Judging by the amount of photos I have on my hard drives, I think I may have become addicted to using a fractal filter. The filter itself is cheap at only £20 but the results I get from it appeal to my liking for all things abstract.
I've found that using a fractal filter also appeals to my preference for experimentation in lightpainting. As I learned to light paint years ago, the techniques were a mystery and we were left to work out how some lightpainting techniques were created. It was great fun to experiment and over the years the techniques became less mysterious. So when a new toy comes along and the possibilities it gives, it re-ignites that sense of wonder or discovery.
This is a quick sample of fractalised images.
In the beer barrel loading bay
We managed to get back in to an abandoned brewery in daylight and under the loading bay areas it was dark, perfect for throwing smoke pellets and firing flashguns.
Spiral
The fractal filter can throw up some unexpected results of randomness. Here I wanted a figure or point of interest in the shot and the model's head seems to have disappeared or intersected by the cuts of defraction.
Staircase
This is the same spiral staircase as the above shot but without a figure. This was a bucket list shot in my head for ages but when I got the chance to shoot it I was disappointed in that it didn't look as good as I was expecting. So I pulled out the fractal filter and bang! Way better with than without!
The Night of the Light Whip
Lightpainters have a certain amount of OCD. I don't believe it's real OCD as in the clinical type but lightpainters like to be precise. This isn't precise and is nowhere near accurate as I would have liked it to be but this is the best I got after 10 attempts!!
Rejected
This is actually a rejected image where the kinetic movement of the camera was out of focus. In between shooting the different elements,, it's easy to knock the focus ring on the lens and mess up the shot.
Smokin'
Even the very simple to set up shots look great with a fractal filter. This is a no frills throw of a smoke pellet and firing of a flashgun with a gel attached.
A puzzle
Sometimes using a fractal filter yields unexpected results. Here I spun a circle of light around the back of the model expecting the circle to enclose the figure completely. I realised that the subject has to be on the centre line and the camera level to get the best effect.
Always learning with lightpainting....
Kai plays the drums
This was an unexpected photo opportunity. After a photoshoot in a studio, the owner Kai set up his drum kit under a rainfall set. With water pouring down from the ceiling, Kai banged away on his drums while us photographers snapped away. Not wanting to come away with the same images as everyone else, I quickly attached the fractal filter!
About me:
I usually specialise in shooting lightpainting images but occasionally dabble in urbex and artistic model photography. I'm always on the lookout for someone to collaborate with; please don't hesitate to get in touch if you'd like to create art.
Social Media
https://www.facebook.com/fastchrisuk
https://www.flickr.com/photos/fastchris/
Lightpainting is a photographic technique in which exposures are made by moving a hand-held light source while taking a long exposure photograph, either to illuminate a subject or to shine a point of light directly at the camera, or by moving the camera itself during exposure. Nothing is added or removed in post processing.
If you would like to see more lightpainting please give the Lightpainters United Community a follow and you will be introduced into the illuminating world of light painting!
If you want to see more examples of lightpainting, feel free to check out these guys:
Mafu Fuma | Oddballgraphics | FadetoBlack | DAWN | Mart Barras | Stefan Stepke | Nikolay Trebukhin | Lee Todd | Stabeu Light | Maxime Pateau | Stephen Sampson | lightandlense | Neil Rushby | L.A.C.E.
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