How to paint with light

Painting with light may be one of the most intensive shoots you’ll undertake, but also the most satisfying. As you can see, the results are stunning and the only additional bit of kit you need is a decent torch. Over the next few pages, we show you how to transform bland landscapes into ethereal scenes. Next issue we’ll show you how to get the same amazing images from the warmth and comfort of your own home as we paint with light indoors.

Be prepared

Great painting-with-light pictures begin with preparation. Location is a big consideration – using a torch works best in total darkness, so streetlights and bright villages should be avoided. Subject matter is vitally important, too. To balance the scene, you’ll need areas of the frame that aren’t lit up. Choose a landscape that’s got some points of interest that can be isolated from the surrounding area, such as a tree or rock.

Turning up in the pitch black and fumbling around by torchlight won’t help your composition or focusing. Aim to arrive at your location at least an hour before sunset, as this will give you time to choose the best possible composition and place your areas of interest where you can move around easily with your torch.

If you’re on your own, then making sure you’re not in the frame during an exposure can be tricky. Have a few trial runs and find the best spot just out of the frame to light each area of your subject. Turning the torch off between each area of painting enables you to cut across the scene without creating streaks of light, which will ruin the effect.

Position 1
Turning the torch off between painting sessions enables you to run across the shot. To prevent stray light, we kept the torch aimed at the rock as we switched it on.

Position 2
Mopping up. This position allowed exposure of the central area and 'mopped up' any areas of the other rocks that had'nt been covered., for more even lighting.

Position 3
We positioned the torch and then fired the shutter. This angle is almost head-on to the rocks and doesn't need too much exposure because it's close to the camera.

Position 4
Don't be afraid to get down to a low angle. We carefully crouched here (avoiding cowpats!) to add a little more modd lighting to surrounding grassy area.

Position 5
The furthest rock required the longest exposure, so we kept the beam moving at all times to avoid 'hot spots' - these distractions will occur if you let it rest.

When things go wrong!

There are many elements to think about when painting with light, such as the lack of a live metering system, long exposures and having to run around like a madman. That means there’s more chance of messing it up. But thanks to digital it won’t get expensive!

The classic mistake is to wander around the scene with the torch still switched on. It’s nothing that can’t be fixed by hitting delete, but it’s a waste of battery power. Long exposures and wind are a volatile mix. Even with the tiny amounts of light involved during exposures it’s still enough to record movement in the camera. A tripod that’s built to take the weight of your camera is best.

Exposure errors are common, but thanks to LCD screens and histograms they’re easily rectified. The landscape should be a good black, and the subject glowing and warm without burning out. Setting too narrow an aperture, such as f/16, will result in underexposed, dark pictures. On the other hand, using a wide aperture, such as f/2.8 can result in burned-out highlights.

* This article was first featured in our February 2007 edition. Subscribe to our magazine and make sure you never miss an issue or any techniques tips!