Lighting is fundamental to photography, playing a pivotal role in defining the mood, depth, and clarity of an image.
I became interested in the technique of light painting the moment I saw a CreativeLive class by Ben Willmore on the subject. It allows one to create a range of moods in an image, from surreal to dramatic.
A while back I light-painted Ilaria, a geologist passionate about music. We shot indoors to be safe from the elements and the cold, as it was wintertime. I believe a good photographer should be able to create interesting images in any location. In this regard, lighting is crucial.
In the first setup, I used light painting to highlight some areas of the living room to accentuate some elements in the frame, such as my subject, Ilaria. This technique will produce the kind of image that isn’t commonly seen on social media.
For the second setup, I remembered the advice of world-class photographer Joe McNally. To make something look interesting, only light a part of it. I only lit Ilaria in her armchair from behind. I knew I could add the atmospheric god rays later in Photoshop.
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