Every once in a while, I stumble upon a light painting photo that takes my breath away. This time, it’s a photo by a Finnish photographer and light painting artist Hannu Huhtamo. He light-painted swans on the lake’s surface, ending up with an unusual and mesmerizing image. And it all takes a whole new level once you watch the behind-the-scenes video of him while painting with light!
Hannu shot this wonderful image with an Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III paired with M.Zuiko 12-40mm F2.8 PRO. He used the camera’s Live Composite mode, so you can watch in the BTS video as the image comes to life. As for the light painting tools for this artwork, he relied on optical fiber connected to a 2000 lumen flashlight and a small key chain LED light: a simple setup, but more than effective.
But other than light painting and photo gear, what else does it take for a shot like this? Well, you need a helpful partner or a friend to film your BTS video, of course. In Hannu’s case, it was his wife, Sanna Huhtamo. Take a look at the video she filmed and enjoy:
Judging from Hannu’s description, you also need patience and the ability to ignore any distractions. “Mosquitos all over me and small baby perches were nibbling my toes as I stood in water with bare feet,” he writes on Instagram. After my experience with mosquitoes while watching the Perseids last week, ignoring them is a freakin’ superpower! Lastly, Hannu also had to wear black clothes and constantly move during the exposure. Otherwise, his silhouette would be seen in the final image.
Find more of Hannu’s work on his website and make sure to follow him on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
[via Digital Camera World]
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