Preparing for Some Subterranean Shoots

My recent trip through an abandoned building with the Melbourne City Drain Painters has got me excited about some of the more creative light painting techniques that they employ.  These folks really experiment with alternate light sources and literally create light paintings in underground drains and abandoned buildings.   When I first saw their work I admired their creativity but noticed that sometimes they put too much emphasis on the light and not enough on the environmental lighting etc.

I am going to start shooting some more underground photography where I can blend my landscape light painting techniques with some of their funky lighting effex.  I’ve been accumulating some funky lights and wiring them up at home ready.  My next trip is with the Sydney Cave Clan in about 2 weeks.  We are going to hit an old sewer drain which should be fun.    Looking forward to my next overnight trip to Melbourne again so I can do another shoot with the MCDP crew.

BP

The People You Meet

One of the things I love about the internet and photography is that is gives you a relatively easy mechanism to connect to local photographers when you go travelling.  Just do a bit of research, see who’s photos you like in a particular area… drop them and email and presto…. local guide.

During the week I got an email from a German photographer called Chris who is visiting Sydney… asked for some recommendations on locations…. next thing you know we were out at Coogee Pool shooting this morning during the mini dust storm.  I’ve met so many photographers from all over the world (and country).  It’s great to be able to share your favorite places with them and have them take you to their favorite places.

I took this shot after being drenched by a wave splashing up.  I loved the soft lighting that the dust clouds had created.  I’m so used to shooting harsh early morning light that it was a pleasure to shoot in the relatively low contrast light of this morning.

Cool Shit Masking Tutorial Part 3 of 3 – Playing with the sky

Thanks for the feedback on the first two tutorials.  This third tutorial in the series will show you a couple of techniques that you can use this type of precise masking for.  It will also demonstrate using a real case how to get rid of the fringing that sometimes occurs when trying to make accurate masks.

If you haven’t watched the first two parts to this series, I would recommend you look at the prior postings first.

Click here to view the 3rd part of the advanced masking tutorial.

I’m off to go camping up in Munmorah National Park.

Have a good weekend

Brent

Light Painting – Drain Painter Style

Last night I met up with a couple of guys from the Melbourne Drain Painters Group on Flickr – Octopus777fish and Man Underground.   Nice guys who are really doing some fun interesting stuff with experimental light painting.  They enjoy urban exploration and doing their thing in drains and abandoned buildings.  It was an interesting night. They taught me a lot about some of the experimental light rigs they have built, and hopefully I taught them a few things about environmental light painting and technique.

I’ve got a few more images that I’ll process up over the weekend, this was just a quickie that I knocked up last night when I got back home.   It was a really enjoyable night… Thanks guys.

BP