Fort Collins Digital Camera Club

The goal of our Fine Art Photography SIG is to help each other to create fine art from our photography.
The Fine Art SIG is a place where artists support each other and nurture creativity in others.
Unrequested criticism can feed an artist's fear of failure and stifle their creative growth.

ATTENDEES
Mike Barry
Heather Coe
Rich Ernst
Michael Hohol
Pam Jordan
Jim Limburg
Jack Lipscomb
Ed Ogle
Rich Roberts
Ken Sandberg
Albert Wang

DISCUSSION TOPICS

1. Creating images with Fancy Light
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We discussed "Creating images with Fancy Light" at the SIG meeting. Several members showed images.

2. Painting Tools
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We discussed different tools and where to obtain them.

Ken has a Pixelstick and showed some amazing images that it can create.
https://www.thepixelstick.com/
This is an amazing tool for light painting, but it costs $349

Jim hanged "finger lights" from a string and photographed the patterns they made.
https://www.amazon.com/Novelty-Place-Screw-Secured-Flashlight-Halloween/dp/B00XCZJYAM?th=1

Ed created a light wand from "Multicolor LED Glow Sticks, iSiLER Party Flashing Light"
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BFT2FK2
Unfortunately this item is no longer available, but there are similar products that might work.

Ed swung fairy lights around
https://www.amazon.com/Twinkle-Control-Changing-Christmas-Outdoor/dp/B0D79CT6HL

Ed used party favors the he got at special events in Loveland.

Mike bought a "Mettlelite LS800C RGB LED Light Stick" which is a great light, but it is too bright for what I was trying to do.
Maybe if I wrapped the light with translucent plastic to reduce the light intensity.
https://www.amazon.com/Mettlelite-Continuous-Control-2800K-8000K-Rechargeable/dp/B0BYNBWJZS

Mike bought TRAXX 8Ft STRIP LIGHT at "Five Below" for $5
https://www.fivebelow.com/products/8ft-multicolor-led-light-strip-with-remote?variant=9099162&sr=1
After the meeting I taped the strip light to a stick to create a light wand that works pretty well.

Mike tried to create a light wand with a Flourescent Tube cover about $10 at Lowes) a flashlight and colored sheets of plastic. It worked, but not very well.

Some members created images with more conventional "Fancy Light" like reflections in water or shooting into the sun...

CONCLUSION: There are many cheap light toys that work well, and if you don't care about the cost then the Pixelstick will make amazing images.

3. Eric Pare light painting art
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We looked at EricPare.com where he makes some amazing images.

4. Light Painting Art website
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https://lightpainting.art/
This website has wonderful images, some from Eric Pare, tutorials and links to websites where you can spend your money.

5. Adobe Tech Support
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Members have had positive experiences when they called Adobe Tech Support for help fixing Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom problems.
800.833.6687
Mike Barry should contact Adobe about his Photoshop issues.

6. Constructive Critiques and Personal Projects (optional)
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Mike showed a few examples from Fort Collins Comic Con

RESOURCES (Where you can find sources of inspiration)
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Find URLs under the discussion topics

PICK A TOPIC FOR THE NEXT MEETING
We decided to continue trying to create fine art using "fancy lighting" techniques. Light painting, shiny objects, strobes with snoots, gels, extreme lighting of any kind.

AGENDA FOR OUR NEXT FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY SIG MEETING - Tue 10/21/2025 @6:00pm
1. The main topic will be "Fancy Lighting" again, but we will probably also discuss other topics. If you want to discuss something else, send me an email and I will add it to the agenda
2. Constructive Critiques and Other Personal Projects
3. We will pick a topic for the next meeting

Please email Mike, info@fcdcc.com, when you find mistakes, missing information or if you have suggestions for the Fine Art Photography SIG and I will try to address the issues.

Thanks,
Mike Barry

================ Notes from ZOOM ==================

There are no notes from ZOOM this month because my antivirus software deleted the ZOOM notes from Jim.