Hooked on fractal filters - lightpainting photography on Hive

I've been obsessed with lightpainting photography for many years and along the way it's been fun to see what can be achieved in the dark. Part of the fun is to learn new techniques and figure out how something is done. Seeing others' work provides inspiration but I always had a mantra of specifically not copying others' work and come up with my own take.

I'm definitely not the first to use a fractal filter in the lightpainting world but I feel like where I've took this filter is somewhere unique. (Cue some clever person to prove me wrong!). Where I differ from others I think is mixing the use of the filter with other lightpainting techniques such as kinetic movements of the camera or taking the filter on and off the camera during the exposure.

This is a post with examples using a fractal filter:

Fiery Friday Fractal

Burning, spinning steel wool always looks epic but when combined with a fractal filter, the image takes another sometimes unpredictable turn:

Discombobulation

It's not often you get to practice lightpainting with a world famous lightpainter but when Denis Smith arrives you have to bring your 'A' game to the party. This was a team effort with colleagues on lights and waving of smoke grenades and me on the camera crossing my fingers hoping I don't mess up the shot!

Lightpainting an explosion in a paint factory

This shot was actually a first attempt at a camera rotation image but was totally messed up. The alignment on my camera rotation tool was out and nothing was symmetrical. But sometimes you have to admit that even being a lightpainter with a touch of OCD, random is good!

The main silhouette was shot with a fractal filter over the lens. I then removed the filter and panned the camera across the frame to shoot four more silhouettes at 90 degree increments. But with the rotation tool out of alignment, the results were totally random!

Zoomies

This was one of the first times I used continuous lights for backlighting instead of my usual flash gun method. It allowed me to zoom pull during a continuous exposure. I used two LED panels at the rear but the fractal filter is probably not as obvious in this shot.

Zoom pull with a fractal filter

This effect was created by zoom pulling but instead of a smooth continuous movement, I paused very briefly at several points along the zoom travel. I was amazed at how well this turned out first time!

Kinetically engineered lightpainter

I enjoy mixing lightpainting techniques and aim to create something that has never been done before; the Holy Grail in lightpainting! This image was made using a fractal filter on and off the camera, then a kinetic movement of the camera downwards to create the stripes of light.

Forgetting to focus

This is another kinetic / fractal filter combination but I appeared to have messed up the focus. But as it turns out, all the better for it! Possibly a "marmite" shot for some!

Fractal Forest

Another example of removing and replacing the fractal filter. To start off, I fired the flash to light the surroundings. Then, without ending the exposure, I moved behind the model and spun an orb tool knowing the fractal filter would multiply in the image.

And again before ending the exposure, I removed the fractal filter and panned the camera across the frame making a light trail. I timed it so I stopped panning before I reached the edge of the frame which isn't easy but here I nailed it first time! If I tried this again, I would most likely have messed it up!

Pseudo OCD

My lightpainter's pseudo-OCD was bad tonight. I could literally spend all night stood in a dark and derelict building waving lights and still never get it absolutely right. So I settled for this and be damned!

This is a work in progress and I will eventually nail this one!

Fractal alien death rays!

Here I mixed a fractal filter and my "tilt and pan" method for the trails of light. I tilt the camera and shoot the silhouette, then just before the exposure ends, I pan the camera across in the opposite direction to the subject. The multiple silhouettes and rays are created by the filter.

About me:
I usually specialise in shooting lightpainting images but occasionally dabble in urbex, landscape and artistic model photography. I'm always on the lookout for someone to collaborate with; the social side of photography is always good!

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