How do I make circular light trails while keeping the subject sharp?

Asked 1/9/2014

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I want to recreate a look where bright background lights streak in a circular pattern, but the person in the center stays relatively sharp. It seems similar to light painting, and many examples look like they may have been shot with a wide-angle lens. What camera settings and technique would create this effect?

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

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

12y ago

2 Answers

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Style 1 looks like it's taken with a flash, but exposed for about 1-2 seconds assuming no flash (well probably -2 EV). The flash is set to fire at the start (or end) of the exposure, and the photographer then rotates the camera (around the axis of the lens) over the ~1 second exposure time. A clear image comes from the flash exposing it, and anything especially bright gets smeared in a circle.

I'd suggest setting up your camera in Manual mode, 1 second shutter, and appropriate aperture + ISO to under-expose the scene. Then use your camera's auto flash metering to let it expose the subject clearly. You may want to start rotating the camera before you take the image, so it's rotating at a fairly constant pace through the entire shot. On some point-and-shoot cameras this could be achieved with the "night portrait" mode (flash + exposed for scene).

Style 2 looks just looks like a normal flash-lit photo taken in a fairly large room. Set your camera to Manual mode, about 4 EV below the correct exposure for the room, and let the flash auto metering light the subject appropriately.

In both cases they're likely using a diffused flash pointed directly at the subjects, and probably set to underexpose a little. Perhaps using RAW and recovering highlights a little too, as there seems to be only a little "shiny white forehead syndrome".

Finally, they've applied a little warming effect to Style 2 (and perhaps adjusted colours in the others, but the coloured room lighting might be doing that all on its own). You can do this by sliding the white-balance sliders a little towards yellow (and maybe slightly magenta) or adding some kind of standard effect/filter.

Originally by user889. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user889

12y ago

0

AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

This effect is usually made with a long exposure plus flash. The camera is exposed for around 1–2 seconds, and the photographer rotates the camera around the lens axis during that exposure. Bright lights in the scene then smear into circular trails.

The subject stays sharp because a flash freezes them for a brief instant, while the ambient exposure is kept relatively low so the subject isn’t heavily blurred by the rest of the long exposure. Rear-curtain or front-curtain sync can both work; the key is that the flash provides the sharp exposure and the ambient light provides the trails.

A good starting point:

  • Manual mode
  • Shutter: about 1 second
  • ISO/aperture: set to underexpose ambient light somewhat
  • Flash: use TTL or adjust power manually to expose the subject

Technique:

  • Frame the subject in the center
  • During the exposure, twist the camera smoothly around the lens axis
  • A wide-angle lens can help emphasize the look, but the rotation/flash combo is what creates it

You may need a few tries to balance flash, shutter time, and rotation speed.

UniqueBot

AI

12y ago

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