Week 8
As photographers, we normally strive to capture a crisp and perfectly in focus image. This week I am exploring long exposure photography and the dreamy images it can produce.
Long exposure requires a slow shutter speed which requires adjustments to the aperture and ISO settings to compensate for all the extra light. Click here for more information on the exposure triangle.
Besides simply slowing down your shutter speed, there are a few fun techniques within the long exposure category that I tried out. One is ICM (intentional camera movement) and the other is zoom burst.
My waterfall photos were achieved with 5, 8, and 10 second exposures. To accommodate, I set a high aperture and a low ISO. I also used a neutral density filter and a tripod to ensure the surroundings of the waterfall stay in focus. I love the effects of the silky water!
The next technique I tried is ICM (intentional camera movement). No tripod for this one! The point is to purposely move the camera vertically, as in the first two photos, or horizontally as in the third one, throughout the entire exposure time. The first photo is the path in front of me with the trees on either side. The second is a tree, and the third is crabapples.
The last technique I tried is called zoom burst. This one was difficult! Using a tripod, I focused far out to start. I set the exposure for 4 seconds. After one second, I slowly zoomed in continuously until the exposure time ended. This creates the cool ‘burst’ effect. The first photo is a fountain, the second is a crabapple tree, and the third is a bed of flowers. I then did the opposite by starting off zoomed in and then focusing out during the exposure time. This made the single white flower look dreamy and fluid.
I hope you enjoy the photos! Give these techniques a try and send me your results!
