I can't deny I might be a circuit board addict. I have a small collection of scrap boards acquired from various places. To my non-lightpainter friends this sounds a little wierd when I explain that I choose to spend my evenings stood in my kitchen in complete darkness waving lights at a circuit board! My lightpainting friends however think that this is perfectly normal!
Amongst some lightpainting colleagues, this technique is sometimes known as "SOOK" as in straight out of the kitchen" There is a challenge amongst us to create all of the elements in one photographic exposure. I thrive on the idea but sometimes the images can take quite a bit of setting up.
This is a collection of set up shots for a SOOK lightpainting image. These are the basis for adding other elements but in these examples, I believe they might stand up by themselves as works of art. (I am always hesitant to use "work of art" to describe anything I do but I remind myself that's what this is all about!)
I've shot boards in various ways and here I've attempted to show a few ways to skin the cat!
Panning a board
For this shot I lit the board from the front with a red gelled flashgun to freeze the board. The board was lit from the rear with a continuous light source and just before the exposure ended I panned the camera to the left of frame creating this kinetic stripe. I ended up abandoning this idea for another lightpainting shot because somehow the curve from the lens was inconsistent and I couldn't accurately recreate the result.
Zoom Zoom
Here the board is lit by a little Coast TX10 flashlight from behind while I zoom out. Quick and simple to do once you get the timing right with replacing the lens cap to prevent more light than you want entering the sensor.
Zoom Zoom Zoom
Another zoom pull shot but this time with a contunuous light from the front. I found that I preferred to zoom out rather than zoom in. This is the zoom in version.
Tilting the Board
If you place the circuit board out of parallel with the lens, some of the board remains in focus and some out of focus. Once I realised I could do this I literally spent hours stood in the dark experimenting with angles of the board and positions of the lights. I realise this may make me sound like a wierdo but I was loving it!
Bokehlicious
Once I realised what I could get turning the board out of parallel I couldn't get enough. This was a practice shot for an object to land in the middle of the chip but I found that there were too many distractions in the middle of the main CPU. In the shot after this I used a piece of black duct tape carefully cut square so you couldn't see the centre. The image here though stands up for itself!
Rotating the Board
I managed to acquire a smaller and more intricate board and decided to rotate the camera around the lens axis where the board was lit with a flashguns from the front and rear. I used this as the basis for an "android" shot of my hand.
These are a few of the final results I got with the above images as the basis. I've posted these to the Hive before so here they are in a collage so as not to offend the Gods of Hive.....
About me:
I usually specialise in shooting lightpainting images but occasionally dabble in urbex and artistic model photography. I'm always on the lookout for someone to collaborate with; please don't hesitate to get in touch if you'd like to create art.
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Lightpainting is a photographic technique in which exposures are made by moving a hand-held light source while taking a long exposure photograph, either to illuminate a subject or to shine a point of light directly at the camera, or by moving the camera itself during exposure. Nothing is added or removed in post processing.
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WoW, I love those circuit board shot, I’ve tried it myself and even started a collection myself 😅❗️I can easily say that your LP work is very inspiring… CONGRATS on those amazing shots again @fastchrisuk 🙌🏻❗️
Cheers Max, good to see you on here! I pretty much post everything I shoot here instead of the "other place" which shall not be named!
I got quite a few pictures since this COViD s*** started & wasn’t really motivated to post those on "the other place" which shall not be named, I’m really thinking about posting ecerything out here & sharing the link from hive to "the other place". We’ll see…
I'd be interesting in seeing what you have in "the other place" (i'm new here...wtf is it???)
😅 Nothing crazy, "the other place" is the most known social network with a name starting with a "f" and finishing with a "k”, it is the place that shall not be named 😅❗️
ahhh freakbook...got it...
Some great creations there buddy. I've only got two boards that I use for these types of shots. Have been looking for some fresh ones but without any success. I'll keep looking tho. 😊
I can sort you out with some of my stash pal. I can do you a good price and it's top gear too. Keep it on the down low tho bro 👊👊
You've made it public now, all the bees in the HIVE will want one! That'd be cool just lemme know what you want ££ and we can haggle. 😁
😂😂😉
Company I work for has a scrap bin full of them although the last time I visited the head office, it seemed inappropriate to go bin diving in a suit haha!
Love some good electropunk faffing ;)
Cheers pal, I have some new lights waiting for the next rainy night indoors...
Beauty of a set pal and I believe as long as the contents of the post is different you could use the same pictures time and time again.
Cheers pal, I could see myself running out of images soon if I'm not careful haha
Haha. I doubt it pal. I believe you have an embarrassment of riches on your HDD 😂😂
I'm certainly embarrassed that's for sure haha
The glowing one is gorgeous.
Cheers pal, my fave is the 4th one. I keep promising myself to get it printed but never get around to it....
The 4th is the one I mean. Looks like overheated.
Cool, I see we have similar tastes lol. Not to mention someone downvoting, WTAF?
😂
Really impressive pictures. The geekiest representation of a circuit board.
Thanks mate :-)
Really beautiful set mate. Love it. 😍
Thanks pal, I think I might need to stand in my kitchen in the dark again tonight!
A good idea, I do the same, but not in the kitchen, which is unfortunately too small. Instead, I've set up a small mini studio in the former guest room. It's perfect for when the German weather is unkind to Lightpainter.
You sure you are not just taking photos of cpu's?