STROBE EFFECT

Long exposure of Boom #1

Madeline Strum Photography

BY MADELINE STRUM PHOTOGRAPHY

Coming up on a year at home, the time seemed right for a new set of kids portraits, but somehow showing we’ve been home for a year. They all sat for a studio session last February to model hats I wanted to donate. I thought it might be pretty to use Christmas lights and a dark set to hint at feeling cooped up. With a really long exposure and setting the fl ash off multiple times, we played with the idea. Is it disorienting to be inside all the time?

Long exposure of Boom #2

Madeline Strum Photography

Before rigging a set with white lights, I cut a tiny heart out of a paper lens cap to change the shapes of blurred lights (below). Then I cut one to look like a corona virus, but the lights were already so round and the strings so inconsistent in how bright my kids’ faces showed. So, I tossed the lens cap and added one flash multiple times to a really long exposure.

Madeline Vega

Uncorrected version of Betty on set before the flash was added

Madeline Strum Photography

I made Kal do a reshoot because he was too tall for the first set. Using a tripod shows off the multiple exposures, but Kal missed the light streaks.

Madeline Strum Photograhy

Multiple flashes on a long exposure of Betty after the flash was added

Madeline Strum Photography

Kal trows a punch

Madeline Strum Photography