Light Painting Photo Ideas

Photography Tips

Recently we’ve posted several videos about photographers getting creative with light painting. It seems to be the popular thing in photography lately as it combines photography and drawing/painting together into one medium allowing for greater artistic potential. And since it’s so easy to do, there’s no reason not to try it. So if you’ve ever wanted to do some of your own light painting, check out this tutorial video:

How to make you own light painting photo

1. Get some lights – Any light like a flashlight will do, but don’t be afraid to try different things: blacklights, glowsticks, fire, etc.
2. Find a dark place – Doing this at night time or in a room with no windows is your best bet.
3. Set your camera on a tripod and switch it to manual – You’ll need a long shutter speed(at least a few seconds) to have time to draw something with your lights.
4. Switch to manual focus – Your camera won’t be able to focus in the dark so focus on your subject or wherever you’ll be doing the light painting and then switch the camera to manual focus.
5. Use a remote – This is the best way to avoid camera shake due to pressing the button on the camera and it allows you to get into position quicker.
6. Start painting – This is where the creative part begins. Draw whatever you want with your light. Try tossing it in the air or outlining objects. Grab a string of Christmas lights and swing them around. Use you imagination!
7. Use a flash (optional) – If you want to light a certain subject or the background, use a flash or quickly turn the overhead lights on and off.
8. Repeat – Adjust your exposure settings if needed and paint some more.

LED light on strings

Flashlight for crown and strobe to light the subject