Exploring light painting

Guest photographer Paul Michael Kane visited the Wallkill Valley Regional High School photography lab in April to demonstrate light painting.

Light painting is a type of long-exposure photography where the camera’s shutter is set to remain open for several seconds, using objects such as a moving light source to “paint.”

Students were asked to draw in the air or move the lights to create an illuminated composition or spell out something.

Light painting requires the photographer to understand how a camera works to be able to control different parts of the exposure triangle: aperture, ISO and shutter speed.

Kane, an Ogdensburg resident, pointed out when and why light painting might be used. For example, a moving car’s headlights will create a light streak and trail down a road.