Playing with Fire (6 images)

Playing with Fire (6 images) · 11:41 PM

Painting with Fire from Fort Stevens State Park. These were taken with the K10D and the FA 50mm f/1.4 and Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8. All shots are single-exposure night shots. I always seem to see something new in the flames.

The entire series can be found here: Hamid Shibata Bennett : photos : Abstracts and macros - powered by SmugMug

roentarre · 08-13-2007, 01:01 AM

Very creative series. Mind to share the set up?

Mandi · 08-13-2007, 01:02 AM

One word: spectacular!!!

little laker · 08-13-2007, 07:34 AM

I always love the effects of fire on film (or in most of our cases digital media)

codiac2600 · 08-13-2007, 08:23 AM

Great job again Hamid and this is definitely something that needs to be tried out more often. Love the look and feel of these shots, but I feel the last fire shots you had were a tad more excellent than these, but then again fire doesn't play nice.

I think I liked the last set because I found myself looking at them and seeing other things in the fire like shapes, kind of like how you look at clouds and you tend to see things.

Let's hope to see more and next time how about a shot with a marshmallow thats getting a roast! Could have an interesting effect?

hamidlmt · 08-13-2007, 12:07 PM

Originally posted by roentarre

Very creative series. Mind to share the set up?

Thanks! It's a very simple setup. First, ya need a fire! Then, I used the K10D with either an FA 50mm 1.4 or the Tamron 28-75 2.8. The previous series I used the 31 Limited.

Each shot is long-exposure and small aperture, to keep the flames in focus. I'd focus on a bit of the fire or a log or something, then hit the shutter. I'd try out different movements. Sometimes I'd stay in one stop, rotating the camera, zooming in and out. If I used a prime, I'd just swoop in and out towards the fire.

Sometimes, I'd actually walk all the way around the fire, like in the shot that looks like a frame, sometime rotating the camera, sometimes not. Other times, I'd make quick slashes with the camera at the fire. I'd just try out different movements to see the different effects, always checking the histogram later on to make sure nothing was blown out. Even if I did similar movements, it was never the same twice.

hamidlmt · 08-13-2007, 12:10 PM

Originally posted by codiac2600

Great job again Hamid and this is definitely something that needs to be tried out more often. Love the look and feel of these shots, but I feel the last fire shots you had were a tad more excellent than these, but then again fire doesn't play nice.

I think I liked the last set because I found myself looking at them and seeing other things in the fire like shapes, kind of like how you look at clouds and you tend to see things.

Let's hope to see more and next time how about a shot with a marshmallow thats getting a roast! Could have an interesting effect?

I think you're right about the last set. Those were taken towards the end of the fire. Most of these were taken with the fire going all out. And, I was experimenting with different movements.

I see a lot of shapes in these various fire shots too, exactly like clouds... well, burning clouds!

The marshmallow is an interesting idea! I always keep a bag in the camper van!

hamidlmt · 08-13-2007, 12:25 PM

To give you a clue of the type of movements I was doing, here's a shot where I caught the headlights of a truck slowly driving passed my camp site. The truck was moving right to left across the frame, though I usually start off one of these shots at an absurd angle.

Donald · 08-13-2007, 08:30 PM

Hi. I do a lot of these as well. What I've learned works best is start with open shutter on black area and swing camera through the light source OR very fast movement. Result is to have smooth light painting eliminating hand jerkiness. Your #2 horizontal light waves is excellent example. 1/2 - 1 second exposure in focus; surprisingly I found light painting with unfocussed image has poor results.

multicoloured lights look better overall for light painting:

light painting often can come to life when inverted:

Fritz · 08-13-2007, 08:38 PM

Those are some pretty cool shots. Thanks for sharing how to do that. I'll have to try it next time I'm out camping.

hamidlmt · 08-13-2007, 09:09 PM

Originally posted by Donald

Hi. I do a lot of these as well. What I've learned works best is start with open shutter on black area and swing camera through the light source OR very fast movement. Result is to have smooth light painting eliminating hand jerkiness. Your #2 horizontal light waves is excellent example. 1/2 - 1 second exposure in focus; surprisingly I found light painting with unfocussed image has poor results.

Donald... keen light painting samples.... what were your sources for those two?

Donald · 08-18-2007, 05:07 PM

Chinese lantern festival, multicoloured peacock.
Mosque lamp hanging from my living room ceiling.

khardur · 08-18-2007, 08:16 PM

very interesting series! I like the horizontal one the best - but they all have a mysterious quality about them.

Very, very cool.

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08-13-2007, 01:01 AM	#2
roentarre Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 11,783	Very creative series. Mind to share the set up?

08-13-2007, 01:02 AM	#3
Mandi Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Sydney, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 126	One word: spectacular!!!

08-13-2007, 07:34 AM	#4
little laker Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,697	I always love the effects of fire on film (or in most of our cases digital media)

08-13-2007, 08:23 AM	#5
codiac2600 Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Rockford, Illinois Posts: 2,027	Great job again Hamid and this is definitely something that needs to be tried out more often. Love the look and feel of these shots, but I feel the last fire shots you had were a tad more excellent than these, but then again fire doesn't play nice. I think I liked the last set because I found myself looking at them and seeing other things in the fire like shapes, kind of like how you look at clouds and you tend to see things. Let's hope to see more and next time how about a shot with a marshmallow thats getting a roast! Could have an interesting effect?

08-13-2007, 12:07 PM	#6
hamidlmt Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Gresham, Oregon USA Posts: 1,217 Original Poster	Originally posted by roentarre Very creative series. Mind to share the set up? Thanks! It's a very simple setup. First, ya need a fire! Then, I used the K10D with either an FA 50mm 1.4 or the Tamron 28-75 2.8. The previous series I used the 31 Limited. Each shot is long-exposure and small aperture, to keep the flames in focus. I'd focus on a bit of the fire or a log or something, then hit the shutter. I'd try out different movements. Sometimes I'd stay in one stop, rotating the camera, zooming in and out. If I used a prime, I'd just swoop in and out towards the fire. Sometimes, I'd actually walk all the way around the fire, like in the shot that looks like a frame, sometime rotating the camera, sometimes not. Other times, I'd make quick slashes with the camera at the fire. I'd just try out different movements to see the different effects, always checking the histogram later on to make sure nothing was blown out. Even if I did similar movements, it was never the same twice.

08-13-2007, 12:10 PM	#7
hamidlmt Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Gresham, Oregon USA Posts: 1,217 Original Poster	Originally posted by codiac2600 Great job again Hamid and this is definitely something that needs to be tried out more often. Love the look and feel of these shots, but I feel the last fire shots you had were a tad more excellent than these, but then again fire doesn't play nice. I think I liked the last set because I found myself looking at them and seeing other things in the fire like shapes, kind of like how you look at clouds and you tend to see things. Let's hope to see more and next time how about a shot with a marshmallow thats getting a roast! Could have an interesting effect? I think you're right about the last set. Those were taken towards the end of the fire. Most of these were taken with the fire going all out. And, I was experimenting with different movements. I see a lot of shapes in these various fire shots too, exactly like clouds... well, burning clouds! The marshmallow is an interesting idea! I always keep a bag in the camper van!

08-13-2007, 12:25 PM	#8
hamidlmt Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Gresham, Oregon USA Posts: 1,217 Original Poster	To give you a clue of the type of movements I was doing, here's a shot where I caught the headlights of a truck slowly driving passed my camp site. The truck was moving right to left across the frame, though I usually start off one of these shots at an absurd angle.

08-13-2007, 08:30 PM	#9
Donald Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Toronto Posts: 329	Hi. I do a lot of these as well. What I've learned works best is start with open shutter on black area and swing camera through the light source OR very fast movement. Result is to have smooth light painting eliminating hand jerkiness. Your #2 horizontal light waves is excellent example. 1/2 - 1 second exposure in focus; surprisingly I found light painting with unfocussed image has poor results. multicoloured lights look better overall for light painting: light painting often can come to life when inverted:

08-13-2007, 08:38 PM	#10
Fritz Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Tillamook, OR Posts: 1,222	Those are some pretty cool shots. Thanks for sharing how to do that. I'll have to try it next time I'm out camping.

08-13-2007, 09:09 PM	#11
hamidlmt Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Gresham, Oregon USA Posts: 1,217 Original Poster	Originally posted by Donald Hi. I do a lot of these as well. What I've learned works best is start with open shutter on black area and swing camera through the light source OR very fast movement. Result is to have smooth light painting eliminating hand jerkiness. Your #2 horizontal light waves is excellent example. 1/2 - 1 second exposure in focus; surprisingly I found light painting with unfocussed image has poor results. Donald... keen light painting samples.... what were your sources for those two?

08-18-2007, 05:07 PM	#12
Donald Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Toronto Posts: 329	Chinese lantern festival, multicoloured peacock. Mosque lamp hanging from my living room ceiling.

08-18-2007, 08:16 PM	#13
khardur Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: NW Massachusetts Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,560	very interesting series! I like the horizontal one the best - but they all have a mysterious quality about them. Very, very cool.