Light Painting with strobes - Abandoned trains

MrSix

MrSix

MrSix

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Joined
21 Oct 2004
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Location
Los Angeles
I took a trip out to a place near my house that has a whole load of abandoned trains and carriages.
It was originally due to be a museum, but the funding never came and the trains are now left to rot.
I have a photoshoot planned here in a few weeks with a model, so I wanteed to spec out the area first and have a go at some light painting while I was at it.
I used an SB24 and simply adjusted the power output and beam spread and ran around the train during the 30 second exposure popping the flash here and there.

I intend to go back down with the gels and try a few different variations with coloured lighting in the near future.

I'd love to hear your comments and criticism :)


Click for large image


Click for large image
 
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The first shot is much nicer than the second just for the sky in my opinion. For me, it's also stronger compositionally.

I like the effect you've got firing the flash manually a few times - especially that the cab's lit up, as that makes it look more eery. The thing that spoils the first image for me is the blown out rectangle below the British Rail logo. Not sure what it is, but it's bright and really draws your eyes away from the front of the train.
 
A.N.Other said:
Not sure what it is, but it's bright and really draws your eyes away from the front of the train.
Click to expand...

It's a shiny bit of steel.
I noticed it too, but wanted to see if others did before I removed it in PP ;)

*CHANGED*
 
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Nice shots, first is nicer out of the two IMO.
Great place though, be sure to post the model shoot when it's done. :p
 
Really nice work. I should really try to use my strobes a bit more in ways like this. Number 1 for me, but 2 is also pretty nice. As you say, if you gelled the strobes you could come up with some nice effects. :)
 
Helium_Junkie said:
Love em! :) I'd be curious to see one where only the inside of the cab was lit up.
Click to expand...

I did a few, but because the ambient light was so heavily contaminated by the tungsten lights of the City a few miles to the left of the frames, the detail in the train wasn't as good. I'm going to try to get down there on a clear night with a full moon and fire a red gelled strobe out of the cabin...might even get some smoke down there somehow too (I'm thinking cigarettes) and go for some eerie light beams.
 
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