“Light painting artists work with lighting, performance, choreography, and longtime exposures, but often the audience thinks it’s been manipulated on a computer. I wanted to create a larger stage for this art to bring it to a greater audience,” Leonardo says, explaining his motivation in starting the contest.
Whether a newcomer or world renowned light painter, anyone is welcome to submit two of his best pieces before August 1. As the entrants strive to create their finest, the curator of this competition has a few tips, “Seek and go new ways! Close your eyes and find a picture in your head, then take your time and work hard again and again for one or two results,” Leonardo suggests. “Maybe you will not win the award, but you will for sure create your best work.”
When Leonardo first started the contest in 2013, his panel of judges were captivated by the sheer creativity and technique demonstrated by the submissions. They were also impressed by the large amount of participation, with 1,050 light paintings from 74 different countries. With the success of the first contest and the bigger prizes, Leonardo expects up to 2,000 submissions for its second year.