A longtime photography friend came by for a quick evening visit – Ole, all the way from Ukraine, just for a short stop. We managed to squeeze in a quick photo session.

I had a technique in mind for a while that I wanted to try out.
In this shot, you see her personal and proud expression of support for her country. I simply helped give it visual form.

For me, this isn't about politics. War is messed up – always, everywhere, no matter the reasons or sides. So let’s leave that aside and focus on the photography moment we shared.

Worn out from the ongoing war, Ole has been through a lot, not so much physically but recognizable – especially with her son. She didn’t leave the country during the so-called 10-day “special operation,” and now leaving isn’t really an viable option anymore.

She has no clear sense of how long this will continue, so she’s mentally preparing for a long, drawn-out situation that affects every part of her life. All this is anyone's guess. From here on &. Right now, it’s all about survival.

All I could do was support her in her message – with my camera and one evening to channel her deep connection and care for her country.

In this shot, I tested a new tool: a small pocket projector. I used it to project a simple image – the Ukrainian flag and its iconic symbol – onto a surface, creating a visual layer to express her message.

If you’ve been following me for a while, you might recognize a few of these shots – they’re all featuring Ole. She’s incredibly versatile in front of the camera. Every session with her turned out completely different.

Here you see that tiny little projector I used.

The cool thing with this little projector – like many others – is that it has a small flap in front of the lens. You can open and close it manually, which lets you control the light super easily.

Just flip it open for a second, then close it – done. The image gets “burned in” just right.

Here’s the first full test where I pulled everything together in one Light Painting. I started by lighting her torso in soft blue and yellow tones — the colors of the Ukrainian flag. Then I projected the Tryzub, that iconic trident symbol, directly onto her chest and gave it just enough time to burn in. To build some visual energy around it, I grabbed the fiber brush and worked in a few glowing strokes and set some glowy spots on her skin that gave the impression of a force field or some kind of charge radiating from her / the symbol. Finally, I added a bit of light on her face and body so she’d be clearly visible in the frame.

The full single exposure took 73.2 seconds. I shot it at ISO 100, with the lens closed down to f/18 and set at a focal length of 67mm. Not bad for a first complete run — things are starting to come together.

Looking at the final result, it almost feels like she’s wearing some kind of light armor — a protective shell built from color, symbol, and energy. The way the Tryzub sits glowing on her chest, surrounded by these softly charged lines, gives the image a sense of inner strength and defiance. It’s not aggressive, not loud, but clearly powerful. Like a shield made of light — quiet, personal, and full of meaning.

This was the shot where I felt — yes, this might be it. All the effects came together just right. The light strokes and glowing dots from the fiber brush added so much movement and texture, almost like sparks or particles in the air. They wrapped around the projected flag and Tryzub in a way that made the whole scene feel alive. The shapes and patterns here give off something positive — like she’s not just wearing light, but actually receiving energy from it. A moment of calm power and silent strength.

The procedure too 85.5 seconds while the Camera was set to ISO 100 and the Lens a F18 with a focal lenght of 67mm.

This was what I hoped for and I do like the results very much. This shot then was the perfect cherry on top.

Thank you Ole.