insights into photography
The idea of having a subject in a totally dark room and the camera on a tripod with the shutter open and painting the subject with light from a torch/flashlight is not new but the opportunities with digital to check your results immediately and make changes to exposure and/or the light painting process to correct problems makes it much more simple than working with film. This article from Light Stalking gives basic instructions, this is a fun way to make pictures and can lead to exciting visual discoveries and one way you can continue to photograph even if the weather outside is not conducive. Here is another article from diyphotography with additional ideas and information
My other go to place for great photography is The Atlantic, another one you should bookmark for the future. This week they have images on the theme of Lighting up The Night
Around the world, people are using light to paint, perform, honor, work, and play. In villages and cities alike, lanterns and candles are used to celebrate and commemorate events. In Berlin, famous landmarks are currently being illuminated for the annual Festival of Lights. In Florida, a private spacecraft climbed into orbit atop a pillar of fire, and around the globe, dozens of buildings were bathed in pink for breast cancer awareness month. Gathered here is a handful of recent images of humans pushing back the dark and lighting up the night
Magician David Blaine performs his “Electrified: 1 Million Volts Always On” stunt in New York, on October 7, 2012. (Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)
Paper lanterns float on the Motoyasu River in front of the Atomic Bomb Dome (center) in Hiroshima, Japan, on August 6, 2012. Tens of thousands of people marked the 67th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, as a rising tide of anti-nuclear sentiment swells in post-Fukushima Japan. (Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP/Getty Images)
Runners and walkers wearing light emitting suits and holding light sticks make their way up Arthur’s Seat as part of a dress rehearsal of a mass participation public art piece called “Speed of Light” on August 8, 2012 in Edinburgh, Scotland. The piece which forms part of the annual Edinburgh Festival is set to illuminate the iconic natural monument as hundreds of people make their way up and around, creating streaks of light as they go. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
As we continue to get response to our posts on Light Painting it seems worthwhile having a look at what else is out there to stimulate you. Maybe this interest is because it is so dark and dull all day here in the UK.
“Light painting, also known as light drawing or light graffiti is a photographic technique in which exposures are made usually at night or in a darkened room by moving a hand-held light source or by moving the camera. In many cases the light source itself does not have to appear in the image. The term light painting also encompasses images lit from outside the frame with hand-held light sources. The first known photographer to use this technique was Man Ray in his series “Space Writing” created in 1935. Photographer, Ellen Carey, discovered Man Ray’s signature signed by penlight nearly 74 years after the pictures had been taken.” here a a couple of Man Ray images from about 1935 
The first point of call today is
“Light painting, or painting with light is the art of lighting a photograph with a hand-held light – usually a flashlight. If you’ve ever written your name in the air with a sparkler, you’ve got the general idea.After many years of light painting on my own in dark, lonely studios I’ve decided to relaunch LightPainting.org as a community site. We have forums, galleries and articles to help you get started. Membeship is free and you can sign up here: Register.” There are tutorials, forums, blogs and galleries.
There is also advice on making light painting images even if you do not have expensive equipment
Abduzeedo also has a tutorial page with images that you will find useful, you can never have too much information!
We had great response and traffic to our last short post on light painting that I thought a few more nuggets of help and tutorials would be in order
Here are a variety of tutorials
This an easy to follow video tutorial Have fun
Oxford School of Photography 
