Abandoned

TrulyAlaskan

I've posted on here before, but I think it's time for a fresh post. It seems that "lightpainting" is growing these days, and I've been getting a few PM's on how I get some of my shots.

For those of you not familiar with the art of lightpainting, this is one example:



Yes, those colors were added while the shutter was open. And yes, the floor is a sheet of solid 3" thick ice.

Lightpainting is a very loosely used word. This is my interpretation of it.

I start out with a very dark area, sometimes the light of the moon can add a totally different effect to the shot like it did here



but for the most part, I like it pitch back... it allows me to do so much more with the shot.

In the photos you see above, I had one of my lightpainting buddies help me out with the flashing. As they say, safety in numbers, so we pretty much go on every shoot together.

The tools of the trade are simple. A camera with a remote release, an off camera flash, some flashlights, and some colored theater gel. From there you can add to your collection. I personally use 4 off camera, remotely fired flash units that I can place anywhere that I don't want to stand... (like inside the engine of the train.) I also will only use a wide angle lens for these shots (Tokina 12-24mm) because it allows me to get that much closer to my subject while keeping it all in frame...

I was literally 2 feet from this car when this shot was taken....



Once you find a sutible subject, set up your camera, select full manual with bulb, open the shutter, and start lighting. I usally stick around the F4-F8 range, to let in the most light. My times range from 1 minute - 10 minutes.

If your camera comes equipped with long exposure noise reduction, make sure that is turned on... be advised, this will DOUBLE your processing time in the camera.

Experiment and have fun... it's awesome being out in the middle of the night, photographing things people would usually walk right past.



If you're interested in trying this, and have any questions, please feel free to ask. I am no real expert, but I can sure try to lend you a hand.

Doug Solis

Great post. Thanks for sharing your photos and knowledge. I've never tried lightpainting but I've got it on my list. Your last shot is killer! Although I like them all.

If your average exposure is 60 seconds say, and you are lighting up several areas like your train shot, do you leave your flashlight on for the entire exposure or do stick mainly with remote flashes?

Your first image; where did you have your flashes or flashlights?

Thanks.

CoryUT

Very cool stuff indeed. Seems like this would be a better fit in the "Other Cool Shots" forum, but great work regardless!

TrulyAlaskan

Doug Solis wrote:

Great post. Thanks for sharing your photos and knowledge. I've never tried lightpainting but I've got it on my list. Your last shot is killer! Although I like them all.

Thanks Doug, it's a ton of fun, you will love it once you try it!!

Doug Solis wrote:

If your average exposure is 60 seconds say, and you are lighting up several areas like your train shot, do you leave your flashlight on for the entire exposure or do stick mainly with remote flashes?

It depends on the shot. Since it's dark, and I wear dark clothes I'm able to walk around in the shot and not get picked up by the camera unless I'm lit up by a flash. So for most of them, I walk around with a flash light, light up the areas I want hand lit, then walk out of the shot and fire the remote flash units a few times. The remotes are new, I've only used them a handful of times. Before I had to walk into the shot, carry around the flash unit, flash the areas I wanted lit, try to avoid getting hit by stray light, change the colors for different areas, then run around with the flash light.... needless to say, the remotes have made my life much, much easier.

On the train shot, I stood inside the cab with the teal for most of the shot (I had to make up for the moonlight, so it took 7 flashes) While that was happening, I was hitting the remote flash for the Red in the engine compartent, it took 4 of those (darker area, not moonlit)
All while that was happening, I hit the outside with a different remote flash with only a diffuser gel on it. (1 shot was all it needed)

Doug Solis wrote:

Your first image; where did you have your flashes or flashlights?

Thanks.

The first shot took some MAJOR planning. I had my buddy with me, so that helped, but we still had 4 squares, 1 light fixture, and 1 front panel to light up. Thankfully the room was pitch black, but.... it was covered in ice and we were sliding around all over the place and there were no remote flash units at this point. I took the right side, my buddy took the left on the squares. I flashed 4 red, 3 yellow. He flashed 6 green, 4 blue (The darker the color, the more flashes required. It took 4 shots to get this one right)
Once I had done my 7 flashes I SLID to the front by the cameras, let him hand light the light fixture from behind the shelves, then I hand lit the front of the bookshelf with a LED flashlight.

If you look REALLY close at the shot you can see my "skidmarks" in the ice on the middle left part of the shot....

TrulyAlaskan

CoryUT wrote:

Very cool stuff indeed. Seems like this would be a better fit in the "Other Cool Shots" forum, but great work regardless!

Thanks Cory, I wasn't sure where to put it, so it ended up here. Hopefully if it needs to move, someone will do so.

schmoo

These are so awesome! I was perusing your site a couple of weeks ago and I was really, really impressed with your light painting. Still am! Thanks for sharing not only your shots but your techniques. This looks very challenging but well worth the effort. Wahoo!

TrulyAlaskan

schmoo wrote:

These are so awesome! I was perusing your site a couple of weeks ago and I was really, really impressed with your light painting. Still am! Thanks for sharing not only your shots but your techniques. This looks very challenging but well worth the effort. Wahoo!

Thanks Schmoo!! Glad to hear someone looks at the site

I love getting people turned on to this kind of photography because it lets their creative side out. I took a good buddy of mine out last night to paint some old trucks, he was a little shy about it in the beginning, but by the end, I was no longer picking the colors....

chrismoore

Hi TrulyAlaskan, you are very talented at this. I actually came across your site a few months ago from a previous post of yours and was really inspired by your work. I got the light painting bug over the summer and went out with a buddy of mine a few times. We used the same principles you did, long exposure, dress in black, and pop gelled flashes during the exposure. Plus since these shots are best done in abandoned areas it helps to have a couple of people in case you're confronted. Here are a few of my shots (not trying to hijack your thread but thought I'd share a couple since your work inspired me to get out and get the shots!):

tisun

Excellent work! I enjoy lightpainting but you are a lot more dedicated than I am. I tend to lose stuff in the dark, so I try not to use too many items. I lost my wireless remote a couple times but luckily someone recovered it for me. I usually use a couple of LED flashlights: one white (can be gelled) and one red. It takes longer with flashlights but they allow me more control. If I use flash on top of flashlights, I'll probably lose something in the dark.

TrulyAlaskan

chrismoore wrote:

Hi TrulyAlaskan, you are very talented at this. I actually came across your site a few months ago from a previous post of yours and was really inspired by your work. I got the light painting bug over the summer and went out with a buddy of mine a few times. We used the same principles you did, long exposure, dress in black, and pop gelled flashes during the exposure. Plus since these shots are best done in abandoned areas it helps to have a couple of people in case you're confronted. Here are a few of my shots (not trying to hijack your thread but thought I'd share a couple since your work inspired me to get out and get the shots!):

Hey Chris!! I ran across your thread the other day. Very nice job! I'm glad that you can get out during the SUMMER to take photos, unfortunately we have 24 hours of daylight during the summer, so I have to wait until the fall and winter to get my shots. For me, this is the start of my lightpainting season. I LOVE the first shot in the series that you posted. Trains are great subjects! I just got a great connection on a ton of trains to paint, so I will have a few up shortly. I'm also really impressed with the gas pump. Nice job of getting the green inside on the dials!!!


Here are a few I took last night





And a few from the night before....

chrismoore

Like those! Looks like you have a nice selection of subject matter to shoot. I would definitely do it more if I came across more abandonment, there's just not much of it around. I think trains and airplanes are the best subjects, and there is an abandoned airplane "graveyard" near here, but my attempts to gel it up at night were thwarted by the police
I'm sure you have seen Abandoned America's stuff on flickr- great stuff. Look forward to seeing your upcoming projects.

TrulyAlaskan

Abandoned airplane graveyards are at the top of my list of places to go, we just don't have any up here. When an airplane retires up here, it's made into 20 other airplanes with no parts left over (Welcome to Alaska)

I have yet to post any of my new shots, it's been a heck of a month. My buddy and I are trying to launch a book from our "joint night photography site" abandonedalaska.com

I'll post more when I get off work.

dls

very very cool stuff. awesome images.
am just starting to do more night photography in earnest, but this amps it up to a new level. would love to give it a go. i fear sleep deprivation may be more consistent in my future! thanks for sharing!
by the way, how many handwarmers do you have to go through during an average shoot in the alaskan winter?

sokolich

Very nice post! Awesome effects!

Scott

TrulyAlaskan

dls wrote: »

very very cool stuff. awesome images.
am just starting to do more night photography in earnest, but this amps it up to a new level. would love to give it a go. i fear sleep deprivation may be more consistent in my future! thanks for sharing!
by the way, how many handwarmers do you have to go through during an average shoot in the alaskan winter?

Thanks! Sleeping is overrated, a few hours a night are all that is needed. Actually, I don't use handwarmers, my buddy does, but I prefer gloves. Gloves are pretty much all that are needed once you're use to -10.