Long-Distance Light Painting

A March Milky Way over Agathla Peak, Arizona - light painted from a distance of almost one mile ~ © Royce Bair

Long-Distance Light Painting usually requires the use of a spotlight. These lights use parabolic shaped reflectors to throw a narrow, concentrated beam of light over great distances. Because the beam is so narrow, the light must be keep moving, with overlapping brush-like strokes ("painting") during the camera exposure, otherwise the illumination of the distant object will be uneven.

Lights for light painting: #3, 4, 6, and 8 are spotlights — ranging from 1-million candlepower (#8) to 18-million candlepower (#3). This large spotlight was used to light paint Agathla Peak. Taken from page 77 of my ebook, "Milky Way NightScapes". (Click to enlarge.)

NOTE: a complete list of Light Painting Tutorials can be found here on this blog (scroll down to see all of them).

Angle of Light: In order to achieve a three-dimensional effect for your distant feature, the light painting is best done from a somewhat perpendicular angle to the camera. Flat, uninteresting lighting happens when one paints from behind or close to the camera.

The Glare Factor: Powerful spotlights are so intense that they will light up any dust or moisture in the air and cause it to reflect back into the eyes of the one doing the light painting —so much that they can barely see the distant feature they are painting. When this happens, communication and feedback with the person at the camera position is essential in order to produce effective and even light painting. Over long distances, this communication is usually done best with hand-held two-way radios, equipped with VOX or voice-activated control.

Calculating the Exposure: Top NightScape photographers usually try to do their light paint during the exposure for the sky, or a single exposure that includes incorporates both the sky and the lighted foreground feature. This requires that the light intensity match the brightness of the sky. If the exposure for the sky lasts 30 seconds (i.e., f/2.8, 30 seconds @ ISO 4000), then the light painting time must be adjusted to match that exposure. If distances are short, and the intensity of the light is high, light painting time may be only 5 to 10 seconds. With longer distances, the light painting time may often need to be increased to the full 30 seconds.

In the case of the Agathla Peak photo, a 24mm lens was used, requiring a shorter sky exposure (under 15 seconds, in order to prevent star trailing). Because of the nearly 1-mile distance and the shortness of the exposure (13 seconds), the intensity of the light source had to be increased to the use of a huge, 18-million candlepower spotlight.

One can get closer to the foreground feature to reduce the need for a more powerful light source, but not too close. If you get too close to your feature, the portions closest to the light may burn out (too light), and the portions furthest away may be too dark in your light painting. By keeping your lighting distance about four times greater than the size of your feature, you reduce the light falloff ratio. (In this Agathla Peak setup, the 1,500-ft. feature required that I be about 6,000 feet away —I chose a modest compromise of 5,000 feet.)

One Exposure or Multiple? Even if one wants to produce the NightScape photo in just one exposure (hey, it's a pride thing), multiple takes or exposures will often be preferred in order to increase one's chances for success. Blending the foreground portion of several exposures (via Photoshop layers) will enable you to even out your lighting, especially as distances increase and the glare factor escalates.

When light painting long-distance features, it's important to take several exposures. The foreground portions can later be blended together in post and improve the evenness of your lighting. Taken from page 104 of my ebook, "Milky Way NightScapes". (Click to enlarge.)

Stay in One Place: In order to blend foreground portions later in post processing, you must remain in one place —otherwise your image portions will not register or align. Since sky conditions are also constantly changing, you'll also improve your chances for a successful image by staying put and not moving your camera or tripod. This will allow you to pick and choose the best skies to blend with the best foreground exposures.

Staying in one place will increase your chances for a successful image combination of sky and foreground. Taken from page 105 of my ebook, "Milky Way NightScapes". (Click to enlarge.)

The final image combined the best sky (with light pollution from the town of Kayenta removed) with a foreground blend of the three best peak light paintings. Exposure for each image was 13 seconds (f/2.0, ISO 4000), using a 24mm lens on a Canon 5D Mark III. Light painting was for the full 13 seconds exposure. Taken from page 106 of my "Milky Way NightScapes" ebook. (Click to enlarge.)

Using Focusing Flashlights for Night Photography

Man (Phill Monson) searching under a starry night sky for the historic Chimney Rock in the remote Grand
Staircase-Escalante National Monument. One, 13-second exposure (f/2.0 • ISO 6400) while holding a Duracell
Durabeam Ultra 1000 Lumens flashlight steady above the rock (beam focused to narrowest point). The
foreground in front of Phill was illuminated with his headlamp. Chimney Rock was lighted from the left
using a stationary F&V Z96 LED Light Panel placed about 250 feet to the left of the Rock. © Royce Bair

Focusing LED Flashlights can add a dramatic touch to your NightScape photography. Because their light can be focused to a very narrow beam, their high intensity light reflects off of the moisture and dust in the air, producing a near laser or light saber effect.

Typically, LED lights are very blue in their color (many are close to 8000K to 10000K), so I usually use filters to warm them up; however, in this case, I prefer the cooler look.

Focusing methods: Most focusing flashlights move the bulb up and down through the center of the reflector to achieve their focusing effect (this is how the Maglite focuses). This usually produces dark, uneven light “rings”. The best flashlights use optics or lenses to do their focusing. The “flood” or wide beam is very even (smooth, with no hot spots or dark rings) and the “spot” is very narrow and far-reaching.

Expensive but high in quality: In my opinion the LED Lenser company has always been one of the best producer of quality LED focusing flashlights (the USA distributorship is now based in Portland, Oregon). Their construction and reliability is topnotch. About two years ago, I discovered another Portland company, Coast, that produces similar quality flashlights, with focusing optics, but often at one-third to one-fourth the price of LED Lenser.

Coast HP17 

I especially like my Coast HP17 ($68 - $110) with 970 lumens output and a beam distance reach of 479 meters (1,571 ft.). Uses 3 "D" batteries (included). Product video. Warning: older stocks of this product on the Internet produce only 615 lumens instead of 970 lumens. The new 970 lumens version is available at Lights and Knives.

LED Lenser M17R

The HP17 is comparable to another favorite: the LED Lenser M17R ($300 - $400) touting 850 lumens output and a beam distance reach of 450 meters (1,476 feet). The advantage of the M17R is that it is rechargeable, compared to the 3 D-batteries used in the Coast HP17 (which some may consider an advantage over priority rechargeable systems because you are free to use either long-term storage alkalines or generic NiMH rechargeables). Product video. Available at B&H for $300.

Coast HP314

One of these days I may get the Coast HP314 ($202 - $350) with 1,132 lumens output and a beam distance reach of 683 meters (2240 feet). LED Lensers has flashlights in the 1500 to 3000 lumens category, but I believe this flashlight has the best lumen output in a long distance focusing system. Uses 4 "D" batteries (included). Product video. Available on Amazon for $202.

Great Beam Distance on a budget: The Duracell Durabeam Ultra 1000 Lumens flashlight ($20 - $35), that I used in the top photo, produces an amazing 1000 lumens and a beam distance reach of 380 meters (1,247 feet). This Durabeam flashlight uses an optical beam focusing system similar to the Coast and LED Lenser flashlights. I bought my Durabeam at Costco about eight months ago for $20, but Duracell no longer produces this amazing flashlight for their Durabeam line. Even so, you can still find some stocks on Amazon and eBay. Product video. Uses 4 "C" batteries (included). June 15, 2015 update: Selected Costco stores are now carrying this flashlight again for under $20.

Duracell Durabeam Ultra 1000 Lumens

Beam Distance in meters

Lumens vs. Beam Distance: Most flashlight purchasers only look at the lumen output when considering a flashlight. Beam Distance is a better measurement of how far a flashlight can throw light. An FL 1 Standard Beam Distance rating will tell you how far the light will shine before the brightness diminishes to the equivalent of the light from a full moon. Full moon illumination is considered adequate for safe and careful travel outdoors, and it is also about 135 times brighter than starlight, so the beam should stand out in your NightScape style photos!

               Royce's 2015 NightScape Workshop Schedule

Replacing the Brinkmann Dual Xenon Spotlight

Mike Berenson demos the Dual Xenon

The Brinkmann MaxFire Dual Xenon Spotlight is no longer being made by Brinkmann and supplies are not available on Amazon. I had been using this Dual Xenon light for over a year, ever since my colleges recommend it. After its Ni-Cd battery would no longer is take a charge, I tried to order a replacement, but found that it was no longer being made. Although the Dual Xenon is labeled as a "spotlight", it's more of a narrow beam floodlight. This actually makes it much easier for light painting, as the beams of true spotlights are so narrow it makes it difficult to blend and overlap each pass of the light. The color balance of the warm Xenon light is about 3500º Kelvin, making it a preferred light source over the much cooler 8000º K output of most of the newer LED spotlights. A switch also allows one to use the intensity of both Xenon lights, or limit the power to just one light.

Harbor Freight's "One Million Candlepower Rechargeable Cordless Spotlight" is a great replacement for the Dual Xenon. I have two. The first one I bought is now about a year old, and has been recharged many times more the Dual Xenon, and it still takes a full charge. It's lithium-ion battery does not have the memory problem's of Ni-Cd battery used in the Dual Xenon. Because it uses a quartz halogen bulb, its light color balance is also close to 3500º Kelvin. And, at less than $11.00, this Harbor Freight spotlight is one-third the price I paid for the Dual Xenon!

At less than $11.00, Harbor Freight's "One Million Candlepower Rechargeable Cordless Spotlight"
is a great replacement for the Brinkmann MaxFire Dual Xenon Spotlight.

Other comparisons: The Harbor Freight spotlight is about the same size and weight as the Brinkmann Dual Xenon, albeit it is not quite as flat in its design. It also has about the same light intensity as the Dual Xenon has at full power (but the Harbor Freight spot does not have a dual intensity switch). The other difference is that like most true spotlights, the Harbor Freight's beam is more crisp and narrow than was the Dual Xenon.

1-gallon empty
milk jug

Softening the Beam: To produce a slight floodlight effect, I've taken an empty one-gallon plastic milk jug and cut out a circular piece to fit over the front of the spotlight. I've taped this into position with some gaffer tape (I like the 1-inch wide fluorescent rolls that B&H carries, and use them for a variety of photographic and labeling purposes). The "milky" plastic from the milk jug adds just the right amount of diffusion to soften the beam and make it similar in quality to the old Dual Xenon spotlight. You may wish to add two layers of "milky" plastic if you want even more softening. Because the Harbor Freight spotlights are so inexpensive, I have two —one with and without diffusion:

Harbor Freight spotlights: regular beam (L) and with milk jug plastic taped over spot.
(My fluorescent gaffer's tape adds no noticeable tint to the white balance :)

This photo of the Three Sisters in Goblin Valley State Park, Utah was light painted (from a distance
of about 250 feet to the left) with the Harbor Freight spotlight, using the homemade plastic diffuser
taped to the front. Without the diffuser, I would not have been able to blend my "painting" this
evenly. There is little light spill onto the side and foreground because I also employed the use of
a homemade snoot attached to the front of the spotlight (more on this technique in a future blog).

Royce's 2014 Workshop, Lecture & Video Conference Schedule: NightScapeEvents.com