Exposing the Photoelectric EffectEoghan GlynnAward: Top 100
School: sleepy hollow high school For this photo I came up with the idea of creating a light painting. To create this light photo I set my camera to long exposure for 30 seconds. This means that the camera shutter was open to all light rays for the full duration. Whatever light/photons were detected, they showed up as a line or "art" when the picture was done. Leaving the shutter open allowed me to use a release of electrons to draw wherever I wanted, with light as my tool. I had the idea of spelling the word physics with light and wanted it in different colors. When I was looking for colored lights, the only ones I could find were lightsaber popsicle stick holders that shined red and green light. When I initially tried to freehand the word, the image was super sloppy and hard to tell that it said physics. Then I thought of making an outline from cardboard so I grabbed the only cardboard I had, which was a pizza box. I inverted the word physics, and then traced it on the pizza box. Finally, I used scissors to cut out the letters and boom: Spell the word physics and the camera would be able to read it properly. The photons from the light are being absorbed by the camera's lens. When this happens it triggers a release of electrons which will create the picture you are after. This is known as Einstein's photoelectric effect. 
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