Write or Draw with Light!

Step 1: Set Up

Get your camera a nice place to sit and aim it at a spot about 10-15 ft away where you will easily be able to draw your picture.

Take a regular shutter speed shot in the light to make sure that your spot is in focus (see picture)

Set your camera's shutter speed (you'll have to set your camera for manual mode) - I use 30 seconds most of the time

Either turn on a time delay or set the shutter speed to compensate for the time it takes to walk 10-15 feet away.

Grab your flashlight and shut the lights out.

Comments

[heykaty]

how to set the time delay? i'm just a beginner at SLRs

[nkk07]

this isnt working ive got a 10 second delay and it wont work and my flashlight is pretty bright.p.s. the picture turns up black (no light)

[T3h_Muffinator]

that's really odd... are you sure that it's a 10 second frame exposure and not a 10 second timer delay? The delay would just give you enough time to run out and turn around, then take a normal picture.

[tubbychick3n]

i have been able to do this with two digital cameras. if only i could set exposure time on my phone camera.

[nkk07]

its a time delay how do i get the exposure setting?

[Keanan]

Try to find manual settings. You want to make the shutter speed slower. Say 5-16 seconds .

[T3h_Muffinator]

No, a time delay is a timer for taking a picture. The picture will be the same, but it will wait 10 seconds after you push the shutter trigger until it actually opens the shutter.

[redrobin]

Try Halloween "sparklers" as well, much more festive.

[T3h_Muffinator]

You can use anything that emits light as a light source!

[Punkguyta]

what about your laptop? hehe. don't drop it!

[T3h_Muffinator]

Haha! I suppose you could use that too!

[Punkguyta]

Have you ever seen one of those "plasma" screen savers? Imagine having that going and waving that around. I say you do it.

[T3h_Muffinator]

The only laptop I have is a super-old dell that doesn't have a battery. I guess I could get an extension cord....

It's really too bad that I have about 50,000 tests coming up... So many good ideas, so little time =/

[Punkguyta]

If I had a camera, I happen to have a school laptop that I don't care what happens to, It mysteriosly stops working and I get a new one. But I'd rather not go through that :-P. I got a 450mhz toshiba satellite. But I took the display apart awhile ago and I set the ccfl tube on the floor and somehow manage to step on it.

[T3h_Muffinator]

Sigh v.v How things always seem to get the breaks on the floors.... Are you in college?

[Punkguyta]

Grade 12 highschool, close though. And yes, DAMN THE FLOORS, WHY MUST THEY BREAK OUR VALUABLES!?!!? *Screams the DisGruntled old man at the back of the deli line*

[T3h_Muffinator]

haha! What colleges are you applying to/have gotten in to/ wanted to get in to?

[Punkguyta]

Funny you ask, I'm planning on taking 4 or so years off after to save some money up. I'm not even sure I want to go to college, seems like a lot of work for a load of bullshit.

[T3h_Muffinator]

Ahhh, I see. Those four years off sound like fun =)

I don't think college is BS though... to me it's more of a way to study a really specific topic that you're really, really interested in, and then apply it to the real world. Plus, if you want to get a high salary job, I suggest going to college.

[Punkguyta]

That's basically what I meant, the amount of studying of a really particular topic seems like bs to me. But I'll probably will get going anyways. But you seem like a cool guy, if you wanted I could pm you my email adress so we can talk smuts on msn. I need some "light shined" on a optical project I have.

[T3h_Muffinator]

Wow, this is a really late response, but yeah, sure, I'd love to help/talk -Muffin

[Punkguyta]

I'm making a diy projector if you have any experiance with that kind of thing, although it's been held off for a quite while.

[IAE]

So the picture will be taken in 25 seconds or during 25 seconds???

[T3h_Muffinator]

The shutter opens for a total of 25 seconds, so that would be during 25 seconds, I guess.