Handheld light painting application

Abstract

The evolution of digital cameras had created infinite possibilities for photography. Currently light painting is one of such possibilities that is gradually gaining its popularity among photographers. Light painting is also known as “drawing with light”; achieved by the skilful manipulation of the light source motion and the camera’s shutter speed that create a continuous streak in the final photograph. This had aroused enthusiasm in many people to pick up photography, pushing the limits of painting with light. This project aims to improvise the portability of the former handheld light painting application. The handheld light painting application integrates an Arduino microcontroller and Raspberry Pi microprocessor together, allowing users to select a pre-loaded image in the memory card for light painting. The application is also intelligently programmed to sense its tilt angle and warn the photographer about the handheld light painting application being swayed too much. It also convenient to manipulate the DSLR camera settings wirelessly from a nearby distance without user’s physical intervention on the camera. This is achieved by the wireless network hosted by the Raspberry Pi. Primarily, the LED strips will paint the image by constantly changing the displayed column during movement. The aim of this report is to document the development of a handheld light painting application that is capable of performing light painting. It will feature different aspects of integrated systems that provide the capabilities of a handheld light painting application. This application will improve the overall efficiency and portability of doing light painting, making it a more enjoyable experience for photographers.