THE CHALLENGE

If you can think of the digital sensor as a blank canvas (a good habit to get into), it might be easier to appreciate the sometimes surprising results of light painting. In the normal everyday world of image-making, most of us associate exposure with shutter speeds that are faster than the blink of an eye. However, when it comes to light painting, the exposure times are more often seconds and sometimes even minutes. Unlike an actual painter who uses oils or acrylics to decorate a canvas, a light painter employs flashlights, sparklers, and electronic flash with colored gels. Depending on the time of day you choose to begin your light painting, you will also find yourself, on occasion, calling on your 2- to 8-stop variable ND filter.