My Light Painting Evolving


The Exhibition by M+M Morrison, on Flickr

This is really what everything here has been all about...

This is a quick shot of the Grinneas Nan Eilean: The Islands Open Exhibition before it opened, taking place in An Lanntair arts centre in Stornoway. Pictured is the two walls of photography, there's paintings and crafts on the inside. I have entered 5 framed prints and its the first time I have publicly displayed any of my work.

I actually went to this exhibition in December 2011 and set my self a target of getting 5 shots worthy to submit the next time it came around, at this point I was still only using my SLR as a point and shoot and don't know much. Really happy I have made it here and have learned soooo much and met loads of new people though photography. Now I have another exhibition locally in a cafe starting on Tuesday with around 12 prints... Better get ready!

Thanks to everyone who has been here and helped me along my way, by no means is this the end of my postings or anything, but just a 'This is where I wanted to be' kinda post :D

More of my usual to come later in the week.

(My images are the 3 on the left wall in light frames one above each other, and two smaller light frames on the right wall 3 along and 2nd and 3rd up, you may recognise a few from this thread :))
 
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Congratulations on getting your target achieved.
Well done (y):clap:
 
Thanks guys, really happy about getting them in and happy that on the whole the exhibition looks great! On the bonus side, I found out on Sunday that the Aurora Borealis shot I put in sold :)

As if I didn't have enough on over the last while, I also managed to get a display/exhibition of my own! In the local Library Cafe, 2 walls for the whole of April to myself. I didn't realise how much work went in to getting shots mounted and framed, especially if you want them looking perfect for selling! Really happy about how things have gone over the last while.


The Exhibition Take 2... by M+M Morrison, on Flickr

So now to have a break (not for long though), I have a few private orders to get though and another two or three 'event's to get thinking about that are coming along in the next month or two :D
 
Matt

I've just found this b rilliant thread. Congratulations on your exhibition and selling your work
 
Engineer73 said:
Matt

I've just found this b rilliant thread. Congratulations on your exhibition and selling your work
Click to expand...

Thanks, it's been an experience that's for sure :D

For anyone interested, I have decided to go back to a crop sensor camera. So I have my full setup for sale here. Includes excellent condition 5D1, 24-105L, charger, remote, 2 batteries and 2 16gb CF cards.

This has been a great setup, but at the moment for me I just can't justify having two cameras in the house so moving to an upgraded crop system.
 
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Thanks, yea real chuffed. So far now from the 2 exhibitions I have sold 3 :)

Been on holiday the last while so will have to get out again once the weather drys up.
 
Ahh forgot I had been out a few weeks ago and explored a bit more of the Pentland road, took a few more shots of Airidhs (moor houses) in a more natural lighting. Here's the first of the set: taken under a full moon with some additional lighting from my Lenser P7


Glow on the Horizon by M+M Morrison, on Flickr

And one from last nights trip, I didn't actually know this wind farm existed! I was walking along a path to a monument I was going to shoot and this popped up from know where!


Wind Power by M+M Morrison, on Flickr

I don't tend to shoot near street/flood lighting at all but to be honest I think it really works with this shot.
 
Thanks that actually means quite a lot! It's always good to hear a little feed back from people :)

Well under a full moon try ISO 1600, 30 seconds at 5.6. If too bright reduce iso, if too dark double exposure, it's all about experimenting, you don't need fancy gear at all. Most of the thread was with my 500D and a sigma 10-20, I know a guy locally who used a 20D and his shots were amazing.
 
Another boat themed shot from a another trip last week, in fact it is probably taken in the location of the distant lights in the shot above.


SY 532 Under the Stars by M+M Morrison, on Flickr
SY 532 taken last week between the showers. Brebhig Pier, Isle of Lewis.

This was a bit of a challenge to get any form of light-painting done in this shot, out of shot to camera right are at least a dozen huge flood lights lighting up the small pier and slipways. A good few pops of orange strobe inside the cabin, everything else lit by floodlight and full moon between the clouds.
 
I've been subscribed to this thread for ages. You've come along a fair way, good on ya! - some lovely images in here Matt. (y)
 
Well it's been a while since I have been here... mainly because during these months been so far north we don't get much darkness until stupid o'clock! No much painting being had.

A wee heads up as well for anyone interested in my LED Lenser V-24, I will be putting it on Ebay later today. I just don't use it that often, it's mint and comes with the fabric cover (they are rarer than the V-24s themselves!) they are not supplied with the 7 colour v-24s usually :)
Also the exhibition in An Lanntair finished yesterday, I sold 4 out of 5 prints! Well happy!
 
yay on the prints - are you putting the lenser in the classifieds here too ?

edit (bugger, just clocked the date - i'm guessing you've already sold it )
 
Hi Jim, thanks the prints went down a treat and so chuffed to have sold quite a few now!

Sorry about the delay, been away. I had put the Lenser in the classified here and it did sell. However I do have other that I will probably get rid of at somepoint soon (I have a collection of un-used single colours, after getting the 7 colour they never came out of the boxes) If I do sell I will be posting in the classifieds and a heads up in here :)
 
I think it's time I re-lit this thread (pun intended ;)) It is finally getting darker at a reasonable time on the Isle of Lewis which means time to dust off the old toys and torches :D Looking forward to another 6 months of playing in the dark!

Here's a forgotten one from May (even though its dark the weather isn't exactly playing ball)

IMG_0857.jpg by M+M Morrison, on Flickr
 
Right then... Now with something fresh! Managed my first trip of the 'new season' last night and it was very enjoyable, still pretty warm out too was about 15-17 degrees on the car and for up here that's flipping good! Unfortunately though the cloud had streamed in and covered teh big moon, still enough light to play with though!

Destination was the Barvas machair, my favorite place! This time I stopped for a wee shoot at an old retro caravan. This actually used to be the village Post-Office at one point... amazing what you can find out and how things were back in the day!


IMG_3862.jpg by M+M Morrison, on Flickr

This awesome looking old caravan was once used as the Postoffice in Barvas!

Lit by sodium street light to the right, bare LED torch from left and some yellow colouring added inside with the flashgun.

More to come!
 
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Another from Barvas, this time the Ghillie Bus on the Machair at the end of the Barvas river as it meets the sea. It comes out every season for the Ghillies to keep watch for salmon poachers.


Home Away From Home... by M+M Morrison, on Flickr

Lit by the full moon with bare LED from the right and some Orange gelled flashes inside the bus.
 
Love 'em! Especially posts #251 & 261.

Can't help wondering if losing the 4x4 in the last post would make for a better image:thinking:

Great thread and thanks for keeping the exif intact:)
 
Thanks Rhod, glad you like a it's been some journey! Yea nothing to hide here ;) I want to try and help people get into it so keep every thing as open as.

Yes I certainly think so about the 4x4, it wouldn't have been a good crop if I cut it out... And at the time I didn't have the option of getting it moved as th ghillie was on a walk about. Also I thought for him would be nice having his pride and joy in with his pride and joy haha, maybe a return visit and hope he parks in a different place haha.
 
Well I am slowly getting through some of last weeks night shots, been so busy over the last few days! Had my first 2 photo-shoots the past few days which has been mental and difficult (not my usual thing)

Anyways! Here it is, for some reason over the last few months I have fallen in love with this panoramic ratio... not sure why but it has worked well with a lot of shots i have done over the summer from landscapes to weddings, never had a night shot though :) Works well (I think)

IMG_3861.jpg by M+M Morrison, on Flickr
 
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Hey!

This stuff is amazing! Sorry if this has already been asked but could you give a quick rundown of what equipment exactly you need to do this stuff?
Did you learn this from the trick photography and special effects ebook?

Have you got any tips for someone trying this out for the first time?
 
Hi not at all, I encourage questions! It's a cool thing to get into. Most of it was learned by trial and error, but I highly recommend Troy Paiva's recent ebook 'The Lost America Tequnique' as its got loads of advice ad samples in it.

Well to begin with I used the following:
Canon 500D
Sigma 10-20mm (kit lens will work, just not as wide)
Redsnapper rs283 + 528head,
shutter release cable/remote i use chinese cheapos
Yongnuo 467 flash
LED Lenser P5 then upgraded to the P7

Kit now:
Canon 5D1
Sigma 24-70 2.8 (only lens)
Same tripod
Yongnuo 467 as well as a Canon 540ez
Same torches, various orb strings, led glow sticks

And that's about it I think...

But a basic SLR, kit lens, sturdy tripod, cheap remote and bright torch will do. For colours I use quality street wrappers haha, excellent colours. Then setup and experiment with settings, good start is iso400, 2 mins at 5.6 see what's what. If a high ISO test at 15 seconds is spot on reduce your stops to Lower ISO then boost your shutter by that number to get your exposure.

Hope that answers your questions? If not fire more at me :D
 
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Oh the most tricky thing... Focus... Set centre point, shine torch on what you want focused, focus there and then switch to manual, even in it means placing your rich beside the object and walk blindly back to camera to get focus... This is where two torches come in handy ;)
 
Hiya. Love this thread and have tried (but failed) to create orbs. I used some small led fairy lights but the camera doesn't pick them up the light is so dim. I tried a small torch which works but not great.
Please help...what is the best type of light to use. I really want to be able to create these amazing orbs.
Stu
 
One problem I have is that I can never find a decent subject in my area to use in the image. We don't seem to have empty buildings on their own or abandoned cars and buses.
 
For all you Orb lovers out there here is my tool in it's current state :)



Sorry for the rubbish pic though... So to explain what it is... It is a set of 10 bulb clear fairly lights (£1 off ebay) powered by 2 AA batteries. Cut the original wire and fitted 3 core flex to re-enforce against breakages. At the bulb end there are two long thin bolts added for weight and more re-enforcing. To finish off added some quality street wrappers to each of the bulbs for colour...

This is the way/colours used to create this

IMG_0857.jpg by M+M Morrison, on Flickr

To get it to show up I used usually iso 200+ F2.8-7 and anything from 30 seconds to 4 minutes although the spin only lasts about 30-1 minute long as long as it takes to do a very slow 360 :)
 
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OK guys another thread revival! Since posting last due to some circumstances I have changed setup yet again! Now got myself a 600D... so Managed my first night (read hour) out using it haha along with a Samyang 8mm fisheye... Not sure if I like the effect or how much use it would get if it was mine though...


Land Raiders III by M+M Morrison, on Flickr
 
Matthew, I saw your orb tool in one of the previous threads, have you considered using LED RGB strip lighting with a remote control (the RF type as opposed to the IR). I have gone over to using this set up as it has the advantage that you can easily change colours and there is NO wire to break, in my case I put it all in a tupperware box with a rope running through the middle of it. Its all available from Fleabay, I did some shots at New Slains Castle recently using that set up with an IR remote (difficult to switch off).

have a look on my stream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/53264931@N03/
 
Just found this thread and read through it. Some really amazing work here, makes me want to have a go! :clap: The locations, timing, subjects etc are all really well picked. Looking forward to seeing more! (y)
Congratulations on getting your work displayed btw! I hope one day I'll be able to do the same.
 
CraigyBoy86 said:
Just found this thread and read through it. Some really amazing work here, makes me want to have a go! :clap: The locations, timing, subjects etc are all really well picked. Looking forward to seeing more! (y)
Congratulations on getting your work displayed btw! I hope one day I'll be able to do the same.
Click to expand...

Thanks guys, glad you enjoyed :) It is so much easier than you would think... a bit of trial and error and away you go, especially the week over the full moon you can easily get daytime looking shots like above. Any questions remember to just ask!

Also for all interested in my gear setup, which has gone through quite a few variations, I will now be running the following

Canon 600D
Canon 18-55IS (kit lens)
YN-467 (mk1)
LED Lenser P7
Redsnapper rs283 + 528head
Along with the gels and Orb tools.

So Light-Painting with budget kit about to commence :D
 
Well I was just going to post a landscape (which I still will) which has got three of my past lightpainting locations in it just to show where stuff was taken etc. Then realised there is a shot missing from the thread which I never posted! So here is that first:


The Iolaire Monument by M+M Morrison, on Flickr

This is a monument for a ship whose sinking on the 1 January 1919 in the Minch was one of the worst maritime disasters in United Kingdom waters during the 20th century. This was taken back in April, full moon with some Lenser P7 Gelled purple to light up the monument.

So on with the landscape!

Stornoway Harbour by M+M Morrison, on Flickr

This is taken looking out from Stornoway Castle Grounds towards the mainland out through the Harbour mouth. On the land to the left you can see a line of wind turbines, these are teh ones featured in this shot:

Wind Power by M+M Morrison, on Flickr
More to the right at the headland a keen eye can see the very small blip on the top of the hill and small 'stick' in the water, that is the above monument and location of the rocks in the water above.
Then on the other side of the shot, the furthest buildings to the right are from one of my first lightpainting trips to the gun emplacements taken back in early 2012

Burning Lookout! by M+M Morrison, on Flickr

Anyway that's me for today's update :)
 
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