4 Cosmic Hula Hoops from Cambridge OHIO

I stopped at Exit 178- Cambridge and popped into the K-Mart to get a phone cord charger.

Saw these Cosmic Hula Hoops and bought 4 for the grandkids as I was on my way.  Had a repeat light writing blog in mind as I drove the rest of the way to Columbus.

So four hula hoops, with blinking lights, plus four grandchildren willing to experiment with light equals a fun night photography effort

They helped Grandma capture a different kind of light writing in the backyard when it got dark outside.

I’d say the first day of retirement was a good one!

We used lightning sticks before which might have been easier to maneuver but not as bright.

hula hoop lights jack and michael watch annaMichael and Jack watch Anna and her hula hoop skills.

hula hoop jack in middle

All four at once.  They were already in their jammies.

If you want to learn to hula hoop you can click here 

A few individual efforts and the group

We will try another night.

 

All You Need is a Ceiling Fan, a Light Source, and Tape

Tonight I was camping out in my 5 year old granddaughter’s room, lying on a mat on the floor.

I looked up and saw the ceiling fan.

I  remembered a youtube demo of light writing.  Have been working on light writing at school with the students and thought I’d experiment.

Maura said the fan made her too cold so it was not a lengthy experiment.  Not as many variations as I would have liked to try.  I think it would work well with regular glow sticks.  She liked the way the photos looked, though. Crazy Grandma.

Photo-  light   graph – write

You need a darkened room.

Set your camera on bulb setting ( or long exposure)

      Manual focus

A tripod would have been useful.  I just braced it so it’s soft focus.

I used a Flashing/Glowing White Lighting Stick and tried three different settings.

You need some tape (that won’t damage the paddle) to attach the light source to a ceiling fan blade.

Here are  the Light Write Experiment results

Moving the camera around
Moving the camera around

 

Holding the camera as still as I could
Holding the camera as still as I could

 

 

 

 

With the Light Stick on blue
With the Light Stick on blue

 

Moving the camera around
Moving the camera around

 

Multicolor flashing setting on the Lightning Stick
Multicolor flashing setting on the Lightning Stick

 

 

 

Here is one I did at school with LED Christmas Lights, trying to make and intentional circle shape.

 

LED Christmas Lights in the Dark Room at school
LED Christmas Lights in the Dark Room at school

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Night at the Museum for Oh Snap!

The Carnegie Museum of Art had a wild evening featuring the Oh Snap!  Project  where museum goers are invited to respond to one of the 13 photographs recently acquired by the museum-  “a collaborative project”

and the place was packed when I arrived.

When I came into the crowd I asked a nice couple, what they were in line for and they responded, “Drinks!”

Ahhh.

I went drinkless into the gallery where  the thirteen photographs were hung.   Surrounding each photograph were several selections from the submissions of photographs in response to the Museum’s 13.  (Oh Snap! Project explained here if you are interested in submitting your photo inspired by one of the museum’s)  Everyone  please consume their snacks and beverages prior to entering the gallery with the photographs on the wall.  

No problem for me but others had to wait.

The gallery a bit crowded to savor and digest all the photos on the wall which is often the case with openings, receptions  and events. Definitely planning a return trip to take it all in.    I saw photographers I knew milling about, checking it all out.    It was a vibrant scene. Abuzz.  A green screen the backdrop for antics and people with props as in a photo booth.  Having a blast being silly. (I remembered the Photo Booth Laura and James had at their wedding, what fun for them to pore over the images of the guests)

Then I headed to the Hall of Sculpture and I chatted with one of the photographers with a Canon on a tripod, capturing the Light Writing with the LED Hula Hoops and various swords, necklaces, and eyeglasses that glowed, sparkled and flashed.  It was cool being in the Hall of Sculpture with the lights out.  Definitely a Night at the Museum   I told her how I worked with the hs students and we’ve done light writing in the former darkroom.  How the kids love doing it and the results.  We talked settings and equipment a bit and I watched the hula hoopers.   The admission?  FREE!

LED Hula Hoop

 When I left,  I captured the scene from the bottom of the Sculpture Garden stone stairs.  You can see how the new project was well attended.

The goal is to “spark a creative response” and I would say that goal is well on it’s way to being accomplished!  

If your photograph is chosen, you get a free pass for admission.

Carnegie Museum of Art