Double Single - Lightpainting on Hive

During the numerous 365 projects I have completed, my daily shot has been heavily weighted towards long exposure Light Painting. One area of this I particularly enjoy is double exposures. Wiith film photography you would expose a roll of film then wind it back and expose again. The closest us digital shooting Lightpainters have (without cheating) is the lens cap trick. You shoot the first element and whilst the shutter is still open you replace the lens cap, recompose and remove it again. Usually to fill in the dark areas left from the first half of the exposure. It's a super fun technique and the key to achieving more complex pieces.

One area I have been drawn to is to link the subject from both halves of the exposure. The title shot is an example of this and one of the ones I feel has worked the best. Here is the write up of the shot with some technical details...

Lauren finished her current job and left for a new school where she has her very own class. The teachers gave her a farewell gift of some lovely flowers and whilst daydreaming about tonight's shot they caught my eye in their vase on the windowsill.

Since the double I did with a strawberry earlier this year I've been looking for other subjects which would work in the same way.

I framed up the flowers in the kitchen, Nikon 20mm on the Sony, who's closest focus is 20cm away from the sensor which for such a wide angle lens is pretty cool. Once happy with the best way to fill my head I set up tripod 2 in the front room and the Super Takomar 135mm seated on the Sony. A large white bedsheet clamped to the curtain rail, flash on full power aimed in parallel with me and the camera so as to remain hidden and create my silhouette whilst I smelt the flower.

Once in position I turned the lights off and fired the shutter/flash creating my silhouette. Next up I swapped lenses and tripods then removed the lens cap before lighting the bunch of flowers with the www.lightpaintingbrushes portrait scanner.

Minor tinkering in LR for mobile and job done. All shot during a single long exposure in complete darkness.

This is the shot which got it all started..

I caught Riley plowing through his own body weight in Strawberries. You'll turn into a bloody strawberry! Is the kind of thing I catch myself saying to Riley which reminds me of the kinds of thing my parents used to say to me when I was overindulging.
Back-lit me about to eat a Strawberry then a tripod swap to the Strawberry on the table, focus and aperture change and lit using a small focused torch then a quick sweep with the LP Brushes blue filter and hood attachment.
Shot using a very versatile Nikon 60mm Macro lens Chris T very kindly lent me a while back. Cheers buddy.

Here are a few more shots based around the same technique which I hope you enjoy...

I spent more time on this shot than I ever spend reading a book.

Autumnal vibes using a fallen leaf.

This one has a slightly different technique as there is no silhouette but still falls in the same category.

I hope you enjoyed this series and if you have any suggestions for ideas to help me shoot more of these feel free to let me know.

As always if these, or any of my other shots raise any questions about technique please drop me a line.

Enjoy the remainder of the weekend and take care.

Happy days.

For more examples of innovative and original lightpainting including camera rotation photography, check these lightpainters: @fastchrisuk @dawnoner @lacelight @mafufuma @oddballgraphics @lichtkunstfoto @martbarras @stefan.stepko @rod.evans.visual @yo-hoho @maxpateau These chaps are amongst the best there is!