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Light Bulb Filament Photography Tips

Capturing the light from a simple household light bulb can result in amazing photographs. In simple terms, incandescent bulbs are made with a base, glass and a filament that creates the light. You can create fascinating images when the filament is allowed to come in contact with oxygen by removing the protective glass from around it. With a little creativity and a few simple tools, you will be able to wow your friends with your photographs.

The Setup
- In order to photograph a burning filament, it is important to keep the bulb steady. Use a table lamp or torch lamp with a removable shade to hold exposed bulb. To hold your camera steady, use a tripod. Keep your tripod and lamp near the room light switch so that you can easily turn the room lights on and off between shots. For brighter images, use bulbs with a high wattage, such as a 100 watt bulb. Buy plenty of bulbs because you will go through many bulbs before you catch the perfect image.
Preparing the Shot
- The filament will burn for only a brief moment, so you must be prepared to take the shot. Plug the lamp into a power strip on the floor so that you can trip the light with your foot. Even though you will be working in a dark room, it is important to block out any other distractions in the background. To do this, place a piece of black poster board behind the bulb.
Preparing the Bulb
- Prepare the bulb for the picture by placing it inside a zippered sandwich bag. Lay the bag and bulb on the floor and hold the base of the bulb while lightly tapping the glass with a hammer. Remove the bulb from the bag carefully so that the filament is not torn. Remove any shards of glass from the base.
Taking the Shot
- Set your camera to manual focus and focus it on the bulb base. Leave enough room above the filament to catch the smoke from the filament. With the broken bulb in the lamp, flip off the wall switch. Using a remote trigger on your camera, flip on the exposure, turn on the lamp by flipping the power strip switch and let the filament burn out while your exposure continues. Once the filament has burned, end the exposure. This will create smoky images. For sharper images, set the camera to shoot in rapid sequence at high speed and take the exposures. This will create sharp, abstract images.
Other Tips
- Use extreme caution when working with exposed wires and broken glass. Try using different wattage bulbs for different effects and try varying your exposure to determine which works best for your image.

Photography