My Light Painting Evolving

Amazing, love all these, while I was looking my daughter came over for a look and went WOW, now she wants to have a go (she's 7)
 
Thanks for sharing Kev.s, nice to see some more Orbs!

Thanks Ruth. As for me not being in them, I am moving constantly, so I am not being picked up by the camera as it is near pitch black. The simplest way of explaining is if you see a car trail shot, you see the head lights and the tail lights but never the actual car itself, it works in the same way. If you look closely in 'Ruin Fire' you can see me in the middle of the spin, I show up faintly because I am standing relativity still, and the light from the fire/sparks lights me up so it registers me for a shot time. The spin only lasts around 30 seconds, I them move out of shot which then adds to the ghost effect. Hope that helps (its quite confusing... to me anyway haha I just know that it does it)

Wow thanks Damian that's quite a message, to think someone as young is impressed by what they see and encourages them to want to do this at such a young age. Its a great hobby to get into! (Meaning photography in general not just light-painting)
 
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Thanks for the explanation Matthew. I had spotted your faint image in a couple of the wire spin shots, but not in a single "orb" shot, and I'm assuming the exposure time for the orbs is longer?
Sorry to be a pain!
 
Haha pain you most certainly aren't, that why I created this thread :) sharing what I learn and sharing my results.

The Orb shots are of similar exposure time, however I am not standing still while creating them as I am walking around the marker, if you look a 'My first Orb' shot, you can see a lens cap below the orb, this is what is walked around. As well, there is not as much light coming off the orb tool compared to the wire wool spins to light yourself up so you are not exposed in the shot as much.

A good video (its more a small 15 minute documentary than a tutorial) is from Denis Smiths Website A ball of light - the movie. Toward the end you can see him spinning an orb and how he moves.
 
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Some epic pics in here mate keep up the good work!

This makes me want to pick up my camera and go out to play with lights!
 
Excellent Matthew.
Just got myself a switch some electrical wire etc. Im going to make an orb tool over the weekend and give it a go at some point.
 
DpM said:
Excellent Matthew.
Just got myself a switch some electrical wire etc. Im going to make an orb tool over the weekend and give it a go at some point.
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Awesome, let me know how you get on! :)

rueboy said:
still waiting for my led tree lights to arrive I hope they turn up tomorrow.....
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Haha everyones joining in! Great stuff!

GeordieStew said:
I'm really impressed. If I could go out and buy a ready made led gadget for this, I'd be there in a shot!
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Think there might be a site, but they cost a lot as its just a one man band I think.

So my next few shots from a trip out last night. Where I live I'm lucky with how far north I am, add the fact this year is good for Northern Light Spotting makes me doubly lucky, having only seen them for the first time last month made me happy... you can guess where this is going ;)


Not strictly light-painted by me, but more by the lighthouse that was a few meters behind me :)

Nisheach Northern Lights by M+M Morrison, on Flickr

Moved to another location later in the night for a bit of proper light-painting.


Aurora Ribbon by M+M Morrison, on Flickr


Blue on Green by M+M Morrison, on Flickr

Unfortunately I snapped the screw section of my V24 :( should be able to fix it though, thats even after the warning of how sensitive they are. A good night was had though. Very tough conditions, high wind rendered normal orbs out, sleet and complete darkness made the night very challenging. Most fun after the fact of seeing the Aurora was doing the V24 Orb, harder than it looks but came out great apart from the blown bits, loved the glow round about though!

Till the next night out! Cheers!
 
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Most recent shot, taken tonight. Had this location planned for a while as you can see this little hut/shack from my flat, what I couldn't see from my flat was teh bog leading up to it, the bog inside it and the smell :( was a good half hour well spent though haha! Did a bit of alterations to my back-up Orb tool so now have two exactly the same. Added 'The Purple One' quality street wrapper as the gel for this one and its going to stay... loving the colour that it gives.

Surrounding is lit by the lights of Stornoway Harbor.


The Orb Shack! by M+M Morrison, on Flickr

Took a second shot in exactly the same position with an Orb on top of the roof, was going to overlap it with this to give two orbs... but it didn't turn out as good. Might look at messing with it again sometime.

Just to add, I feel as though I am really getting there with my Orbs now. They have come on and changed quite a bit from the first attempts. I now (since the Orbs done in Bayble, the red/blue) do a 720 degree turn on the Orbs, that's twice walking around instead of the once, I feel it adds more fullness to it. I've also learned that the weight on the end of the tool shouldn't be to heavy either, firstly because if it hits you on the head at any point it won't hurt as much! Secondly, you don't have to put as much effort from your wrist to keep the spin going. Thirdly, I find it easier to keep it on a vertical spin as well as easier to control over your marker. I have recently been using 10p coins as my markers, last night I forgot both of the ones I took out! I used the 10p as its quite good at reflecting a bit of light back to you when the tool goes over/near it so you can correct the spin easier mid swing. I might move on to 5p's just because its cheaper in the long run :p
 
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So here goes, finally a shot (poor quality as my compact died) of the stuff I use for all the above (so far anyway haha)


Photo 200! by M+M Morrison, on Flickr

Any questions, just ask :)

The images on Flickr has the notes saying what everything is etc.

Just to add, even although there's a lot of stuff in the shot, the only lens I have used so far for Light-Painting is the 10-20mm, its just so amazing to get as much as possible in the frame. Having a UWA, to me, makes everything look so vast and open, including the distortion which I kind of like. There are some shots when you do an Orb towards the edge of the frame where it goes egg shaped (Glowing Orb) which to some people I know they might not like it, but it can still look really good depending on the situation and the effect your going for.
 
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Back again, however with a new and improved orb tool! First one of tonights short outing, very wet so only managed to get about 6-7 shots between the showers so heres the first. Wanted an Orb under this bridge for a while and finally managed it, the new tool made it more worth while as well I think.


Under The Bridge... by M+M Morrison, on Flickr

Great fun! Now if your anything like me you will have the Red Hot Chilies playing in you head! :bonk:
 
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These are really well executed, much better than my first orb attempts a while back, i love playing with wirewool myself, just waiting on a new delivery of some decent wool as i ran out the other week,then i will be back out to burn up the countryside.
 
Now for a few more from last nights clod a wet night, won't do this again, my camera doesn't suit an Argos bag over it!

First off is some V24 ghosts, been wanting to try them for a while, the first in the house wasn't to successful. They are a lot harder than they look! Also first outing since the breakage and repair job on the V24, happy days. Taken at Lady Matheson's monument in the Lewis Castle Grounds.


A Ghostly Memorial by M+M Morrison, on Flickr

Next is another Orb done in the small garden area a few meters from the monument. A bit of LED light to help brighten the place and bluebells up.


The Eye of Sauron by M+M Morrison, on Flickr

First go at a broken Orb... Not so easy, timing form switching on and off is critical, more practise I think!


Broken Orb by M+M Morrison, on Flickr
 
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This week has been a good Light-Painting week for me I would say, new Orb tool to experiment with and get frustrated over, 2 outings to two new places as well as getting some great results (I think anyway). It has just been under 2 months since I spun my first Orb now and I have had immense fun taking the shots and sharing with you how they turn out, how the learning process is going and hopefully help more people get into Light-Painting and see what its all about.

So here are two shots from last nights trip to 'The Braigh' beach 10 mins drive from where I live, (The beach is the one just to the right in the shot Balls at the Beach, we never made onto the actual beach that night though)


Stairway to Another World by M+M Morrison, on Flickr


Dual Orbing by M+M Morrison, on Flickr

Hopefully have a few more from last night coming up either later today or tomorrow :)
 
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awesome!! keep it up for sure as these are looking great. ive bought some of them led things, the white box you got in your first shot but ive still not had chance to use them, if i get anything as good as these ill be made up!!
 
Just had another look and I'm seeing some great improvement.

I really like 'Broken orb' in post 59.

There's another LED Lenser V24 FS in eBay...£60...and 20 minutes left...too rich for me though....:shake:

Cheers.
 
4737carlin said:
awesome!! keep it up for sure as these are looking great. ive bought some of them led things, the white box you got in your first shot but ive still not had chance to use them, if i get anything as good as these ill be made up!!
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Thanks, once you get round to it you will get hooked! It takes awhile to get the technique spot on (it did for me, and I'm still not 100%) but once it clicks and you see the result on camera... its great!

posiview said:
Just had another look and I'm seeing some great improvement.

I really like 'Broken orb' in post 59.

There's another LED Lenser V24 FS in eBay...£60...and 20 minutes left...too rich for me though....:shake:

Cheers.
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Thanks, it's good to get good feedback. As I think I am getting better, its hard to tell for me... I'm biased :bonk:

I did see that one come up... way over my budget thats for sure! Think I'm going to stick with my blue for just now :)

Anyway on with the show :) A few more I had a look at last night.


Orb in an Orb by M+M Morrison, on Flickr

Had a go trying an Orb inside an Orb, not bad but not what I wanted, the colours seem very faint for what I was aiming for, a re-shoot I think :)


Fire on the Beach by M+M Morrison, on Flickr

Big wool burn, and spun an Orb with it while it was finishing off. New wool (thicker) and a new tool, whisk :) made a much bigger burn!

Cropped version, I couldn't decide which I preferred??


Fire on the Beach (Cropped) by M+M Morrison, on Flickr
 
Manc Man said:
Yet again more great orbs and wool.
You are getting better, love your locations.

Darren
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Thanks Darren. I really am thinking about location more than the painting itself now, when you spin an Orb and there no other focal point/scene it just doesn't feel right to me, so thanks for the location comment.

The Grand Finale of the weekend, last shot of the night so tried to go to town on it...

Light Painting on the Beach by M+M Morrison, on Flickr
 
Well haven't made it out in a wee while now, was hoping for last night but the sky got all clouded and started to rain. So here is something I haven't tried in this thread yet... a self portrait.


A Lenser Portrait by M+M Morrison, on Flickr

This was a quick 5 min job, set camera up, set 10 second timer, roughly set focus, lights off, click and switch V24 on. Shame I didn't think of this on May the 4th :bonk:
 
Managed a quick hour out last night, it was more twilight than anything, sun was down but still a bit of daylight left, gave a bit of a challenge as when shooting toward the bright sky made it very easy to blow. Here's the first of the night, an old shack/Airidh (Gaelic) on the Pentland Road I had spotted a while ago on a trip for work.


Pentland Orb by M+M Morrison, on Flickr

Lighting on this was the new Orb Tool, with a few yellow and an orange gel in the end. YN-467 popped 3-4 times in the enclosed section with 2 purples over it. Shack lit up slightly with Lenser P5 from above camera and also what was left of the twilight from camera right.

Lighting wise it was quite challenging trying to calculate what exposure was needed, a bit of rough work and setting changes to get what I wanted. Also the light was changing constantly as the light was reducing quite fast. A good chunk of experience gained, practice, practice and more practice!
 
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Hope you guys aren't getting bored of me churning out these shots?! Anyway on with the show!

Another 2 from the Pentland Road outing (maybe a bit of background to the road, its a single track road that cuts through nearly straight through the Island, there are main roads that are newer and more substantial. This is where in the old days people came to cut peats and stay in these small houses through the summer) There are loads of these small huts/shacks dotted along this road, this one sticks out due its its ruined shape and structure.

Similar angle to the first but with slightly different lighting, Orange and yellow gels in the Orb and purple gels over a popped flash in the hut, making up my favorite colours just now.


Shacked Up by M+M Morrison, on Flickr

From the front, this was slightly harder to light as the bright sky in the background was very easy to blow out. So I think I went with lower ISO and slightly higher Aperture to balance the sky out, a bit more lighting from the Lenser P5 to highlight the edges of the building as well as other bits of detail. The V24 was used to light the inside.

Up Close and Personal by M+M Morrison, on Flickr
 
Thanks, I really am spoiled for choice to be honest, the difficult part is really where to go, so I certainly am not complaining.

Here is a link to some history of the Pentland Road, worth a read if your into history and Lord Leverhulme, Link. Its not my blog so not sure what else is on it, but I'm sure its a good read also.
 
Another hour out last night, returned to the 'Orb Shacklocation. Went inside with the camera this time, had my wellies at hand though!

Had this idea for a while now so thought it might work out quite nice in here. V24 and a Red Gelled flash popped.


Beauty and the Beast by M+M Morrison, on Flickr

An Orb in the shack, very wet and muddy in there so not so perfect...


Orange Delight by M+M Morrison, on Flickr
 
When it comes to light painting this has to be one of the best and most inspirational threads I've ever read, the images are superb,

Great work

Matt
 
mattd85 said:
When it comes to light painting this has to be one of the best and most inspirational threads I've ever read, the images are superb,

Great work

Matt
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Wow thanks, that comment really makes this thread worthwhile to me!

Its just one big learning curve, in terms of using manual settings, working out exposure and tackling composure of a shot without being able to see anything through the viewfinder. On top of that there is the actual light-painting to deal with so its great fun. Really couldn't recommend it enough. You can do it quite cheaply, I bought the Sigma for this but if you have the lenses all I have used is a remote/interval-ometer from china, cheap flash, a few torches and bulbs and the V-24. So you can pick and choose what you use your really don't have to spend big money to get the results.

Thanks again, also if anyone has any questions or queries on how anything has been achieved just ask, more than willing to give away my secrets... ;)
 
AndWhyNot said:
Holy self-promotion, vassman ;)
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Haha was thinking the same thing! :LOL:

Anyway another from the trip out the other night. This was all my wife's idea and composition so can't take credit for it, we were out for a walk a few weeks ago in our local grounds scoping out some places for light painting (trip still to be made ;)) and she spotted this place from miles away. At the time however where the Orb has been done was dry land... glad I had my wellies! Surroundings are lit by various lamp posts along the path.


Creed River Ball by M+M Morrison, on Flickr
 
can you post up a guide on how you made your lighting rig? (what you made the orbs with)
 
This new creative photography section is just superb, as this thread proves

Really enjoy watching your technique improve, all the shots are fantastic

Looking forward to the Callanish Stones orbs ;-)
 
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