First Time Light Painting, Help me Pick

[Habitual]

So, I had my first go at light painting last night with a friend and his lovely red Corsa VXR.

I took quite a few pictures and had a play with stacking, etc.

Getting the perfect shot isn't easy - but just practising last light taught me a thing or two. Like taking a photo WITHOUT you walking around the car as a fail-safe if any of the exposures pick you up...

Anyway, I wanted the final pieces to look quite natural - almost NOT light painted, so I chose poorly lit street locations.

I'm 50/50 about my results, I was hoping some people could help me chose which process I should go with for my final 2.

#1: Cobbled Alley

1.1 Genuine street lighting for the background:

stack by Tom Cash, on Flickr

1.2 Background greyed out slightly to make the car pop more (I've since noticed, I need to bring the right hand side of the car back a little)...

stack (2) by Tom Cash, on Flickr

#2: No Parking

2.1 Darker background.

IMG_9833 + IMG_9838 Stack 2 (Darker BG) by Tom Cash, on Flickr

2.2 Slight light overflow onto the wall and door.

IMG_9833 + IMG_9838 Stack 1 by Tom Cash, on Flickr

Any other thoughts or comments would be awesome as this is my first attempt!

Thanks guys,

Tom.

 

[Jay_A]

I like the second one.

 

[Habitual]

Cheers Jay, but which second one?

I was after two answers really (for scenario 1 and 2)... Cheers man.

 

[stevescort172]

I like the first set of pics and the second option, the one where you have added a greyscale to it, was too yellow before IMO

 

[Dave..]

All 4 are ruined for me by the car having so many lights on.

 

[Habitual]

Cheers Steve, I agree man. Way too yellow - it was the damn streetlights.

Cheers Dave, but that's what he wanted. If the lights weren't a factor, do you think you would have a more constructive response for me? Perhaps one that answers my question, please?

 

[JamesBryan]

You need a brighter torch!

And a less lit place really.

 

[Habitual]

Cheers James. Got a decent torch (LED Lenser P7 - cost nearly £50 man!), the issue was, I didn't want to wash out the background and due to the other lights, I couldn't have longer exposures...

I think, in retrospect, I needed a standard shot of the background without ANY light painting so I could work on that.

 

[Addicted]

I'm in agreeance, I think the fact the car has it's lights on are a bit distracting and it kinda distracts you from the light painting!

Nice start though, I need to get on this type of stuff!

 

[JamesBryan]

Only other way to do it is layers in Photoshop.

One expsoure for the background and one or multiple exposures for the car and blend them.

 

[Hixle]

Yep, if you're stacking the layers anyway then you don't need to worry about underexposing the background mate, just take a shot with the correct exposure

I'll take a look at the pics when I'm able to get to a desktop.

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

www.starstax.net

LOL @ that plate on that car with the fogs on...

 

[Habitual]

I'm in agreeance, I think the fact the car has it's lights on are a bit distracting and it kinda distracts you from the light painting!

Nice start though, I need to get on this type of stuff!

Cheers man.

Only other way to do it is layers in Photoshop.

One expsoure for the background and one or multiple exposures for the car and blend them.

Yep, if you're stacking the layers anyway then you don't need to worry about underexposing the background mate, just take a shot with the correct exposure

I'll take a look at the pics when I'm able to get to a desktop.

Yeah, you guys are right. I didn't think at the time to take some standard shots before the light painting.

www.starstax.net

LOL @ that plate on that car with the fogs on...

CHAV?

Thanks all for the input!

 

[JamesBryan]

Does the LED Lenser have a wide beam setting too? And did you use it like that or just a narrow point of light?

Wide is best, not too wide. You still want a fairly strong beam on the car.

 

[Dave..]

Cheers Dave, but that's what he wanted. If the lights weren't a factor, do you think you would have a more constructive response for me? Perhaps one that answers my question, please?

Sorry, didn't mean to sound negative. When doing low light shots using light painting, I've always tried to avoid direct sources of light, since on a long exposure it blows out and takes away from the subject.

 

[Brazo]

Tom the car lights and the area surrounding them are blown out (pure white)

What you could do is get someone to hide in the car and trigger the lights for a second or so, or a smaller proportion of the overall exposure.

 

[Habitual]

Thanks guys!

No worries Dave, thanks for your input.

I went out again last night with my car and had a second go with all my new found knowledge. I tried the torch on a variety of different beam sizes (James) but I left the car lights off. What you said about having someone hide in the car, Brazo, is a really good idea.

I'm out again tonight with the Corsa fella - I'll give that a blast.

I'll post up those test shots from last night a little later.

 

[Habitual]

Okay, first and foremost, this were quick, impromptu location tests with my dirty as hell A3. No attempts for amazing pictures here.

Not to say I didn't try some different techniques though...

Green by Tom Cash, on Flickr

Alley by Tom Cash, on Flickr

Basically, I kept the lights off and I did a base shot without any light painting.

I feel the results have improved, but aren't perfect - then again, I only spent about 5 minutes on each shot as it was freezing and late haha.

I'm going out for another blast tonight, location hunting again. I'll be sure to try Brazos idea with the lights burst.

Thanks for the input all - feel free to put in some feedback on the new pictures.

 

[Hixle]

Much better already dude. Only thing I'd really say is watch the white balance. In the first pic, the car looks cool and the background looks warm.

Other than that, as a personal preferance I like it when there's a bit of light on the floor around the car too, I feel it give it a less 'superimposed' look. Not the best example of light painting, but it shows what I mean about the floor lighting:

Like I say, personal preference

It's great fun though, I need to get out and try it again.

 

[Habitual]

Thanks man, that's a nice picture!

It's much harder to get a near perfect shot than I originally expected. I know what you're saying about the temperature - it's hard to acheive the effect I want when most street lighting is tungsten. Most of my locations had this look and they were WORSE! >.<

I've got some more on Flickr (privately), but I dare show them 'cause they're so naff...

Same story though. Warm background, cool car... I think I might just go have a out in the middle of nowhere, just to get to grips with it first. Then try some cool, street-lit locations.

Thanks Luke.

 

[Hixle]

I wouldn't worry at all about WB when you're shooting Tom, as light from the LED is always naturally going to look cold compared to the naturally/street lit background. I'd just shoot in RAW and adjust the temp in post

I need to go and buy another torch to give this a go again!

 

[Habitual]

I don't know what torch you had before, but if you can, stretch to a LED Lenser P7 - quality torch with adjustable settings, etc. It can shine ruddy far!

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

Shoot at 2500-2700K and see what happens

Have you tried 'starstax' yet ?

It's properly brilliant.

 

[Hixle]

Isn't starstax only software for stacking star trails Rob?

I'll take a look at the torch Tom, cheers! Pretty sure the wench would murder me if I spent £50 on one though, lol!

 

[Tyler@Ultimate]

RIP

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

P7 ~£30 on Amazon !

StarStax will stack anything. It's not fussy lol

 

[Addicted]

Much much improvement Tom!

And as said, I reckon with white-balance you'll be onto a winner already!

Have you bought any external flashes yet btw? Want one but unsure which to go for!

 

[Flat Eric]

Coming along nicely Tom. You can try it out on mine, that's for sure.

 

[Habitual]

Shoot at 2500-2700K and see what happens

Have you tried 'starstax' yet ?

It's properly brilliant.

No, I haven't man. I will though. What do you mean "2500-2700k"? I'm still learning, remember.

I'll take a look at the torch Tom, cheers! Pretty sure the wench would murder me if I spent £50 on one though, lol!

Lol yeah, amazon or ebay is your best bet. I told my missus it was half the price I paid and she still huffed hahaha!

Much much improvement Tom!

Have you bought any external flashes yet btw? Want one but unsure which to go for!

Cheers man. I bought a Canon Speedlite 430EX II, it's so good it's stupid. Not used it properly in a while though, as I need to refresh my AA batteries and at 2300mah, it takes a while lol.

Coming along nicely Tom. You can try it out on mine, that's for sure.

Cheers Chris. Tuesday man, Tuesday. Hopefully, I'll have got it 90% down by then and have a few half decent locations up my sleeve.

 

[Flat Eric]

Ok matey. I hope I can drive ok. I will have a think of a few locations

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

White balance .. either use tungsten mode or manual temp - xxxxK = kelvin. It's the light's temperature essentially.

Check out the white bal tutorial on the stickes

 

[Habitual]

Ok matey. I hope I can drive ok. I will have a think of a few locations

If you can't drive, get your mate with his scooby to taxi us around. (Not on football night, though...)

White balance .. either use tungsten mode or manual temp - xxxxK = kelvin. It's the light's temperature essentially.

Check out the white bal tutorial on the stickes

Cheers man, will do.

 

[Flat Eric]

Haha, it's an expensive taxi.
I should be ok hopefully

 

[Addicted]

Cheers man. I bought a Canon Speedlite 430EX II, it's so good it's stupid. Not used it properly in a while though, as I need to refresh my AA batteries and at 2300mah, it takes a while lol.

I'll take a look at that one, cheers! Been meaning to get one, but keep forgetting!

Still got your Mini-Z charger (the one from Maplins), comes in useful for me still!

 

[Habitual]

Lol Chris, it's worth it if he wants some piccies of his car. Have you driven yet, Chris? I am guessing not? I could always drive if you're not up to it. My insurance will cover me, with your concent.

Yeah Matt, I kept both of my Powerex chargers! They were so good there was nno way I was selling those bad boys. Keeps my Duracells nice and fresh.

 

[Flat Eric]

Nope not driven yet, cast is coming off leg on Monday. Insurance is void with casts. Plus cars been over at Fred's on holiday for ages, should have it back for next week all going well.
Do I bring a torch too? Got a great LED one I got from policing before

 

[McGherkin]

Don't know if anyone's mentioned this already but I take 2 pics, one with the headlights off where I do all my light painting, and then one with headlights on, without moving the camera. That way when you come to edit the picture in PS you can just layer the two pics and remove any flare that isn't needed.

Some terrible pictures but it gives you an idea. First pic is the main shot, 2nd is with headlights on and 3rd is final edit.

Spoiler

 

[Habitual]

Nope not driven yet, cast is coming off leg on Monday. Insurance is void with casts. Plus cars been over at Fred's on holiday for ages, should have it back for next week all going well.
Do I bring a torch too? Got a great LED one I got from policing before

Ah, fingers crossed man. As for a torch, why not!

Don't know if anyone's mentioned this already but I take 2 pics, one with the headlights off where I do all my light painting, and then one with headlights on, without moving the camera. That way when you come to edit the picture in PS you can just layer the two pics and remove any flare that isn't needed.

Yeah, it has been mentioned but thanks anyway dude.

 

[Leeshez]

Now that is amazing .

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

The cross dresser's bus by evil_giraffes_rule, on Flickr

LOL

could get clever...

Stealth MX-5 by evil_giraffes_rule, on Flickr