Though photographic technology races forward at breakneck speeds, it’s rare to see innovation in how an image is viewed and perceived. Tennessee-based photographer and entrepreneur Jeremy Cowart has introduced capture and presentation techniques that result in an image he calls a Lightograph. Cowart describes the Lightograph as, “the evolution of light through a still photograph.” The result is a video file without motion except for the light, he says. The viewer sees the subject motionless, as in a still image, but with the lighting color, angles, and intensity changing and moving.
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The idea came through “years and years of playing and experimenting in the studio with my lights,” Cowart says. “But something finally clicked this year with the whole NFT [non-fungible tokens] boom. I wanted to bring motion to my portraits, and I realized my process could do that very easily.” The final product is digital and yields an eye-catching new offering for websites and social media.
Watching a Lightograph as it evolves through a loop of shifting light, shadows, and color is a lesson in how light influences the meaning and impression of a photograph. “A Lightograph can really reveal many sides to a subject and make them look really young or old or make them look like a hero and a villain. I keep saying that for the first time, a portrait can tell more than one story,” Cowart says.
As for the techniques involved in producing Lightographs, Cowart isn’t free with his descriptions. He offers a video tutorial that provides a full breakdown of how to create a Lightograph and the gear required for $249.99 through his website.
Joan Sherwood is senior editor.
