Reddit mentions of Rosco The Strobist Collection, Strobist 55 Piece Cinegel Filter Kit with Lumiquest Gel Filter Holder, 1.5 x 3.25 inches to fit most Shoe Mount Strobes

I'm going to use some photos from an earlier comment to illustrate some of my favorite methods and tools. If I'm not fully clear on anything please call me out on it.


Picture 1:

We'll start at the beginning. This is one of the first light paintings I did. Just an LED flashlight pointed at the ground to create parallel lines walking through a field. You can use flashlights as subjects or to light up other subjects. In this picture it's both.

Picture 2:

Building on picture 1. This is a flashlight taped to the end of a translucent plastic tube. What I used for the picture was an empty plotter paper roll and looked very similar to this homemade lightsaber. Strength and type of flashlight will get you different results but this is another way to disperse light and get interesting/unique shapes.

Picture 3:

Two things here:

1.) Light on the ground plane is the plotter paper tube again, this time with a different flashlight. It was weaker, hence the softer edges and gave off a bluer light.

2.) The fiery circle is made by putting fine steel wool (grade 000 or 0000 is what is I usually use) in a whisk, lighting it on fire, and spinning it around on a cord. You can light it using a lighter, 9V battery, or just shoving a lit match into it. It doesn't have to be actually flaming when you start spinning it. As long as there's a spark or two in there it'll work fine. Obviously, THIS IS A FIRE HAZARD, I lit some bits of field on fire the first time I did it. I always try to do it after rain or in paved areas. Also make sure you wear a hood when you spin. Otherwise sparks will fall on your head and will go down your shirt.

Picture 4:

So there's the steel wool again, make orbs by turning slowly in a circle while spinning. The colors on the wall are made using a flash and color gels. These are the ones I think I have but I doubt I paid $20 for them so I'm sure you can find some cheaper somewhere. I had to shoot the a bunch of times with each gel to actually get the color to show, that's all the bright points you can see in between each color.

I was trying to get more out of the star trails on this one but as you can see they're pretty unimpressive. I have yet to figure out a way to get good star trail shots so if you can get it let me know.

Picture 5:

More fire. Fireworks are great subjects. I've found it's easy to overexpose pictures of them though so I usually compensate by shooting them with a low ISO. I believe the ones in this picture are bottle rockets but they might be roman candles. The building itself was lit with a flashlight.

Picture 6

The 'ribbons' on the ground in this picture were made using the same glow stick that I used for the original post. I tied it to the other end of the string I use to spin steel wool and walked back and forth while bouncing it a little. I explained this before as the same motion you would use teasing a cat with a piece of string but I'm still not convinced that's the best metaphor.

Also, try playing with your white balance. It can have a major effect on the overall hue of your photos. Notice how pictures 1, 2, 4, and the original post are very red (especially in the sky) while pictures 3, 5, and 6 have a lot more blue in them? Changing the white balance will let you control how your camera processes (not sure if thats the right word, maybe 'interprets'?) data making it possible contrast or complement the color of whatever tools you're using.

Good luck and have fun!

Something like this? Is the filter holder worth the extra $8? I'm using a Yongnuo YN-560 flash.

Yeah, my Roscoe gel pack has blacks and grays. Never used them myself, but perhaps you would want to create some kind of gradient by only covering part of the light source?!