Even though light sticks, otherwise known as light wands, have been around for a while, I have noticed a recent increase in popularity. This growing trend has been visible inside both the videography and photography communities. The versatility of the light stick is so convenient that more and more professionals are adding it as a new addition to their equipment list. The creative flexibility this tool possesses served as inspiration to create this new tutorial explaining some of the many useful ways you can use this type of light in studio photography. In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through 3 light wand photography techniques.
Important Features of a light stick / light want:
- Hand held – The light is portable and it can also be mounted on a stand.
- Rechargeable – No need to carry a portable battery or depend on power outlets.’
- Remote control (some) – Easily controlled from a distance
- Color temperature variability – Color tone options for different light moods.
- Size – It fits anywhere and it can be easily stored.
- Shape – Its linear shape makes it easy to create a variety of light prop designs for video or creative photography sets.
I took advantage of these features and decided to show three useful ways to incorporate them in photography 1) as a key light, 2) mixed with a second light, and 3) as a set prop. The results looked pretty cool and these are just a few examples of everything you can achieve with the use of a light stick.
Light Wand Photography as Key Light
The first technique is the most simple. I used the light wand as a key light the same way you might use a flash in flash photography or any other constant light. See the results below.
Light Wand Photography Mixed with a Second Light
The second light wand photography technique I tried was mixing it with a second light, as you can see below.
Light Wand Photography As a Set Prop
And lastly, I tried something fun and included the light wand itself inside of the photo.
I used the EDGE Light from Smith Victor for the creation of this tutorial, but you can find a variety of similar light sticks available in photography stores. If you want to give it a try, below is a list of options to review:
- Savage LED Light Wand
- Godox LED Light Stick LC500
- Intellytech Light Stix (24″)
- Genaray Beacon LED Wand-Style Light
- Vivitar Photographic LED Light Wand
- CAME-TV Bi-Color 516 LED
If you want to see the complete set of images shot in the light wand photography tutorial, don’t forget to visit my website www.elainetorres.la and follow me on Instagram for more inspiration.
