How Is It Done?

A typical light painting project involves the use of special LED lights and, in many cases, some of the exposures are also done with our high powered strobe lights. To give you an idea of what goes into creating your light painted artwork, we have the "Build Videos" of several projects, and their final artwork on this page. In addition, there are also links to each of their stories that are featured on our sister website's blog at www.adesignerportraits.com

These short videos feature the images that were actually used to create the final one-of-a-kind light painting. Most of the time, Michael takes between 200 to 400 images, sometimes more, on-site to be sure everything is covered with light from multiple angles.
Most of the light paintings we create take 3 to 4 hours to photograph from set up, waiting for it to get dark, and then photograph all of the details in the scene, to take down. 
The average post-production time is 8 to 12 hours using Photoshop and several other programs to complete the final artwork.
I traveled to Texas for this amazing project. These five Corvettes are in amazing condition, and "The Lodge" made for one cool backdrop!
The five Vette's in this one are, in order of age, a1966 Corvette Stingray Convertible, a 2004 Corvette C6 Z06 Leman’s Commemorative Edition, a 2013 Corvette 60th Anniversary ZR1, a 2019 Corvette ZR1, and a 2023 Corvette Z06.
Normally, these "Build Videos" are about one minute long. However, I used well over 200 images to create this one (usually, it’s around 100 images for most light painting projects). So this short movie is a bit longer than usual, but it’s worth every extra second! 
This project took over 5 hours to light paint that night, and I needed nearly 40 hours in post-production to create this stunning piece of art!
Please click on the button below to read all about this light painting project.
Light Painting 5 Corvettes at "The Lodge"
An amazing light painted photograph of five Corvettes! Featured are a 1966 Corvette Stingray Convertible, a 2004 Corvette C6 Z06 Leman’s Commemorative Edition, a 2013 Corvette 60th Anniversary ZR1, a 2019 Corvette ZR1, and a 2023 Corvette Z06. Image was created a hunting lodge in Texas.

Feaured in this light paint at "The Lodge" are: a 1966 Corvette Stingray Convertible, a 2004 Corvette C6 Z06 Leman’s Commemorative Edition, a 2013 Corvette 60th Anniversary ZR1, a 2019 Corvette ZR1, and a 2023 Corvette Z06.

I met Dave at Motorhead Madness in Duluth, Minnesota in the winter of 2024. His 1934 Ford 3-Window Coupe was selected as the "Best of Show", and for good reason! Nicknamed "POISIN", this automobile is absolutely stunning! You could eat off the underside of this car, it's that clean.
The last few years at Motorhead madness, I've given a light painting gift certificate to the "Best of Show" winner. So Dave decided to "go big, or go home", with an 8-vehicle light painting that featured their beautiful home as the backdrop.
Dave has names for each of his vehicles, and those names are on the license plates of each one!
The 3 Motorcycles are: "KEEPIN", a 1995 Custom Harley-Davidson Road King, "FLOWIN", a Custom 2005 Speedway Chopper, and "FLAMIN", a 2022 CVO Harley-Davidson. 
The other 5 Vehicles are: "POISIN", a ’34 Ford 3-Window Coupe, "TOOLIN", a Marina Blue 1967 Chevelle, "GLOWIN", a 2023 Z3 Corvette Stingray Coupe 3LT, "KICKIN", a 2024 Chevy Blazer AWD, and "HAULIN", a 2023 Chevy Tahoe 4WD RST.
I took more than 550 images that night, and nearly 200 of them were used to create Dave's truly one-of-a-kind artwork! I have nearly 40 hours of post-production in this one, but it was totally worth it!
Please click on the button below to read all about this pretty light painting project.
8-Vehicles In One Amazing Light Painting
An amazing light painted photograph that includes 8 vehicles as well as the client's beautiful home! The 3 Motorcycles are a 1995 Custom Harley-Davidson Road King, a Custom 2005 Speedway Chopper, a 2022 CVO Harley-Davidson. The other 5 Vehicles are a ’34 Ford 3-Window Coupe, a Marina Blue 1967 Chevelle, a 2023 Z3 Corvette Stingray Coupe 3LT, a 2024 Chevy Blazer AWD, and a 2023 Chevy Tahoe 4WD RST.

Dave's amazing light painted photograph and their beautiful home. All eight vehicles have unique names that are on their license plates! The 3 Motorcycles are: "KEEPIN", a 1995 Custom Harley-Davidson Road King, "FLOWIN", a Custom 2005 Speedway Chopper, and "FLAMIN", a 2022 CVO Harley-Davidson. The other 5 Vehicles are: "POISIN", a ’34 Ford 3-Window Coupe, "TOOLIN", a Marina Blue 1967 Chevelle, "GLOWIN", a 2023 Z3 Corvette Stingray Coupe 3LT, "KICKIN", a 2024 Chevy Blazer AWD, and "HAULIN", a 2023 Chevy Tahoe 4WD RST.

Here is the short "Build Video" from Steve's amazing five-car-in-a-garage-condo light painting!

Here's Steve's incredible Man Cave light painting video. It shows the dozens of photographs (out of more than 400 taken that evening) that were used to "build" the image in post-production.
This is a really cool five-car light painting at Steve's Vintage Gas Station that he built right inside his garage condo! Included in this truly one-of-a-kind light painting are a 1966 Checker Marathon Wagon, a 1989 Mercedes 450SL on a Wildfire Lift, a 1996 Dodge Viper GTS Coupe, a 1980 Jeep CJ-5, and a 2003 Jeep Rubicon.
This amazing light painting took over 4 hours to photograph, and more than eleven hours in post-production to bring the final stunning image to life!
Please click on the button below to read about how this incredible light painting came to be.

Steve's 5-Car Light Painting Blog Post
An amazing one-of-a-kind five-car light painting in a garage condo. Included in the photograph are a 1966 Checker Marathon Wagon, a 1989 Mercedes 450SL on a Wildfire Lift, a 1996 Dodge Viper GTS Coupe, a 1980 Jeep CJ-5, and a 2003 Jeep Rubicon.

Steve's five-car light painting at his vintage gas station inside of his garage condo! Included in this one-of-a-kind light painting are a 1966 Checker Marathon Wagon, a 1989 Mercedes 450SL on a Wildfire Lift, a 1996 Dodge Viper GTS Coupe, a 1980 Jeep CJ-5, and a 2003 Jeep Rubicon.

Here's the "Build Video" from Bill's awesome 2007 Kenworth T600 light painting project created in Duluth, Minnesota. 

This one is very cool as well! We traveled up to Duluth, Minnesota (three times) to finally get this amazing light painting completed of a 2007 Kenworth T600. The first two times, non-forecasted rain wiped out both attempts.
I wrote a blog post about all three attempts on our sister website's blog , Michael Anderson Photography. Please click on the button below to read all about it.
Bill's 2007 Kenworth T600 Blog Post
A beautiful light painted photograph of a 2007 Kenworth T600 created in Duluth, MN.

A truly beautiful light painting of Bill's 2007 Kenworth T600 that was created under the I-535 bridge in Duluth, Minnesota by the shoreline of the Duluth Harbor.

Here is the amazing light painted photograph of a Cessna Citation X+, along with a 2020 G63-Mercedes and a 2020-Mercedes-GTR.
This one was originally scheduled to be created outdoors, but due to rainy weather, was created in a hangar at Flying Cloud Airport in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. It turned out really cool!
Please click on the button below to be taken to the blog post on our sister website to find out about how Michael and Joannie created this wonderful artwork.
Cessna Citation X+ and 2 Mercedes Benz Blog Post
An amazing light painted photograph of a Citation X+, a 2020 G63-Mercedes, and a 2020-Mercedes-GTR.

An amazing light painted photograph of a Cessna Citation X+, a 2020 G63-Mercedes, and a 2020-Mercedes-GTR that, due to rainy weather, was created in a hangar at Flying Cloud Airport in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.

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