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Ball of Light

This 15 minute documentary tells the story of Denis Smith, professional light painter. Two years ago, Denis was in a high pressure sales job, struggling with drink, debt and depression. His family life was suffering, so he needed to make changes to his life before all was lost. He moved to Australia and soon discovered light painting, a unique form of photography which allows for vibrant and surreal imagery. Through a new found love of creativity, Denis began to change his life and find clarity.

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  1. The most important thing is that he’s happy.

  2. He might be a very good light painter, but that doesnt make him an artist. I would be interested seeing him do other things as well.

  3. what a sob story!

  4. Very nice documentary, love it 🙂

  5. cool, yumyumshisha

  6. This guy could easily find investors willing to send him around the world to shoot balls of light in exotic locations.

  7. soooooooo stunningly beautiful and your story is an inspiration of the magic changing your life can achieve

  8. this guy is such an asshole
     

  9. Very nice… and inspiring.  Thank you for sharing this.  Here’s what I’ve done with light paintings.  Enjoy.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iODYH9XNg6M

  10. Very nice… and inspiring.  Thank you for sharing this.  Here’s what I’ve done with light paintings.  Enjoy.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iODYH9XNg6M

  11. Fantastic.  Beautiful stunning images!!

  12. I started creating light grafitti a little over a year ago. It really is fun to do and it’s easy too! All you have to do is tie a flashlight (unscrew the cap so that the cap does not block the bulbs light) to a sting and stand in one place being sure not to move. Keep your wrist very still and a perfect circle will be created. If your not sure about the photography part just ask a friend that does photography i’m sure they can help you out. Here are some of my creations. Enjoy!! (must login to facebook to view)

    http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.600206225149.2138731.39804808&saved

    my spheres are towards the end of the albumn.

  13. this was very impressive…good job man you’re finally doing something you truly have passion for. I’m jealous.

  14. The symbolism of this story just blow my mind. It makes me want to weeps with joy.

  15. Oh my goodness… this is just mesmerizing. It does look like they’re in the daylight, but you can see the stars in little lines all over the sky. I went to your website and can’t stop staring. Just BEAUTIFUL!!

  16. Oh my goodness… this is just mesmerizing. It does look like they’re in the daylight, but you can see the stars in little lines all over the sky. I went to your website and can’t stop staring. Just BEAUTIFUL!!

  17. Wow, this is wonderous. I’ve always been drawn to night photography… this “painting with light” takes it to a whole new level. Beautiful images, and story too…

  18. What a sense of relief from all the troubles of life and work. Really inspiring. I thank you!

  19. What a sense of relief from all the troubles of life and work. Really inspiring. I thank you!

  20. What a sense of relief from all the troubles of life and work. Really inspiring. I thank you!

  21. What a sense of relief from all the troubles of life and work. Really inspiring. I thank you!

  22. Brilliant .. not of this earth almost .. just brilliant !! Should fly over to Iceland and do some of your work here (wishful thinking 😉
    Amazing Denis, follow your passion and enjoy life !!
    – at least some have to go over after death and say I had too much of the good stuff and it was grand – instead of those regret stories 🙂

    Stay Brilliant Be Inspired

    – Sunneva Joh
    Iceland.

  23. Brilliant .. not of this earth almost .. just brilliant !! Should fly over to Iceland and do some of your work here (wishful thinking 😉
    Amazing Denis, follow your passion and enjoy life !!
    – at least some have to go over after death and say I had too much of the good stuff and it was grand – instead of those regret stories 🙂

    Stay Brilliant Be Inspired

    – Sunneva Joh
    Iceland.

  24. This is an interesting video about how a man found a way to enhance photography.

    • Warning – the above is a fake comment used to mask a link to a fraudulent website .. they take payment but do not deliver any service.

  25. This is an interesting video about how a man found a way to enhance photography.

  26. Wow that’s different. Awesome.

  27. I like the top button of turn off the lights, it’s so funny! http://bit.ly/hchlww

  28. I would like to see a few sphere’s on water. The ocean, lakes, pond, a creek.. I think it wold look awesome…Do you sell them?

  29. @Recon – The long exposure of the shots makes it appear to be taken during the day. All of the shots are done at night with what would appear to be between 1 minute and 5 minute exposure times. Leaving the shutter open for such great periods of time captures so much natural light that the photos have a day time look to them.

  30. @Recon – The long exposure of the shots makes it appear to be taken during the day. All of the shots are done at night with what would appear to be between 1 minute and 5 minute exposure times. Leaving the shutter open for such great periods of time captures so much natural light that the photos have a day time look to them.

  31. So he super imposes the pictures of the light balls onto pics he took before?… Cause he’s shooting in the middle of the night but the picture they show us is taken in the day….I’m confused.

    • its such a long exposure that the small amount of light is collected up and appears brighter than it really is.

    • Hi Recon, Denis here. All of the shots you see are a single exposure with no pixels added or removed. Just long exposures! Dont be confused, just enjoy them for what you see.

      • Hello!  Wouldn’t it be cool if he did a ball of light then did an extended horizontal spin within it? It would make it look like saturn!

  32. I Love this :D, my partner and I live in Auckland, New Zealand and also do light work. its amazing and we absolutely love it.