This is my second post from the Harry 'Bus' Yourell Aeration Station outing Saturday night (see http://365project.org/taffy/365/2013-04-20 ). The culminating event of the meetup was the opportunity to learn to do steel wool painting as well as to photograph one another's attempts. I am not brave enough to do it myself but thoroughly enjoyed the fun of trying to capture different examples. For technique challenge 3, I processed this one to use pinkish-orange for the black tones and green for the gray tones, and neutral for the white tones.
Photo taken the 20th, processed the 21st.
Update 4.22.13 Thank you so much for visiting and commenting and fav'ing, as it was on PP today.
@jsw0109@eloisestapleton@gerry@fishy@kazlamont Gosh -- thanks Jeff, Eloise, Gerry, Andrew, and Kazzy for fav'ing this! I had a lot of fun playing with the processing but can't take any credit for getting this shot set up. It was Rick (I think he was the organizer) who did what to me seemed the dangerous and hard part of lighting this on fire and then swirling it around!
@topcat@michaelelliott@pflaume Thanks for the favs Kevin, Michael, and Lisa! And your supportive comments! Lisa, the best way to do it is go on a meetup with someone else who does it and lets you photograph! What they do is put steel wool in a whisk and attach the handle to something like a dog leash or chain. They go over to a safe area (not wearing any synthetics and protecting their heads and any potentially exposed skin) and touch a 9-volt battery to the steel wool. It lights it and then they swing the burning steel wool which gives it more oxygen which creates sparks. This shot was of Rick, the leader, swinging it over the side of the bridge above the water as he walked the length of the bridge. Would I do that? I don't think I'm brave enough, truly! They also did one under a bridge so the sparks flew off the sides. You can do this with electrical and neon things as well, and it creates cool images, but of course, no sparks (and a LOT less dangerous!).
@carolmw@danitech Thanks for the favs Carol and Danielle! @colie Thanks Colie -- definitely one of my favorite shots of the night. @anazad511@lotticus Thanks Ana and L.Dog @tuesdaygirl Thanks Jess -- cowardly of me, but I know my limits! @steampowered Thanks Paul. I'm working on more this week -- it's a cool technique and interesting to see how color changes the mood/feel. @genesis_one@paulavdmerwe Thanks Paula and Corrie!
Great shot, taffy. Thanks for the explanation of how to do it. am hoping my daughter doesn't read it and give it a try just yet... (Well, not without me ;-) ....)
@cjphoto@grizzlysghost@humphreyhippo Thanks Chris, Aaron, and Humphrey! I appreciate your kind comments! @espyetta Thank you for the fav! This was led by someone in a Chicago area meetup photo group, but not part of 365. It was incredible. @libertylady@elaine55 Thank you for the fav and Elaine, for the follow!
This is just crazy cool. I have never heard of this before. Good for you to have someone brave enough to do this. Awesome job capturing. When I first saw the thumbnails I wondered what Chicago was celebrating with fireworks!
@maxbolotov Thanks Max. I haven't seen any tutorials, but it was pretty straightforward. You put steel wool, fine grain, in a kitchen metal whisk. Attach the wisk to something like a dog leash length chain. Make sure you are not wearing any synthetic clothes as they can easily burn and wear a wide brimmed hat. Light the steel wool with a 9-volt battery and start swinging it in circles. It's easiest to have someone you can take turns with, but I guess you could set a camera with a timer on a tripod and do it on your own. They did it over water or over cement for obvious reasons. Good luck!
@taffy Good luck! I'll look forward to seeing your post. I recommend practicing first with something less volatile -- they had a string of electric lights that led to great effects, and the used a coiled neon slight string that kids pay with. Both would give you a sense of settings and distance/lens to use.
@kevinmckay Thanks Kevin -- we had a blast! I was so glad to be able to join the group as I know I'd never do this on my own. But I do want to do more with light now.
May 8th, 2013
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@joannbayne Thank you!
@colie Thanks Colie -- definitely one of my favorite shots of the night.
@anazad511 @lotticus Thanks Ana and L.Dog
@tuesdaygirl Thanks Jess -- cowardly of me, but I know my limits!
@steampowered Thanks Paul. I'm working on more this week -- it's a cool technique and interesting to see how color changes the mood/feel.
@genesis_one @paulavdmerwe Thanks Paula and Corrie!
@amandal Thanks Amanda for fav'ing.
@espyetta Thank you for the fav! This was led by someone in a Chicago area meetup photo group, but not part of 365. It was incredible.
@libertylady @elaine55 Thank you for the fav and Elaine, for the follow!