photographing arc welders?

[Webby]

Hi all,
Can anyone give me a definate answer on this one? I've got a chance to photograph a welder at work using electric arc welding equipment. the "arc" on these things is very powerful. It will burn eyes, melt contact lenses etc. what I want to know is; will the brightness of the arc damage a digital sensor?? I need to know for sure before attempting this shot. Thanks

[ssim]

I don't know one welder from another. Do you mean like the attached photos.

I have done allot of this and never had a problem. I usually use my 70-200 so that I can stay back far enough and the shutter speeds are relatively fast, in the 1/200th range.

One of these welders was the gas type and the other one was the type where the small copper wire comes out of the welding head. How's that for being technologically advanced.:rolleyes::rolleyes:

http://www.pbase.com/ssim/image/65397650.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/ssim/image/65397651.jpg

[BruceC]

I think the answer is "it's fine" This has been talked about in here before I know. Also I have shot people welding and never had any problems.

[BruceC]

just make sure you dont get any slag on the camera. lol

[corinto]

AFAIK, the light of an arc welder is not any more bright than the sun. If you look directly to each, it will damage the retina. Of course, if you get near enough, the heat can do a lot of extra damage also.

I don't know if focusing directly the sun will damage a sensor. Maybe sb else can illustrate us.

[Webby]

Thanks for the reassurances guys. I'll give it a go.
webby

[DocFrankenstein]

ARC welding is much more dangerous than the sun, because most of the radiation is in the UV range. I'd be more worried about MY vision than some sensor.

And the sensor will be fine.

[Curtis N]

I'm with Doc. Be extremely careful here.
I would setup the shot with a tripod, and when he starts welding, look off to the side and use a remote.

[ssim]

I'm with Doc. Be extremely careful here.
I would setup the shot with a tripod, and when he starts welding, look off to the side and use a remote.

That is exactly what I did. I used my 70-200 to stay back far enough to make sure that I wasn't about to injure myself or my gear.

[jack lumber]

AFAIK, the light of an arc welder is not any more bright than the sun. If you look directly to each, it will damage the retina. Of course, if you get near enough, the heat can do a lot of extra damage also.

I don't know if focusing directly the sun will damage a sensor. Maybe sb else can illustrate us.
_________________________________________

Some arc welding process,produce an intensity of uv,infra red 10x that of the sun.

ssim
Nice pics,,the first is M.I.G. (metallic inert gas welding)
The second is "oxy acetylene fuel cutting".
The contact lens fusing to eyeballs thing is an urban myth.
It is not recommend to wear them though,because dirt,grt can lodge behind them.

[MrsKitty]

I weld. I wear contracts. The problem is dirt and irritation from the heat drying lenses out.

I have gotten "sunburnt" on my forearms thru heavy leather gloves, long sleeved denin shirt over a longsleeve cotton mockneck in a very short period of time.

*If* you decide to do this, only wear COTTON or LEATHER. Any synthetic materials can and will burn if they come into contact with a spark. Do not go into the area with a cigarette lighter in your pocket, especially butane. A stray spark can cause an explosion. In the shop I worked in, you were not allowed in there with any form of lighter on you, you had to be dressed in cotton and/or leathers and hightop, preferably steel toe boots were required.

Welding is one of the most beautiful things there is, especially watching that puddle. But I am watching it from behind a SHADE made for that purpose. There is no way I would consider photographing someone welding.

The advice to stay back is not sound. Just because you are back far enough to lessen the risk of being hit by sparks or slag, the intensity of the arc is *not* reduced. It is still bright enough to damage your eyes while focusing. You will not realize there is damage until too late. You can still "sunburn" from the arc at this distance.

I have accidentally struck an arc, without a mask on and immediately closed my eyes and covered them with my hands. It was still ten minutes before I could see again. Before you ask how I did that, the insulation on the stinger was worn/burn down and well, it was just a freak thing as I didn't even have a rod in at the time.

[Webby]

...........then again maybe I won't!:confused: . IF I do,it will be from a distance and pre-focussed, back to the arc and fire by remote when I see the light reflected.

[Zilly]

not for get the massive amouts of uv you can get quite baddly sun burt from the UV off a arc

[corinto]

I was not aware of occupational hazards of arc-welding UV in skin unless very near to the point of emission (typically the welder himself). And even then, protection by clothes (animal leather for skin and helmet for the welder) should be enough.

However, it can be extremely dangerous to eyesight even from reasonably far. The rule is: if it hurts to look, you are already in danger. This cannot be emphasized enough.

[399Retouch]

The standard symptom of arc-light exposure to the eyes is that, several hours later, your eyes will start to hurt a lot and feel like they have sand in them. At the ER they will give you pain killers, and the next day or two things will be better.

It's a lot like sunburn.

[jack lumber]

A flash burn is a painful inflammation of the cornea, which is the clear tissue that covers the front of the eye. A flash burn occurs when you are exposed to bright ultraviolet (UV) light. It can happen in all types of UV light but is a common problem among welders. That’s why it is sometimes called welder’s flash or arc eye.

It feels like someone is rubbing hot sand in your eyes.

However dont be discouraged about taking those shots, just prefocus ,wear a welding shield, use a tripod and a release.

Your welder will be able to produce different degrees of spark, depending on the type of eletrode used.
Of course ,if you want long spark trails use a slow shutter speed.
I would suspect Ghosting,and flare could be a problem.