MoreExamples

One should not forget that it is possible to paint after a 'normal' shot is taken to add light and shadow but without the ability to change the direction or style of the lighting (as one can in a full light painting session).

Below is a subtle change, but it brings the picture alive and adds depth.  Notice how the columns become 3D when you hover the mouse over the original image.

The following 4 renditions show how easy it is to change the emphasis of a picture for painted shots.  This light painting pose was held for 3 minutes during which time I took 36 exposures of 3 seconds each at f/20, ISO 200.  The 'trick' with a model is to paint moving from top to bottom, so that in this case the face only had to be stationary for under a minute for the 10 exposures I took.

I could have changed the emphasis of the whole pose, but this just show different renditions of the face.  This technique really allows you great freedom of expression.

Lighting a whole room is real fun and this was my first attempt.  I painted using a small LED panel on 4 second exposures plus a very underexposed shot to capture the view out of the window.  Hover to see the painted one...

The above painted image is actually a very low contrast rendition of the one below as I found I had revealed too much detail and texture from my angles of painting - making the image seem very busy and unreal.

It doesn't always work out - I think that this example from James F Caldwell's booklet, does not improve upon the 'standard' photo.