Light Painting
A month ago I took two four-four photography classes. One simple trick I learned was light painting — you put your camera on a tripod, go out in the dark with a good flashlight, open the shutter for a minute or two, and while it is open, you just point the light beam on an object and move it around. The camera captures the light and you get some interesting results!
On this first one, the log obviously wasn’t going to move, but the leaves were blowing around a little, and I think that gave it a nice painterly effect.
Log reflection.
On this one, I was propping the camera on a cooler instead of a tripod, and wiggled it a little. The tree looks like it’s shivering to me.
Creepy trees.
On this next one, initially the background looked completely black. But the Levels adjustment in Photoshop Elements lightened the sky and made the trees in the background visible.
Dried plants and pine trees.
This next one looks like a stage set to me, for A Midsummer Night’s Dream or something about fairies.
Forest glade.
I used the Color Saturation and Hue Adjustment menus in Photoshop to make this one more lively.
Greenbriar and branches.
It’s a fun way to get some photos when the days are short and the nights are long!
I like those. They conjure up some possibilities. Try pointing the light toward the camera and moving it around. Paint your self in the view. Etc.
Which camera did you use? My powershot will only go to 10 sec I think.
It was the powershot. About 2 years ago I was trying to capture flowing water, so I tried setting the shutter for a long time, and like you, I could only get it for 10 sec. or something. But when I tried it this time, I was able to set it for 1 minute or longer. Maybe it knows how dark it is?? I hate when technology thinks it knows better than me, but I have had that issue with the camera before. It’s like it won’t let me make a bad setting, even if I just want to try something.
I will have to mess with it and try to fool it. Manuals don’t always show the possibilities.