Crowdpainting with Light: Participatory Imaging at the Big Shot

Painting with light is a night photography technique where the photographer illuminates the subject with moving lights over a long exposure time. The Big Shot project has taken this technique to the extreme over the past 30 years by engaging large crowds for the lighting of landmarks resulting in unique night photographs. In this paper, we overview the fundamental techniques of crowdpainting with light and show representative examples of images taken through the years. We also discuss some of the social aspects of this participatory experience that make it memorable and engaging. Finally, we propose computational techniques for painting with light and demonstrate, through a small experiment, how crowdpainting with light can be accessible to broad audiences for experimentation, social interaction and fun.