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Creative Light Painting with Fractal Filters

By Dan on June 22, 2018 4:14 PM

Fractal Filters photography prisms - yes, you want them.

Every picture in this post was created in the camera in single exposure.  I was used to shooting long exposure light paintings but then this new tool came around. As a student of optics, these pieces of photography glass changed how I shoot.  I don't use them on everything I do, but when I use them things sure do get exciting!

Lit by Diliz, kinetic prism by me.  Model: Reagan Roberts

I saw a shot Eric Pare did with Kim Henry where he used his iridescent vinyl tool, but it had this funky element of ordered chaos to it!  I hounded him a bit for informaiton and then he told me where he'd gotten it from.

Fractal Filters is a project by Nikk Wong and it had a successful Kickstarter campaign.  When I first tried to get my hands on them they were between shipments but I was still able to talk Nikk into sending me a piece that hadn't pass quality control standards.  It didn't have a handle, but it was my new favorite toy.

What do they do?

Cameras capture the light that reflects off objects that then enters the lens.  Usually this light takes a pretty direct path.  These glass filters are cut at very specific angles to make the light take a different path when you place the filters in front of your lens.  The same part of what you're shooting might now take ten different paths of getting to your camera, and you can create some mind-blowing and ethereal images.  No Photoshop trickery here, this is all optical and all exactly as your camera captures the image!

Shooting with an Amazing Tool

After a while I got my hands on a full set and the bulk of my work used the round and beveled one.  Another one found a place when shooting live events.  I'm stoked for the next set to come out, super curious about what new types of optic bending options I'm going to have!

Scroll down to see more images I've created using a combination of light painting and Fractal Filter prisms!

 

Lit by me, kinetic prism by Buschi.  Model: Nancy Nguyen

 

 Light and model: Gunnar Heilmann, kinetic prism by me.

 

Light and prism by me.  Model: Rebecca Ann

 

Light and prism by me.  Model: Carolyn Hall


 

Light  by Lightpainters United, prism by me.  Model: Kim Von Coals


 

Steel wool by Paul Burns, Prism by me.  Model: Tawny Calmly


 

Light by Gunnar Heilmann, Cisco. Prism by me.  Model: Nancy Nguyen


 

Light, body paint, and prism by me.  Model: Rose Pesca


 

Body paint by Adriana Michima, Nancy Nguyen. Prism by me.  Model: Paul Burns


 

Body paint by Nancy Nguyen. Prism and light by me.  Models: Kim Von Coals, Buschi

 

Light by LPWA PNW. Prism by me.

 

Prism and light by me.  Model: Savanna Uland


 

Body paint, light. prism by me.  Model: Embur Rayne

 

Light and prism by me.  Model: Kellily Herzfeldt

 

Light and prism by me.  Model: Kellily Herzfeldt

  

Light and prism by me.  Model: Michelle Wolftown

  

 

Light  by Nancy Nguyen. Prism by me.  Model: Amy Babich

 

Light  by Nancy Nguyen. Prism by me.  Model: Amy Babich

 

Light  by Nancy Nguyen. Prism by me.  Model: Amy Babich

 

Light  by Nancy Nguyen. Prism by me.  Model: Amy Babich

 

Light by Eric Pare. Prism by me.  Model: Kim Henry

 

Light by Eric Pare. Prism by me.  Model: Kim Henry

 

 Light by Eric Pare. Prism by me.  Model: Angelia Dotson

 

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