Miscellaneous
Animations, Long Exposures and Other Effects
      The following photo creations were made using a variety of techniques.  I've grouped them by type and added explanations where I thought them appropriate.  I hope you enjoy them!

ANIMATIONS
      I created each of these animated files by taking a series of photos with my digital camera on a tripod.  Then, I joined these files together (using Paint Shop Pro's Animation Shop) into an animated "gif" file.  Most of these are just silly but they are also fun to watch.  Click on any of the images below to start the animations.

Taken 1/13/07. Total of 2 frames.            Taken 1/13/07. Total of 5 frames.            Taken 1/13/07. Total of 8 frames.            Taken 1/13/07. Total of 12 frames.

LONG EXPOSURES
      I created these images using my 35mm camera on a tripod.  Most of these were taken after dark, or in some low-light setting.  I left the camera's shutter open for various lengths of time (from 0.5 seconds to 5 minutes) in order to achieve the desired effects.  In many cases the subjects are naturally occuring and in other cases I have added various lights to create the images I wanted.  Hover over the images to view photographic details; click on the images to see larger versions.

Joshua Tree National Park
      These photos were taken in December 2006, in Joshua Tree National Park, at approximately 9:00 pm.  I took these about 4 hours after sunset when it was completely dark (and very cold) outside.

4 minute total exposure with 15 seconds of light on the subject (tree).            5 minute total exposure with 10 seconds of light on the subject (tree), and me moving behind the subject with a flashlight for 50 seconds.

Matt's House
      These photos were taken in January 2007, at my friend Matt's house.  The subject is one of his son's toys: a wooden "rocking horse" that is actually shaped like a motorcycle.  We placed that motorcycle on the island countertop in his kitchen, about 10 feet in front of the camera and tripod.  Then, with all the lights off, I opened the camera shutter for 30 seconds and went behind the motorcycle to add the lights.  In the first photo I just used a very small flashlight, but in the second photo I used another toy belonging to Matt's son: a globe that contains spinning colored lights.  I just moved the light source around behind the subject "motorcycle" and this caused the subject to be silhouetted.

30 second total exposure with 20 seconds of light behind the subject (toy motorcycle).            30 second total exposure with 20 seconds of light behind the subject (toy motorcycle).

My Kitchen
      These photos were taken in the spring of 2007, in my kitchen.  The subjects are various statues and vases that I had in my house.  I set these subjects on one end of my kitchen island.  My 35mm camera was set up on a tripod at the other end of the island.  Here are a few shots of that setup:

My kitchen setup for long exposure photos of rear-illuminated objects.            My kitchen setup for long exposure photos of rear-illuminated objects.            My kitchen setup for long exposure photos of rear-illuminated objects.

      I used a manual shutter release to keep the shutter open while I illuminated the objects from behind using small LED lights.  Sometimes I illuminated the subject from the front as well by briefly spotlighting it with the one of the LEDs.  To aid my framing of the image (it was hard to know where to extend the light streaks to, especially in the "flag" image), I set up an actual wooden frame around the subject.  I clamped the frame to the island to give me a physical reference as to what was visible through the camera.  Here are a few of the results:

Statue of Rodin's sculpture 'The Kiss' lit with red LEDs in back and spotlit by blue LED from front. Approx 20 second shutter time.            Vase/candle holder lit in back by multiple colored LED lights. Approx 30 second shutter time.            Cowboy statue lit in back by red LED lights. Approx 20 second shutter time.            Cowboy statue lit in back by multiple colored LED lights in attempted US flag pattern. Approx 30 second shutter time.

      I also took a few photos with myself as the subject.  As before, I triggered the manual shutter release with my foot so that I could have my hands free.  And, again I used various LED lights to creating effects in the air, to illuminate a subject, or both.

Me holding a ball of light. Approx 15 second shutter time.            Me yelling streaks of red light. Approx 15 second shutter time.            Me 'spitting' a trail of red light into a bottle (also backlit with red light). Approx 20 second shutter time.


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