how to: sparkler painting.

so i did this thing called light painting or sparkler painting.

it was so much fun, & a great summer activity.

what you'll need:

sparklers (i bought 60 & it was just enough for 2 nights of doing it)

a lighter (you'll use it a lot, so make sure it has enough fluid.)

a dlsr camera with manual settings

a tripod (or tall tabletop)

a bucket filled with 3 inches of water

step 1:

find a background (in your backyard or something) that will have no lights shining on it when it gets dark. 

then set up your tripod and camera there. 

step 2:

set your camera to manual mode, then put the ISO to 100 or 200.

if it is still a little bit light outside, go with 100, but if its like pitch black, you should do 200.

set your shutter speed to 8 seconds.

set your aperture to f/11.

set your camera to "self timer" (i do it on ten seconds) & 

"continuous" (i do it on five. the sparkler usually goes out at, or during, the fifth one.)

& make sure your flash is OFF.

step 3:

wait for it to get pitch black. 

at my house we usually wait until about 9:45ish.

so sit down, eat your ice cream, and wait.

& make sure all your patio lights are off too.

step 4:

click the shutter button, and run to the place where you're gonna take the picture.

you now probably have about 7 seconds left to grab the lighter & light up the sparkler.

so light it up......

and for the first few pictures, just do simple shapes & stuff. 

words are tricky because you have to write it backwards.

but if you want to give it a go, then by all means do!

so if you did it exactly the way i explained it, 

your camera should wait 10 seconds before the first picture takes,

then it will take 5 pictures continually for 8 seconds long each.

i always count the clicks of the camera so i can know if im supposed to be done or whatever.

so yeah! now take a look at some pictures that didnt work, so you can see how to not do them:

letters arent realistic enough..

lighting the sparkler too late, and too high of ISO.

two different people writing the words, so its not even & very sloppy.

now, take a look at the pictures that did work:

cool right?

so now try it for yourself. :)

hannah mae

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i already know the answer.

someone wake me up from this abyss

if there is nothing after this, than nothing matters, now does it?

but if nothing happens after, than this is all we have.

and if this is all we have, then we should make the most of it.

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