Luminous Nights in Paris: A Personal Light-Painting Session

Taking you back to a memorable spring night near Paris fills me with joy. In May 2023 I had the opportunity to travel outside of Italy for a very special personal light-painting session requested by the beautiful Lily. She committed to this creative endeavor across two distinct evenings in two completely different locations. The first was a magical and quiet forest while the second was a serene small lake situated southeast of the French capital.

Despite the chill in the air Lily proved to be a true artist in her delicate white outfit capturing the essence of the night beautifully. This trip was particularly significant as it marked my first dedicated light-painting adventure abroad. It was wonderful to meet her, her husband and their lovely family who welcomed me with great warmth.

We spent hours shaping the darkness together. I used my light tube to create sweeping circles and elegant ribbons around our muse. I often pushed the limits of the sensor by intentionally embracing blown-out highlights for a unique luminous effect. For this session I chose an f/1.8 aperture and an ISO between 320 and 640 allowing the long exposures to capture the ethereal atmosphere perfectly. Even the light pollution reflecting on the clouds gifted us with a subtly colored night sky that I later enhanced in post-production.

Lily demonstrated incredible dedication throughout the shoot. She was an absolute natural in front of the camera especially considering it was her first light-painting experience. Her strength and intrinsic elegance truly shine through the final photographs. This Parisian journey was just the beginning of many international adventures that I cherish deeply.