Photographer Ken Lee has revealed the intricate techniques behind capturing one of the most spectacular night photography images ever taken - a 350-foot-long dragon serpent sculpture illuminated against a backdrop of sweeping star trails in the California desert. The photograph, so remarkable that 59 respondents in an informal Yale Daily News survey mistook it for an AI-generated image, showcases the artistry possible through advanced light painting techniques and careful compositional planning.
The massive sculpture, known as a "rattledragon," was created by artist Ricardo Breceda and is located in Borrego Springs, California. This metal serpent appears to dive in and out of the desert sand and even crosses under a road, creating one of the most surreal locations for night photography in the United States. Lee's workshop students often visit this site alongside Joshua Tree National Park, with participants consistently amazed by both the sculpture and their resulting photographs.
Light painting, as Lee explains, involves using handheld light sources as brushes during long exposures, with the scene serving as a canvas. This technique allows photographers to selectively illuminate subjects while maintaining creative control over shadows and highlights. Unlike studio lighting with stands and heavy equipment, light painting offers flexibility, speed, and creative freedom that has made it popular among night photographers for decades.
Lee's first critical decision involved lens selection, deliberately avoiding the typical wide-angle lenses (14mm-15mm) that most night photographers prefer. Instead, he chose a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens, set at 40mm focal length. This longer focal length compressed the scene, incorporating the dragon's full body along with the mountains and stars behind it, while also making the star trails appear longer and more dramatic. The choice proved essential for maintaining proper perspective without the distortion that would have occurred from positioning too close to the dragon's head.
The photographer's positioning strategy required careful consideration of the sculpture's 350-foot length. Setting up on the right side of the dragon provided a complete view of the serpent's body while creating negative space in the sky - essential territory for the star trails to develop effectively. This vantage point allowed the dragon to appear as if it were "looking into" the star-filled sky, creating a more dynamic composition.
Illumination challenges emerged immediately due to the moon's position on the right side, leaving the dragon's face in shadow. Despite Lee's usual preference for maintaining natural lighting consistency by matching the moon's direction, he made an exception to illuminate the intricate facial details that formed such a dominant part of the composition. He positioned himself on the left side of the head, using his body to shield the light source from appearing in the frame.
The most complex aspect involved light painting the entire 350-foot sculpture without appearing in the photograph or accidentally shining light into the camera lens. Lee employed two essential techniques: continuous movement and strategic light shielding. By maintaining constant motion throughout the long exposure, he remained effectively invisible to the camera, as stationary objects only register when present for more than 10 seconds of the total exposure time.
For light control, Lee used a ProtoMachines LED2, keeping it in his right hand while using his torso to shield the beam from the camera lens. As he walked the dragon's entire length, he moved the light beam vertically to evenly illuminate the scales and surface details. This methodical approach ensured consistent lighting across the massive sculpture while preventing unwanted lens flare or photographer ghosting in the final image.
The star trail creation process proved surprisingly straightforward compared to the lighting challenges. Using a Nikon D610 DSLR with settings of f/6.3, ISO 200, and 2-minute exposures, Lee captured 14 consecutive frames over 28 minutes total. An intervalometer ensured continuous shooting without gaps between frames. Each 2-minute exposure provided sufficient time to walk the dragon's length while applying light painting techniques. The individual frames were later combined in Photoshop to create the sweeping star trail effect.
Lee's experience includes a costly learning moment from his first attempt at photographing this sculpture in 2013. Despite achieving excellent results visible on his camera's LCD screen, the images proved unusable when viewed on his computer. The camera service center had reset his Nikon D90 to factory defaults during a cleaning, resulting in 12.1-megapixel Normal JPG files instead of the expected RAW format. This devastating discovery led to his successful return trip in 2015, emphasizing the critical importance of verifying camera settings before attempting ambitious photography projects.
The dragon serpent sculpture represents part of Ricardo Breceda's larger body of work creating oversized metal art installations throughout the California desert. These pieces have become significant attractions for both tourists and photographers, offering unique opportunities for creative night photography in dramatic natural settings. Lee regularly incorporates visits to this location and similar sites into his photography workshops, noting the consistent amazement on participants' faces when they first encounter the sculpture and later when they see their own successful star trail photographs.
This comprehensive approach to night photography demonstrates how technical expertise, creative vision, and careful planning can produce images that challenge viewers' perceptions of reality, creating art that stands at the intersection of photography, sculpture, and astronomical observation.
