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Garry Black Photography

Question:

On your web site you have some images of light bulbs that are lit with no apparent wires, I've often wondered how is that done?

Answer:

The shots with a light bulb on with no socket in sight are quite simple to do. I took a 3 foot metal rod (a straightened out coat hanger works well) this is soldered to the back of the light bulb. The other end is pushed through the background paper and held by an insulated clamp, behind the paper. Then a 2 strand insulated electrical wire (an old lamp plug) is run along the rod to the light bulb where one wire is soldered to the side of the base and the other to the bottom of the base. Warning - the metal rod is now "hot" electrical current is now flowing through it, so don't touch it or the base of the light bulb. You can install a switch to turn the light off or on. Position your camera so that it is directly in front of the light bulb, that way you won't see the rod or the wire because the light bulb hides them.