Light Painting with Orbs and Steel Wool had been on my list of “awesome things I must do” ever since I saw a photograph of someone twirling steel wool. Finally, last night, in an old disused factory guided by the highly knowledgeable and fantastic Bill and Deanne Holmer. I scratched that itch and then some.

Lightpainting Tools

We started with a brief chat on what they use. Just about all of which is made by themselves, from your everyday household items (think secret love children of McGyver). This was followed by the critical safety message of ‘don’t fall in any holes. Being a disused factory frequented by morons who can’t stand the sight of an unbroken window, there was glass and debris everywhere. And lots of holes that used to once house equipment footings etc.,  Bill twirled and swirled his lights, spun the wool to many encores.

Follow the Leader

We lined up in front with tripods and snapped away. We were all using bulb mode, with Bill calling when to “shutter open and shutter off”. I hadn’t used bulb before, and it was fun to do. And something I plan to do more of. At the end of the group shooting, we broke off into smaller groups and, using their lights, experimented some more.

Orbs

I had moved off to photograph an old car as we played lights over it. Bill joined us and quickly set up a new scene. The shutter is on, light up the car, play red lights over it, then blue lights on the wall. Follow this up with an EL wire coil that glows and looks like smoke due to the motion blur. The end effect was incredible and something I wouldn’t have known how to do without his help.

They forgot one crucial safety warning: Caution, light painting can be addictive!