Light Painting Instructions

Light Painting Photography is the Art Form of using handheld lights to paint and/or draw in a scene while the shutter of a camera is left open during a long exposure photograph. By shooting in a dark location and using photographic technique of LONG exposure photography (lets say a 30 second exposure) the flashes, streaks, colors, textures, and trails of light created by our Light Painting Brushes system can be captured in your photograph without the use of any post production. Exposure times for light paintings can range from just a few seconds up to an hour or more.

Light Painting video tutorial using the Light Painting Brushes System. Step by step instructions are listed below the video.

HOW TO CREATE YOUR FIRST LIGHT PAINTING: 

STEP 1: Camera Settings and Framing The Shot
Shooting in bulb or manual mode a good place to start to create your first light painting is with the following settings:
(B) Bulb or (M) Manual Mode
Shutter Speed: 30 Seconds
F-Stop: 8
ISO: 100
Position your tripod and get your light source ready where it can be found easily. Frame the shot that you want to create, this is best to do with the lights on; if you are in a dark environment turn on your light source to project light onto the scene so you can frame the shot. 

STEP 2: Focus and Lock It Down
Next you need to focus the image, if you are in an place where you can turn lights on and off TURN THE LIGHTS ON FOR THIS PART.
Zoom in as far as you can to the part of the frame you want in focus, if the lights are on you can use your autofocus. Once you have the focus set, switch your lens over to manual focus and leave it there, now zoom back out and re-frame your shot.

Focus in the Dark: If you are focusing in the dark set the focus to manual, illuminate your light source and with it on place it in the shot next to the part of the scene you want to have in focus and leave it there. Go back to your camera zoom in to your light source, pull focus on the illuminated light source, leave your lens on manual focus, zoom back out and reframe the shot. When you have the shot focused and framed Lock It Down! (Don't forget to go get you light.) 
Using this technique will ensure you get a sharp image. 

STEP 3: Lights Out
Turn all lights off. Open the shutter of the camera to begin your long exposure, illuminate your Light Painting Brushes and begin to paint. 

STEP 4: Mind Blown
Go to the back of your camera and have your mind blown at the beauty you just created.