Exploring the Art of Light Painting Photography featuring Whitby Abbey.

Oct 23, 2025 | Architectural, Art, Light Painting, Photography Classes

A person stands on a rocky surface at night, silhouetted against a bright circular pattern of pink and purple light painting, with trees and darkness in the background.

What Is Light Painting Photography?

Light painting is a photographic technique that uses long exposures and moving light sources to create unique and otherworldly images. Instead of relying on post-production or Photoshop, the entire image is created in-camera — every swirl, streak, and burst of light captured in real time by using a varied amount of light sources/torches.

“The magic of light painting lies in its honesty. There are no digital tricks — just the skill of timing, composition, and movement.” Check out the images below and see if you can imagine how they were done. I’m especially proud of the light painting at Whitby Abbey

A person stands on a rocky surface at night, silhouetted against a bright circular light painting pattern of pink and purple light, with trees and darkness in the background.
A long-exposure photo captures spinning orange and white light trails forming a flower-like shape inside a dark, ancient stone archway Whitby Abbey
A stone bridge stands in the dark as a glowing, bright pink and purple circular light effect radiates beneath its arch, illuminating the surrounding foliage and ground.

A Pioneer of Light Painting

I started light painting many years ago when I was studying photography. Back then it was done on film, much like the pioneers of light painting such as Pablo Picasso. I have quite a few winter workshops and light festivals coming up over the winter. This work blurs the lines between photography, performance, and installation art, combining motion and colour to create striking art. Each piece different, you never know what you are going top create until the images appears on the back of the camera.

I’m very proud to be one of the very few photographers in the world to offer light painting workshops that allow participants to step inside the creative process themselves. Whether capturing abstract shapes, expressive portraits, or dynamic group creations, my workshops are designed for everyone — from complete beginners to seasoned artists.

Light Painting Workshops and Events

Through TSP Studios, I run  interactive light painting workshops across the UK, often collaborating with festivals, galleries, and brands. These sessions are playful, accessible, and deeply engaging — encouraging creativity through movement, colour, and light.

No prior experience is needed. “If you can hold a torch, you can create light art.”

Past collaborations include Manchester Art Gallery,DIGIT Festival Doncaster Light Festival, The Big Chill, DLA Piper, Barclays, Lacoste and Lightspeed etc Each project brings something new — from sci-fi inspired creations to expressive dance and movement captured in glowing trails of colour.

Bright blue and white light trails form a spiky, abstract shape between two tree trunks in a dark, wooded area, with smaller fragments floating nearby.
A nighttime photo of a field with tall grass and tractor tracks, featuring vibrant, fan-shaped light trails in pink, purple, and blue, illuminating the center under a cloudy sky with a glowing moon.
Ruins Whitby Abbey at night, with swirling red and white light trails in front of it, illuminating the grass and contrasting against the dark blue sky.
A glowing, colorful arc of pink, orange, and yellow light appears behind a fallen tree trunk in a dark, wooded area with green foliage. The light creates a striking contrast against the night.
A glowing pink and white light orb is centered between ancient stone arches of Whitby Abbey at night, with dark sky and ruins silhouetted in the background. The scene is framed by two large stone columns in the foreground.
A glowing orb created with white light trails floats above grass at night, surrounded by dark trees and bushes under a deep blue and purple sky.

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