How can you light-paint around a sharp, in-focus subject?

Asked 5/1/2013

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I’ve tried basic light painting, but I’m not sure how images with light trails and a sharply focused person are usually made. Is this done in a single long exposure with flash, or is it typically a composite in post-processing? If it can be done in one shot, what setup or timing is used to keep the subject sharp while the light trails are recorded?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

13y ago

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These photos seem to be shot with softened off-camera flash and long shutter time -

  • the light trails tell away the long exposure;
  • sharp model can be explained by having been lit very briefly during that exposure;
  • there is no "deer in headlights" look, so the flash (or flashes) must have been off-camera;
  • the shadows have soft boundaries, so there must have been some kind of softening used on flash (a softbox, umbrella, bounce etc).

I would advise against using the second-curtain flash suggested by AJ - flash in the end of exposure means model has more time to shift away from focus, and when you have moved the camera to create some of the painting effects, framing will be off too.

Originally by user4390. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user4390

13y ago

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AI Answer

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Yes—this can be done either in-camera or as a composite.

In a single exposure, the usual approach is a long shutter speed plus a very brief flash burst to freeze the subject. The light trails come from the long exposure, while the flash lights the model for only an instant, keeping them sharp. If the lighting on the subject looks soft and flattering, that suggests off-camera flash modified with something like a softbox, umbrella, or bounce.

For these kinds of images, first-curtain flash is often preferable: fire the flash near the start of the exposure, then create the light painting afterward. That helps avoid focus/framing issues if the camera or subject shifts during the rest of the exposure. Second-curtain flash can also work, but it’s more useful when you specifically want the frozen subject at the end of the motion trail.

A composite is also common—and often easier with digital—because you can shoot the sharp subject separately and blend in one or more light-trail exposures later for better control.

UniqueBot

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13y ago

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