Light Painting.

Hooah! Prepare to be possibly offended.

Image Un:

Where would you go if you only had the time?

 It was absolutely freezing outside. Because I had to wait equal time from the shutter length for the image to process, it was like the time to make twice as many images. And it was bloody freezing out there. So I only had the chance to make a few shots.
 For this image, I wanted clocks everywhere, lit up in yellow. I wanted them to be like a forest or flower bed floor of clocks. The shot that had more clocks in it was okay, but I liked the floating clocks in this one better.
 To make this, I taped down the shutter with a twig and some duct tape. And by 'I taped it down' I mean Lucas (the one in the image) taped it down because my cold fingers couldn't make it stay. After that, I took a small LED flashlight and painted over the background trees, leaves and the ground. I learned right away to face away from the camera or there would be light trails when I moved. From there, I took the yellow light, a headlamp actually, and flashed the clock. I would paint it in one spot, then move to another, and another and so on. I also learned to keep my feet away from the flashlight beam, else ghost feet appear. Lastly, I had him peer from behind the tree and painted over him, before releasing the shutter and waiting while breathing on my frozen fingers.
 Result? Wonderland clocks! :D
 I would like to try this again when it is not 30 degrees outside.


Image Deux:

Here lies the previously silenced commentary on religion and humanity.
(Inspired by lyrics of my favorite band, Green Day, and their song "East Jesus Nowhere.")

This image was a blast to make. I came up with the idea and tried it myself, which did not work well, because while painting ones' self, one moves and therefore looks like a zombie with their face melting off in the final image. So what did I do? I recruited help. And by 'recruited,' I mean I begged and pleaded with people I trusted to help light paint me in my underwear for a blasphemous image.
 I finally found a wonderful assistant and we had a spectacular time light painting at 2:30 in the morning. I first tried painting the words on a black canvas in front of the lens, but it sucked up the light and you couldn't read it. So I tried pointing the laser at the camera. However, you could imagine it difficult to write backwards. Then, I decided to write on the wall behind me. Totally worked. However, lesson learned: Make sure not to point the laser directly straight at the wall or it covers the red lines! I had to make it on an angle so the camera caught the light. Anyway, I did that, then stripped off my warm, dark outer layer and stood as a scantily-clad Jesus to have my lovely assistant make me glow. Then I had her draw the stigmata blood on me and that was that.
 I tried several different ideas with this. I wanted to look seductive or evil. Hopefully that came across. Anyway, another phrase I tried (many times) was 'VISIT ME IN HELL' scrawled across my lower limb area. There were lots of images that were nearly successful, but had little things I was displeased about - my expression, a finger cut off, the laser missing my head just a little, the words not quite straight... Anyway, this turned out pretty good, and I am pleased to offend in the name of art.

~JD