BEAUTY: Photography--Troy Paiva

Troy Paiva began shooting light-painted night photography in 1989 and creates moody, atmospheric images of the ghost towns, abandoned sites, dilapidated buildings, and empty vistas of rural California. Of his work, Paiva says, "The outdoor work was shot on or near the full moon, which is the main light-source in most of these images. Many of the interiors were shot in total darkness, relying only on added light to create the image...All my lighting is hand-held and is added one source at a time during the minutes-long exposures. I frequently light the entire scene with a single light source used from several angles. I also use snoots and gobos to manipulate the way the light falls. This simple lighting methodology allows me to travel light and work fast in difficult locations." I love how he uses unsettling red and green light to add an otherworldly sense to his shots.

Check out all of his work on his site "Lost America."
http://lostamerica.com/

And if you want to learn how to shoot photos like these, check out his tutorial book "Light Painted Night Photography."
http://www.flatbooks.com/light-painted-night-photography/