Howard Moo Young, Contributor
Y.S. Falls: My Camera was set up on a tripod close to the edge of the river. I framed the picture using a telephoto zoom lens. By using a slow shutter speed with a small aperture, the falls and river appear soft in movement, while the foliage are in focus. Take note of the actual falls in the centre of the image. – Howard Moo Young Photo
Both the camera and the eye see things in a different way. It's good and it's also bad, presenting a challenge for photographers who want to record in the camera exactly what they see, but the fact that the camera can see things in ways the eye can't opens a whole world of possibilities for the special-effects photographer.
The eye sees at a 'shutter speed' of about 1/50 second, while the camera shutter can be set to a wide range of speeds, from much longer than the eye's to much shorter. Shorter shutter speeds 'stop' subject motion in a way the eye doesn't. Let's look at some ways to take advantage of this effect.
MANIPULATIVE ACTIONS
We can put a camera on a tripod and photograph a scene that contains stationary and moving elements, using a slow shutter speed, and we'll get a photo in which the stationary elements are sharp and the moving ones blurred. Waterfalls and busy highways at night are good candidates for this technique.
Or, we can put the camera on a moving tripod, or in a panning motion hand-held, and use a slow shutter speed to record motion in stationary objects. Why don't you try this? Set the camera held steadily on a car's dashboard and make a 20-second exposure as the car drives on a busy main road or brightly lit boulevard at night. The resulting image will be a series of bouncy blurred lights and reflections, along with a somewhat sharp image of the front of the car itself.
You can also try this at the beach as the canoes come in to unload their catch. Watch the seagulls hover above, ready to dive for leftovers or any fish entrails being thrown back into the sea. Get your camera ready to catch the motion of these birds as they swoop and dive for food, using slow shutter speeds against the sharp images of boats and people.
A slow shutter speed of 1/15 second can be used to capture the movement and thrill of children enjoying an action-packed game. If you use a long-focus zoom lens, it helps you to keep track of the action and to fill the frame from a distance. Use a fast shutter speed to stop action shots from blurring, although sometimes blur can heighten the sense of movement and enhance action. Any way you look at it, think about what a long exposure time can do for your photos using different shutter speeds - you'll be pleasantly surprised by the effects you can come up with.
Again, I'm encouraging you to go and see the 2006 JCDC Visual Arts Exhibition now on display at Shortwood Teachers College until August 12, with opening hours between 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. on Mondays to Saturdays. View the 400 Award-winning photographs and you'll be encouraged to enter next year, you might just strike Gold!
Howard Moo Young is an Advertising / Graphic Design / Photography Consultant with over 40 years experience. Email: howardmooyoung@getcaughtmedia.com
