Best light for Light Painting

[jd callow]

Good Day,
I'd love to know which flashlight (torch), or light you use for light painting. Any techniques you can share would also be appreciatd.

In the past I've used a 'D' battery mag light and peices of cardboard for stencils. It worked ok but I'm hopeful or wondering what others use and what works best.

TIA

jdc

 

[Charles Webb]

I have used Ascor power packs and 200 WS bare bulb, I prefer a dull smallish reflector on my Normans. I have photographed long rifles for many years with a 100 Wt bare bulb connected to a Time o lite timer. I have also used Photogenic 16 inch reflectors hand carried for largers areas. It is also quite easy to utilize a soft box with tungstun or strobe. Just be careful to not let any spill light reach the camera. I actually take several practice runs before exposing film. I have always worked in total darkness in the studio or mine or tunnel, bank building or auditorium. I carry a small LED flash light to keep my self on the exposure plan I have set up. Before you begin, it;s a good idea allow your eyes to adjust to the light. It is not necessary to work in total darkness as long as the ambient light is behind the camera and not bright enough to fog or expose the film. With the camera stopped down several f stops you are fairly safe. In photographing a mine or tunnel interior go down the bore a hundred yards or so, have some one open the shutter and begin backing up to the camera. Flash from one side then cross over to the other side and flash. Use care to keep the light from spilling towards the camera. The same with your flashlight. I have a inch and a half or so hood on my little light. Hope this helps.

Charlie

 

[jd callow]

Charles,
Thank you. I was thinking more along the lines of selectivly painting a still life with a handheld flashlight or something of similar scale, but I love the mine example

 

[John_M]

Look on eBay for an UV dental light or fiber optic light. This is the perfect light source for light painting. You can custom make any number of modifiers to go on the end. The fact that the light source is housed in the base unit makes the unit very "cool" to work with.

 

[tommy5c]

you can add low tech attachments that can prove to create interesting effects, such as a tube attachment that works as a snoot. this will focus the beam way down to let you be very selective. also a little diffusion can keep the flashlights center from becoming a hot spot.. anyway I'm sure that I'm not telling you anything new...

 

[panastasia]

I've also used a 6-D battery mag light but have no other experience to offer. The, softer, cold bluish light of LED flashlights are attracting me, probably good for color. I'm ready to try one of those recharging flashlights with the wind up crank and selective brightness levels.

Paul

 

[jd callow]

Thanks guys.
John_M, Welcome to APUG. the dental light sounds very interesting.

 

[Erik Hartmann]

If you want to paint with light, the learn from Emil...... he is the master

http://www.emilschildt.com/teknik - PAINT WITH LIGHT.htm

 

[Vaughn]

Look on eBay for an UV dental light or fiber optic light. This is the perfect light source for light painting. You can custom make any number of modifiers to go on the end. The fact that the light source is housed in the base unit makes the unit very "cool" to work with.

Off Topic, but I would love to get one of those UV curing flashlights my dentist used on my new filling last week. I wonder how they would work for burning in images when exposing alt processes.

Vaughn

 

[CBG]

There's a gizmo called a "Hosemaster" for such work. Google hosemaster light painting and you'll see many references to hosemasters. Designed for still life work.

C

 

[big_ben_blue]

The hosemaster units very very expensive in the haydays of light painting (around 1990). The original verion was quite bulky, but I've seen smaller (shoebox sized) units (sold by Calumet years ago) too.
I have used them in the past, but prefer a few simple Mag lites - much easier to handle without the anoying fiberoptics cord. Depending on the subject matter, I use anything from a little AAA unit to those 2million Candlepower searchlights sold in hardware stores.
If you shoot colour, you should think about the type of light source for the right colour effect - LED, quartz, halogen, etc... . The Hosemaster did accept coloured filters for such purpose.

 

[gr82bart]

I use a rechargeable Husky spotlight like this one from Home Depot: http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...Id=10053&productId=100088136&N=10000003+90401

Regards, Art.