Setting the Scene
As World War II was raging in Europe Harley-Davidson shifted its motorcycle production from towards military models with features like black-out lights and different brakes.
In 1941 Harley-Davidson introduced the FL model with it's 74 cubic inch 1200cc overhead valve V-twin engine also known as a "Knucklehead". A collector's item these days.
This example has beautiful gold paint complemented by a rich brown leather saddle.
See how Lightpainting transforms a museum piece into a work of art ready to hang on the wall.
Painting Light in the Dark
Staring with a completely dark scene is best, long exposures are taken while the light wand is moved over the motorcycle creating different highlights and shadows in each shot. Attention is paid to the chrome, the leather, the engine fins and details, the headlights, the tires, and the exhaust.
The Build
After the lightpainting passes were completed and we packed up and left, it was time for the build. The individual layers are opened on the computer, examined, and selected for carefully layering together, blending into the finished product.
Sometimes the scene is lightpainted as well as the vehicle, allowing the environment to be part of the story. In this case the setting was unattractive, so it was replaced with a plain background, lightly glowing to create contrast with the bike, and then replaced with a brick wall to mimic an alleyway.
There is skill and judgment combined with a lot of attention to detail, and an artful vision in creating the finished image, suitable to be printed and hung on the wall.
