For Those In Peril On The C (Kraken Light Painting), Mill End

For Those In Peril On The C (Kraken Light Painting), Mill End, originally uploaded by flatworldsedge.

All in camera, single exposure lighting painting drawn with one bulb torch, one CREE LED and a 77mm red filter. And a decent pair of wellingtons.

Please do check it out in Lightbox - looks more compelling on black.

It's taken in the middle of the River Colne in Mill End. Light painting in the river is actually far more relaxing than you might imagine. The main worry when light painting in desolate locations at night is the fear that some misguided nutter with a hand axe will ambush you, drawn like a moth to your flailing lamps. This spot is a hundred yards along from any accessible bank, so you are screened by vegetation on all sides, out of sight, with a sizeable moat all around. Defensible.

For light painting, or any nocturnal work, I would highly recommend it. When you don't have a river, I'd suggest an invisible dog. Initially I went with "Siegfried", but have renamed him "Totem" which you can shout with a decent military bark. Simply shout for your imaginary dog now and again, perhaps interspersed with allusions to his ferocity. For example;

"Totem - get back here this minute. If you've killed another fox/moose/commando you'll be sleeping in the kennel tonight, you hyper-aggressive, 200 lb mongrel you." You get the idea.

As regards the title, I'm trying to correct an issue identified by Gregory House MD; "Physics joke, don't hear enough of those."

For Those In Peril On The C, Alternative "Calypso" Version

Extinction (Star Trails Over Jurassic Coast), Dorset

Extinction (Star Trails Over Jurassic Coast), Dorset, originally uploaded by flatworldsedge.

First of a set from Friday night down at Winspit Cove in Dorset. I almost didn't bother due to a heavy mist and sporadic rain, but after the thirty minute walk down to the sea it had cleared somewhat. The retreating cloud picking up light pollution created a nice contrast to the rising stars in the blue twilight.

I'll be uploading another few images from the same set, all with different outcomes as the twilight blue vanished very quickly and this is the only shot to feature it. The scene was very dark, and even this 723 seconds at f/8.0 and ISO400 didn't bring out anymore than the skies colour and the mist of the sea. Usually I end up desaturated images, but this one needed a boost as well as some fill light and brightness to lift it. I also tweaked the WB so the light pollution came out more pink than its starting orange.

There's a little bit of a blur to the ridgeline from wave surging around the tripod. This is another shot that relied upon my new wellington boots, as I spent most of the shot ankle deep in surf. It was quite worrying, in fact, as the roar of the incoming waves is overwhelming and the darkness conceals their size. As you hear the deafening tide thrashing towards you, you have no idea if this is going to splash your ankles or come plunging over your shoulders to drag you back into the deep.

Viewing on black does lift this one another notch. Hope everyone's had a great few days whilst I've been away and look forward to catching up now I'm back.

Lightning Storm With Reflection, Grand Teton

Lightning Storm With Reflection, Grand Teton, originally uploaded by flatworldsedge.

This shot was taken from the eye of a lightning storm on a late August afternoon in Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park. We had started a walk around Two Ocean lake to the north of the spot, when growing wind and the ill omen of a writhing snake's nest, convinced us to turn around. It proved a wise decision, with wind rising to a gale, rain turning to hail and lightning bursting from the sky.

On the drive back to the National Park HQ, we into what appeared to be an eye. Pulling up at the river bank, lightning was still flashing to the north, west and south-east.

Free from the wind and rain I got as many photos as possible away. Without tripod and with difficult light in a brief pause I didn't acquit myself as well as the opportunity deserved, but do like this dark image with the lightning reflected in the grey river. It's my first lightning capture and hopefully a picture worth sharing.

Madonna Del Carmine Statue, Bologna

Madonna Del Carmine Statue, Bologna, originally uploaded by flatworldsedge.

Andrea Ferreri's statue of the Madonna Del Carmine which stands atop a pillar in Bologna's Piazza San Martino. This is late afternoon with a cloudless blue sky, shot through a lovely second-hand Hoya circular polarising filter. This was my first trip with a CPL following a couple of years refusing to buy one for this 62mm filter size lens. A great investment which I should have made sooner.

The statue and subject has a pretty interesting background, even for an atheist like me. Regardless of belief, the work, its context and the story behind it is worth a look if you enjoy getting under the surface of such things. More information; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madonna_del_Carmine and www.iguidez.com/Bologna/madonna_del_carmine_statue/.

Being In The Universe (Witch Light Painting), Dorset

Being In The Universe (Witch Light Painting), Dorset, originally uploaded by flatworldsedge.

All in camera, single (1208 second) exposure light painting using flashlight/LED torch to draw the lines and create the flare. A little processing on the hem of her skirt to tidy things up, as her legs were slightly too high. The gorse flowers are brought in with three zaps of a Metz AF-48 at (probably slight too) close range. I got a little lucky with the flare, positioning itself just in her gaze.

I've not had as much time recently for light painting, as the plans I have sketched are pretty ambitious and each exposure (a.k.a. roll of the dice) is a twenty minute affair. Since I don't have time/patience for a 365, I thought I'd do a series of light paintings using a witch and AD&D spells as inspiration - drawing a spell name from a hat, then trying to a light painting of the witch casting it.

This was a set of sighting shots to get the witch character sketched, but I really liked the flare and star trails, so I thought I'd post it as a starter to the series.

The witch is wandering on the hill to the west of Corfe Castle. I've got some pictures facing the other way too, for posting at a later date, with the castle. Thanks to everyone who looked at and commented on my last picture - as noted in that one, I've been away, and am catching up with everyone now!

Pumpkin Time (Juvenille Swan At Twilight), Rickmansworth

Pumpkin Time (Juvenille Swan At Twilight), Rickmansworth, originally uploaded by flatworldsedge.

"Pumpkin Time" is that moment, generally prescribed by your fairy godmother, when your carriage turns into an autumnal squash and your designer frock reverts to rags. Half the swans at the Aquadrome are mottled and brown like this chap at the moment, no doubt having missed the deadline.

I've got heaps of shots like this from twilight wanders around the lakes, so thought I would post one quickly before disappearing for the weekend. There's a touch of (none too subtle) manual HDR to bring out the swan's eye.

I'll be out and about, catching up Sunday. Hope everyone has a wonderful few days in the meantime.