We all know what photography is and just for the sake oftrying we got closer to this form of art. Literally the word comes from two Greek terms: phos (photo) and graphis (spelling). So in some ways the hidden meaning of the word photography is to write with light. After all, light is the fundamental element of this art: it is the story of a moment studied ad hoc or improvised.

Taking a picture with your mobile phone often seems like a daily activity considering how we are bombarded by the social media where the image is the first means of communication. Yet we often forget how photography is a way of making art, like music or sculpture.

Photography was initially received with skepticism in the artistic fields but right from the start it was found as a “support” for the artists to seize the moment, as Baudelaire also said, meaning photography as “maid of the arts and sciences”. In addition to the help that he could give them, it freed the artists from the need for “mimesis”, thus imitating reality.

However, it became a real form of art, making light as a kind of brush in order to paint shadows on faces, on portraits. Photography is a child of the age of technology but has overcome various eras, structuring itself and evolving in many versions.

Light painting: what is it?

Light has always been the fundamental element of photography, but there is a particular technique, named light painting, that uses it almost to draw on film. As reported by Wikipedia in fact: “light painting, painting with light, light drawing, or light art performance photography are terms that describe photographic techniques of moving a light source while taking a long exposure photograph, either to illuminate a subject or space, or to shine light at the camera to ‘draw’, or by moving the camera itself during exposure of light sources.”

Light painting and food: a pleasent combination

Food is a multi-level topic and, of course, photography is no exception. In 2015 Renato Marcialis showed his project Caravaggio in Cucina explaining the study of the light he made and the technique he used: lightpainting. Thanks to this technique it is possible to obtain real brushstrokes of light that are memorized by the camera: the result is extremely realistic.

A wonderful collaboration: story of a photographic adventure

In the past days we have had the opportunity, as Eat & Walk Italy, to make a collaboration with a great artist Maria Saggese who offers experiences of normal photo books or in light painting on AirBnb. As both producers of experiences, we decided to bring together our reference areas (Italian food in this case pizza and photography) to create something wonderful!

An unforgettable day as well as the same light painting experience: the effect that can come out from the shots is really impressive! The artist, with our collaboration, has made photographs using lightpaintingbrushes.com a light painting tools, in particular collapsible light sword and white fiber optic. Caterina, the one who created the company and the cooking class school for tourists, worked the pizza dough as in a real pizza making class, stopping and following the directions of the photographer.

Let me directly leave the word to the photographs that tell better than the word itself.

About Maria Saggese:

Website: www.mariasaggese.it

Email info@mariasaggese.it

Instagram: instagram.com/mariasaggese.lightpainting

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MariaSaggeseLightPainting/