvas” would look nice on mine.
Website: http://www.drewhopperphotography.com/
Blog: http://www.drewhopperphotography.com/blog/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Drew-Hopper-Photography/162875140443472
Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/u/0/118055814112266323118/posts?np=1&hl=en-GB
500px: http://500px.com/DrewHopper/photos
DeviantART: http://drewyboy.deviantart.com/
Enter Drew:
First things first, I am a fine art landscape/nature photographer situated on the beautiful Mid North Coast of NSW, Australia. You are probably looking at this image thinking ‘what is he talking about, this isn’t a landscape?’… Well yes, you are correct. This image isn’t exactly a landscape. It’s far from my comfort zone of the natural world. I wanted to try and find something a little more radical with my photography, something bold and unique. I have noticed a lot of people have been picking up cameras and getting out and shooting the coastlines, rainforests and landscapes on the Coffs Coast. A lot of those people have been following my work for quite sometime now, so I do feel rather horned to have inspired them to have a crack at it too. I just feel it’s my time to expand and explore some new territory for a change. I guess this is one of the reasons for this new series of images. I wasn’t sure which path to take my photography, so I spent a solid couple of months online looking for new ideas, and that’s when I stumbled across some light painting photography, which caught my eye straight away! I decided to start making some of my own homemade lights from different household tools I had laying around the house. I wasn’t exactly sure if it’d work or not, but that was all part of the experiment that inspired me to challenge myself. The longest thing involved in light painting photography is preparation, often days, event weeks I’ll spend experimenting with new light tools at home until I perfect the desired effect I’m after. Not only are the tools important, but the weather plays a strong role which can either make or break the images.
I refuse to give away all my little secrets to creating this psychedelic effect, but I’m happy to offer advice on lighting and other helpful tips you need for light painting photography. Below you can see the camera’s exif data for this featured image. I hope this doesn’t offend some people, and I will say this now I am not the first person to do this effect before. I had a hard time finding out this technique myself, so I’d like to keep it on the down low for a little bit longer. I will be posting a full tutorial in the next couple of weeks on how do this, so if you’re interested in learning more please subscribe to my blog or follow my photography on Facebook. All other updates will be posted from my website, so if you keep checking back regularly than I’m sure you’ll find what you’re looking for.
Canon 5D Mark II
Canon 17-40mm
Exposure; 30sec @ f/5.6
ISO; 200
Other tools used; Tripod, cable release, steel wool, matches or lighter, battery operated Christmas lights and of course a tunnel for the location.
Share and Enjoy
PhotoBotos thinks that these photos are related to today's photo:
“Old Man of Storr” – Isle of Skye, Scotland – Lee Duguid – Featured Photographer
Stranded – Daniel Cheong – Featured Photographer
Night Dreams – Jorge Maia – Featured Photographer
Bixby Bridge – Matt Granz – Featured Photographer
Freshly Squeezed – Sarah Ann Wright – Featured Photographer
“Golden Castle” – Loch Assynt, Scotland – Dylan and Marianne Toh – Featured Photographer
Burning of the Clavie – Scott Marshall – Featured Photographer
very original –
inspiring
Awesome!
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Awww! This is awesome!
Wow that is intense!
Bella and DiDi
Impressive, really imaginative
Cool shot … again.
Great image – quite dungeons and dragons in a way!
This is incredible
Your work is outstanding! I wish I were just half as tallented, beautiful !
i always look forward to viewing your photos. for awhile, i was not receiving them, and then one day they returned. i love your site
Brilliant … and unique !!!
A lot of people have been sending us emails about how to do something similar. I just wanted to point out “Trick Photography and Special Effects” in the sidebar below our Subscribe box. It describes in detail how to do very similar light paintings and much more. For the several viewers who have bought it in the past feel free to tell us what you think about it. A Review can be read here
http://photobotos.com/trick-photography-and-special-effects/
Brilliant. I have also enjoyed images like this in the photostream of LED Eddie on Flickr. Super eye catching work.
Cool. It looks like a time tunnel to me.
Sue Bock
Http://couragetoadventurecoaching.wordpress.com
Now this is cool!
I would love to take a class. Fab photo!
You should check out “Trick Photography and Special Effects” . It is like a 400 page workshop. You can see it on the sidebar just below the subscribe box. It is one of our best sellers!
One of the best examples of light painting I’ve seen
thats really spectacular
I dabbled with light painting in the summer of 1987. The compositions were nothing like your masterpiece, but they were a lot of fun and my friends loved them. Basically, I used a Canon AE-1 and Kodachrome. I “painted” objects with penlights. Some shots used projected slide images onto such things as draperies and doors. I hadn’t thought about those images until I saw your post, today.
Beautiful
You know Charlie, you and your brother should get The Versatile Blogger Award every day.
AWESOME!!!!
lovely
fantastic image
That is awesome.
Phenomenal! I recently learned about light painting and wanted to try it. Something painfully simple, of course. I had no idea it could be done to this extent. Outstanding!
I don’t know know what I’m looking at, but it’s lovely.