Awesome Long Exposures Using Steel Wool

Awesome Long Exposures Using Steel Wool

The most common method of light painting is using a flashlight and moving it around while shooting long exposures. We all know that trick, and many times it looks a little gimmicky. This is why I really like when people think of other, more creative ways to do light painting. Using burning Steel Wool can create awesome looking photos. Its super cheap, creative and can give your photos the X-Factor.

When shooting with burning Steel Wool, make sure you do it in a safe place, and also make sure to make a fire extinguisher with you. After all - you don't want it to be your last picture.
After taking Wool Burn photos, share them with us on our Facebook Group!


wool burn
Photo: Glenn Pfab.

Pipe Burn
Photo: Dave Brightwell.

Oil on wool - Footpath Closed.
Photo: Accept no substitute.

K7_10368
Photo: Bob West.

eau terre feu .地球(地面) 香水消防(轻) Water Earth Fire
Photo: Bertrand Monney.

paradise...
Photo: Trevor Williams.

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Photo: outabounds.

Spin Cycle
Photo: Steph Hall.

Four Nutter’s And A Plane
Photo: John Warwood.

This way up
Photo: Chris Thompson.

Serendipity
Photo: Chris Reynolds.

Seeing Double
Photo: Dave Brightwell.

2012 Project 52 - 37 em eye see kay ee why
Photo: four50photo.

Fire In The Sky
Photo: Skyler Hughes.

Burn Motherfucker Burn
Photo: Jarrod Lees.

Noam Galai's picture

Noam Galai is a Senior Fstoppers Staff Writer and NYC Celebrity / Entertainment photographer. Noam's work appears on publications such as Time Magazine, New York Times, People Magazine, Vogue and Us Weekly on a daily basis.

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6 Comments

There are some great extreme ones in there

My own how-to video, which shows you how to select and use steel wool and how to do light painting in general: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkxUDJfcW4E

Steel wool is the most tediously cliched and amateurish form of light painting photography out there. It needs to be banished to the 9th level of hell where it belongs. 

Step up to something like this, and call me in the morning.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stealth43/7675212998/in/set-721576308172980...

pretty rad! tell me where you got that or how you built it and then ill call you in the morning!

Check out my art project, "This is Time Frozen" All we do is this, as well as some other light painting.

http://www.facebook.com/thisistimefrozen

My try at it, with a local artist. 

http://500px.com/photo/5286036