Light-painting hashtag guide 2021

I’m writing this post as I see many people using obsolete tags on their light-painting pictures on Instagram. For instance, the account associated to the hashtag #spunups doesn’t exist anymore (it’s been replaced by @litbyhand). Keeping your hashtag list short is going to keep you relevant in the eyes of the monstrous instagram algorithm (and we’re going to be able to see you!)

1. Themes / techniques

   1. #lightpainting: of course! That’s the most important one. This is what’s keeping the whole community together

   2. #lightpaintingwhips: images created using light-painting whips (DIY tutorial, buy on lightpainting.store, buy on lightpaintingbrushes.com)

   3. #holosquares: images created using the HoloSquares (buy on lightpainting.store)

   4. #lightblades: images created using plexi blades (buy on liteblades.com)

2. Feature accounts

   1. #tubetribe: @tubetribe = featuring the best tube light-painting pictures

   2. #litbyhand: @litbyhand = featuring the best light-painting pictures out there

   3. #artmadeoflight: @artmadeoflight ig account, very vibrant and active!

   4. #orbUp: @orbUp = featuring light-painting orbs

   5. #spingodz: @spingodZ = featuring steelwhool spinners

   6. #lightpaintingblog (last post on @lightpaintingblog dates from 3 months ago… I’m not sure if this is still maintained)

   7. #lightpainters: @lightpainters, A resource and portfolio site for light painters

   8. #nightphotography (not only specific to light-painting, but as you can see on @nightphotography, some of our best friends get featured over there)

   9. #ericpare (yeah, my name, and as weird as it sounds, there are over 12000 posts using this hashtag). I sometimes browse that feed to feature images in my stories

3. Online stores (specific products)

   1. #lightpaintingtubes: featuring images created using the @lightpaintingtubes (lightpainting.store)

   2. #liteblades: featuring images created using the @lightpaintingtubes (lightpainting.store)

   3. #lightpaintingbrushes: featuring images created using the @lightpaintingbrushes light-painting tools

   4. #balloflight: featuring images created using the Ball of light by Denis Smith

   5. #pixelstick: featuring images created using the Pixelstick
      There are many other light-painting online stores out there, so check with them if they have a specific hashtag

Disclaimer: 2.1, 2.2, 3.1 and 3.2 are maintained by my team

What about specific tube colors?

Now, getting a bit more specific, and as a way to tie up posts using our tubes, we set up an official hashtag list so each color could be easily categorized

Milky tubes

1. #MilkyWhiteTube: MilkyWhite (MWT) - lightpainting.store - pinterest

2. #MilkyOrangeTube: MilkyOrange (MOR) - lightpainting.store - pinterest

3. #MilkyCherryTube: MilkyCherry (MCH) - lightpainting.store - pinterest

4. #MilkyAmberTube: MilkyAmber (MAM) - lightpainting.store - pinterest

5. #MilkyYellowTube: MilkyYellow (MYL) - lightpainting.store - pinterest

6. #MilkyPinkTube: MilkyPink (MPK) - lightpainting.store - pinterest

7. #MilkyBlueTube: MilkyBlue (MBL) - lightpainting.store

8. #MilkyCyanTube: MilkyCyan (MCY) - lightpainting.store - pinterest

9. #MilkyLimeTube: MilkyLime (MLM) - lightpainting.store

Holographic tubes

1. #RainbowTube: Holographic Rainbow (HRB) - lightpainting.store - pinterest

2. #SugarTube: Holographic Sugar (HSG) - lightpainting.store - pinterest

3. #AlienTube: Holographic Alien (HAL) - lightpainting.store - pinterest

4. #HoloTurquoiseTube: Holographic Turquoise (HTU) - lightpainting.store - pinterest

5. #BlueGreenTube: Holographic BlueGreen (HBG) - lightpainting.store - pinterest

6. #PearlTube: Holographic Pearl (HPL) - lightpainting.store - pinterest

7. #EasterTube: Holographic Easter (HEA) - lightpainting.store - pinterest

8. #RedPinkTube: Holographic RedPink (HRP) - lightpainting.store - pinterest

9. #SunsetTube: Sunset (HOP) - lightpainting.store - pinterest

10. #WatermelonTube: Holographic Watermelon (HWM) - lightpainting.store - pinterest

11. #PeachTube: Holographic Peach (HPE) - lightpainting.store - pinterest

12. #RainbowTroutTube: Holographic RainbowTrout (HRT) - lightpainting.store - pinterest

Olympic tubes

1. #OlympicGoldTube: Olympic Gold (OGD) - lightpainting.store - pinterest

2. #OlympicSilverTube: Olympic Silver (OSV) - lightpainting.store - pinterest

3. #RoseBronzeTube: Olympic Rose-bronze (ORB) - lightpainting.store - pinterest

4. #OlympicRedTube: Olympic Red (ORD) - lightpainting.store

5. #OlympicBlueTube: Olympic Blue (OBL) - lightpainting.store