DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 4/17/14: Big Horn
Location: Zion, UT.
Settings: F5.6, ISO 100, 203 second exposure.
My sister suggested doing an Aries ram for my birthday light painting. This one is for all the other Aries out there. Happy birthday to all of you - Ram on.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 4/16/14: Bones of Zion
Location: Zion, UT.
Settings: 13 vertical images stitched together - shot at F5.6, ISO 100, for around 81 second exposures each.
This is a huge image file. The best view would take up your fullscreen.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 4/15/14: Blood Moon 2014
Location: Los Angeles, CA.
Settings: Composite of 10 images, shot with a 300mm lens around F22, ISO 3200, 1 second exposure.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 4/14/14: Saber-toothed Cat
Location: Zion National Park, Utah.
Settings: F5.6, ISO 100, 184 second exposure.
One of my favorite light paintings from the trip. The color blends and texture on this saber-toothed cat make it stand out.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 4/13/14: Zion at Night
Location: Zion National Park, Utah.
Settings: F2.8, ISO 3200, 16 second exposure.
Had the pleasure of visiting Zion over the past few days, and it was a light painter's dream come true! I saw surreal locations almost everywhere I turned, with rock sculpted over millions of years. There were layers upon layers of interesting geological formations with a big bright moon lighting up the entire landscape. I can't wait to share more over the next week or so, it was a truly amazing place.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 4/8/14: Ostrich Bones
Location: Joshua Tree, CA.
Settings: F7.1, ISO 100, 155 second exposure.
One of the coolest locations I've had the pleasure of shooting back in 2012 had these old light-up motel signs around the property. You could flick them on with a switch located at the back of the house. There must have been 6 functioning signs scattered around the lot. The owner requested the signs not be left on very long due to the amount of electricity they used.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 4/7/14: Fire Skull
Location: Lake Arrowhead, CA.
Settings: F2.8, ISO 100, 61 second exposure.
Light painting with a candle.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 4/4/14: Peace Beach
Location: Santa Cruz, CA.
Settings: Point and shoot with the Yashica T4 35mm camera.
Film tones are where it's at - warm, moody, analog.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 4/3/14: LA pre-storm
Location: Griffith Observatory - Los Angeles, CA.
Settings: F2.8, iso 100, 1/1600th of a second exposure.
Held up an umbrella from where I was to shoot this one.. That doesn't happen often in LA.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 4/2/14: Hood Alleyway
Location: Glassel Park, CA.
Settings: F2.8, iso 100, 130 second exposure.
Word to the wise - never venture down a hood alleyway. You never know who you will find, and what it could cost you.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 3/28/14: Snakebites
Location: Old LA Zoo - Griffith Park - Los Angeles, CA.
Settings: F5.6, iso 200, 362 second exposure.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 3/27/14: Rasta Lion
Location: Old LA Zoo - Griffith Park - Los Angeles, CA.
Settings: F5.6, iso 100, 287 second exposure.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 3/26/14: Purple People Eater
Location: Old LA Zoo - Griffith Park - Los Angeles, CA.
Settings: F5.6, iso 200, 202 second exposure.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 3/25/14: Carbon Footprint
Location: El Segundo, CA.
Settings: F7.1, iso 100, 31 second exposure.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 3/24/14: Holding Hands in Death Valley
Location: Death Valley, CA.
Settings: F3.5, iso 1600, 4 second exposure.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 3/23/14: OK
Location: Anza Borrego Desert, CA.
Settings: F22, iso 100, 65 second exposure.
Hope your weekend is going well and everything is A-OK.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 3/22/14: Rapture
Location: Mulholland Dr. - Hollywood, CA.
Settings: F5.6, iso 100, 53 second exposure.
A little help from a friend on this one, I manned the rapture technique while my buddy Mike Brown did the surface painting in the foreground.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 3/21/14: Surf Champ
Location: Santa Monica Beach - Los Angeles, CA.
Settings: F5.6, iso 200, 46 second exposure.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 3/20/14: Celebrity Deathmatch
Location: Mulholland Dr. - Hollywood, CA.
Settings: F11, iso 100, 106 second exposure.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 3/19/14: Making Peace with the Moon
Location: Death Valley, CA.
Settings: 12 vertical shots at F3.5, iso 3200, 10 second exposure.
You can spot my shadow in the lower left, that should give the image some sense of scale. Strange to think that the moon on the right is making the shadow on the left.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 3/18/14: Prism People
Location: Eagle Rock, CA.
Settings: F13, iso 100, 67 second exposure.
To learn a new technique, sometimes you have to tinker around with different methods in a trial and error fashion.. Without any real concept of what the end result should look like. Case in point, this rainbow bokeh effect: it wasn't until after the first 40 photos that I had anything I was remotely stoked on. But then after a few corrections and honing in on what worked and leaving out what didn't, things got interesting. Can't wait to use this technique out on location!
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 3/17/14: Moon Pupil
Location: Anza Borrego, CA.
Settings: F7.1, iso 200, 108 second exposure.
I can't tell you how difficult this was to do.. I had the idea to light paint an eye and use the moon as it's pupil for a little while now, and this hill in the desert provided the perfect opportunity to make it happen. That said, climbing a steep hill in the desert during near pitch-black conditions is tough! Of course the first exposure didn't work either, so I climbed back down to the bottom of the hill, and up again for another try. It doesn't even look that impressive really.. If I didn't tell you it was the moon, you might imagine it was just another white light. In short, the moon cannot be tamed easily!
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 3/15/14: Central Coast
Location: Secret Spot, PCH - Big Sur, CA.
Settings: 35mm film - Yashica T4, iso 400.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 3/14/14: Laser Pyramid
Location: Angeles Crest Highway - Los Angeles, CA.
Settings: F5.6, iso 1600, 34 second exposure.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 3/13/14: Austin Graffyard
Location: Graffyard - Austin, TX.
Settings: F13, iso 100, 361 second exposure.
Wish I was at SXSW today. This photo was from a trip I took last year, great city.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 3/12/14: Spring Flowers
Location: Angeles Crest Highway - Los Angeles, CA.
Settings: 6 vertical images, F9, iso 100, ~100 second exposures.
My girlfriend helped out with the blue flowers, you can kind of see her ghosting in to the right of the frame.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 3/11/14: The Stranger
Location: Sepulveda Dam - Los Angeles, CA.
Settings: Variable F13, iso 100, 209 second exposure.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 3/10/14: Juvenile Pterodactyl
Location: Angeles Crest Hwy - Los Angeles, CA.
Settings: Variable Fstop (F13-F5.6), iso 100, 183 second exposure.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 3/9/14: Flowers for the Deceased
Location: Glendale, CA.
Settings: F8, iso 100, 283 second exposure.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 3/8/14: Goodtimes in Anza Borrego
Location: Anza Borrego, CA.
Settings: 16 vertical shots at F14, iso 100, 1 second exposures.
Blue hour pano of the environment and some happy campers.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 3/7/14: Nocturnal Souls
Location: Los Angeles, CA.
Settings: 6 vertical shots at F8, iso 100, ~167 second exposures.
This place is huge, and I really wanted to use the insane depth in a light painting panorama. I used that little blue skateboard you can see toward the middle of frame if you look closely - skating from one illustration to the next. It must have been a strange scene for the helicopter that flew by us.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 3/6/14: Making Peace with Traffic
Location: Los Angeles, CA.
Settings: F8, iso 100, 86 second exposure.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 3/5/14: Singing to the Stars
Location: Mesquite Sand Dunes - Death Valley, CA.
Settings: F11, iso 400, 139 second exposure.
Sparkler and blue gel spotlight.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 3/4/14: Lava
Location: La Jolla Coves - San Diego, CA.
Settings: F5.6, iso 1600, 15 second exposure.
Red gel filter over flash.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 3/3/14: Three Sided
Location: The Valley - Los Angeles, CA.
Settings: 23 shots at F2.8, iso 100, 10 second exposures.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 3/2/14: Laying Down Tracks
Location: Portland, OR.
Settings: F7.1, iso 100, 168 second exposure.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 3/1/14: Vast
Location: Big Sur, CA.
Settings: 16 shots at F3.5, iso 3200, 30 second exposures.
No light paintings this time around, and I anticipate a bit more digging through the archives as this storm in LA continues. Case in point, this panorama of the milky way I shot in November of 2013. It's impossible not to look up at the sky during a night like this and not wonder what else is out there amongst the galaxies in such clear view but so distant and unknown to civilization.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 2/28/14: LA Woman
Location: Los Angeles, CA.
Settings: F2, iso 100, 4 second exposure.
Model: Jordan Steinert
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 2/27/14: Corythosaurus
Location: Natural Bridges - Santa Cruz, CA.
Settings: F6.3, iso 100, 273 second exposure.
I like how life-like these light-fossils are looking. Years ago, I was lucky to get the illustrated bones to line up correctly, and often times it took me 30 or more tries in a night just to get one light painting! Now they come with ease and are even starting to have a little personality. This fellow looks like he's just spotted something in the distance.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 2/26/14: Riders on the Storm
Location: Los Angeles, CA.
Settings: 5 vertical images - each at F13, iso 100, ~ 127 second exposures.
Looks like LA may get some much needed rain tonight. Hiked to this viewpoint in Griffith Park as a last ditch effort to get another light painting panorama in before we have a proper storm on our hands. This song is perfect for when rain falls in LA.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 2/25/14: Planet Danger
Location: Outskirts of Death Valley, CA.
Settings: F6.3, iso 100, 1/180 second exposure.
I do the art for a clothing company called 'Danger Brand' and whenever we travel, we bring along these Danger characters. This one's name is Dash - an angry alien that gets upset easily and make a big deal over nothing. This spot suited him perfectly, it was isolated.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 2/24/14: 5 bag-o-bones and a natural bridge
Location: Natural Bridges - Santa Cruz, CA.
Settings: 5 vertical images shot at F5.6, iso 100, ~82 second exposures each.
Light painting panoramas are quickly becoming my new favorite.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 2/23/14: Shattered
Location: Bay Area, CA.
Settings: F2.0, iso 100, 1/160 second exposure.
Abandoned church.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 2/22/14: Pool Party
Location: Bay Area, CA.
Settings: Panorama, 5 exposures.
What a rad place with lots of potential. Will have to visit again at night to light paint something in the near future.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 2/21/14: Camptosaurus
Location: Harbor Lighthouse - Santa Cruz, CA.
Settings: F6.3, iso 100, 446 second exposure.
The whole time I was light painting this dinosaur, I couldn't help shake the feeling that a rogue wave would come out of nowhere and take me out! Maybe that is why this little fellow is looking over it's shoulder.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 2/20/14: Slug Life
Location: Natural Bridges State Beach - Santa Cruz, CA.
Settings: F5.6, iso 100, 138 second exposure.
The Banana Slug - My bright yellow light-painted college mascot enjoys a moonlit night at the local beach. If you haven't seen one of these animals yet, it's time you should. They hang out in areas like Big Sur, Big Basin, and Santa Cruz - real environmentalist types.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 2/19/14: Lambeosaurus
Location: Natural Bridges State Beach - Santa Cruz, CA.
Settings: F5.6, iso 100, 454 second exposure.
These trees looked so great in the moonlight, I had to pay homage with a proper light-fossil light painting.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 2/18/14: Santa Cruz
Location: Harbor Lighthouse - Santa Cruz, CA.
Settings: F8, iso 100, 75 second exposure.
Took a trip up the coast this past weekend to Santa Cruz. I love the mellow vibe of this place. If the real estate wasn't so expensive, I'd consider moving there.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 2/14/14: Love Birds
Location: Spring Valley, CA.
Settings: F6.3, iso 100, 68 second exposure.
Happy Valentines Day! My girl and I did our own light painting self-portraits :)
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 2/13/14: Light Yeti
Location: Mammoth Mountain, CA.
Settings: F7.1, iso 100, 152 second exposure.
Simple line drawing light painting.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 2/12/14: May the Road Rise Up to Meet You
Location: Anza Borrego, CA.
Settings: Point and shoot, Yashica T4 35mm camera.
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 2/11/14: Slow Burn
Location: Malibu Creek - Malibu, CA.
Settings: F7.1, iso 100, 299 second exposure.
It's rare for me to get to collaborate with another long exposure photographer, but when I do, the results are always unexpected. This is true for when I met up with fellow photographer/filmmaker Erik Smith. For this shot, he had brought a wetsuit with him and braved the cold water to light off the steel wool on the island rock in the distance shown here. Always an adventure!
DAILY LIGHT LEAK - 2/10/14: Hat & Cane
Location: Forest Lawn - Glendale, CA.
Settings: F14, iso 100, 171 second exposure.
When light painting at the local cemetery, always show some class.
If you're curious about my photographic process, or just want to try light painting for yourself, click the bar below for a video tutorial and explanation:
Themed image sets:
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