I have always wondered how the photo in Life mag of Picasso drawing with a light pen created without blur?

Question

This was before digital cameras. Hmmm.

Answer 1

The picture he drew was called the centaur (I think).

The camera was put on a tripod. Picasso stood in front of the camera

The lights in the room were turned out.

The camera's shutter was opened exposing the film.

Picasso drew the picture with a torch in front of the camera in the dark. The light drawing was captured on the camera film.

When Picasso finished, the photographer let off a flash bulb that lit up Picasso for just that instant. Where the centaur had been drawn in light on the film, that part of the film was overexposed and came out pure white. That's why the centaur overlays the image of Picasso.

The camera shutter was then closed.

The lights were turned on and the film was developed.

Answer 2

I learned this in my Photo 1 class! The lights were all turned off in a room. The camera shutter was held open or put on the B setting and Picasso began to draw with the light. Since the camera was left open, the light was captured on the exposed film. The camera was probably placed on a tripod so there was no blur. A flash must have been popped at the end to show Picasso because otherwise he wouldn't have shown up on the film. The literal translation of the word "photography" is "to write with light". Maybe that helps you to understand the concept of real photography.

The camera used could have been just a regular 35mm camera. I'm in high school and in my Photo 1 class we actually had an assignment where we had to do a "light painting". It's pretty cool.

Answer 3

I would guess it was done with an open shutter and then popped with a flash.

If the camera is on a tripod, the room completely dark, the shutter is released and remains open. The small pen light is turned on and Picasso does his thing in the air, in the dark. When the artist nears the end of the sketch..the photographer pops a flash giving the correct exposure to the frame. The trick is to match the exposure of the flash to the exposure of the pen light.

This is what makes the photo so great...Picasso could "see" the figure in his mind and translate it to thin air. It wa a wonderful idea, executed well.

I could have been done on a 4x5 camera or medium format....doesn't really matter as long as the camera can time exposures or "B".

Answer 4

Perhaps not this evening, but if there is no Part 2 and Part 5.. I'm telling Ma on you. As I sit back, pour a stiff drink, which I have not done in years, light a smoke..and ponder. Everything has a beginning and an end, some wise philosopher once said. Perhaps that is not so, but even Lucas had to finish his tale.

Answer 5

It was in the dark with a very slow developing film. I don't know the speed or type of camera used but my guess is medium format.