Shutter Speed And Movement

The effect of movement in a photograph is achieved by the amount of blur or sharpness in your image. This is controlled primarily by the shutter speed. A fast shutter speed or even flash will freeze the action giving a pin-sharp image, but this is not always the effect you want. There are a number of techniques which can be used to express movement in your photographs.

*The first of these, shutter speed, is more important than just getting the right exposure. The choice of shutter speed, from very slow giving long exposures, to very fast , can determine how movement is conveyed. To take control of the shutter speed you must be in shutter priority or manual mode.

*To get a sharp image of a moving object, use a fast shutter speed – 1/500 or even faster – to freeze the action. Alternatively, pan, that is following the subject with your camera, to blur the background and keep your main subject sharp. This takes practice, but gives great results.

*Try to anticipate how the action will unfold. Watching and learning from repeated events allows you to predict what is going to happen next, so you can be prepared. If you have an idea of what is going to happen and when it will happen you can be ready. Often movement will come to a halt and let you get your shot when your subject is at a stand still. A child on a swing for example.

*A sharp image is not always the best way of expressing movement in a photograph. A much more dramatic and evocative effect can be achieved by using a slower shutter speed and allowing a controlled amount of blur. When photographing moving water – a mountain stream or waterfall for example, using a slow shutter speed will give the effect of flowing water. If you were photographing a runner you might pan the camera and use a shutter speed fast enough to get the main subject sharp but slightly blur the background.

*Long exposures are very effective for night photography. An exposure of a few minutes can capture a firework display, lightening or even stars in the night sky. Street scenes come alive with buildings lit up and car lights streaking across the image. Remember you will need a tripod when using long exposures.

So try experimenting with different shutter speeds to see what effects they have, and practice panning to get a sense of movement in your photographs. Photographing moving subjects needs a fast shutter speed if you want to freeze the action, but a slower shutter speed if you want your main subject to flow. By panning the camera to keep the subject in the viewfinder a fast shutter speed should give a sharp image and blur the background. Anticipating when movement is at its slowest or when the subject comes to a stand still will help you get a sharp image even at a slower shutter speed. Movement can be captured by using a slower shutter speed giving an amount of blur. You should try to reach a compromise between sharpness in the main subject and a degree of blur in the background.

Away have your camera with you so you can be ready to take photographs at any time.

Using Light Effectively

Light is the fundamental substance of photography. It lies at its heart. Some people talk about photography as “painting with light”. Successful photography depends on the quality of light not just the quantity. During the course of the day the direction, color and intensity of light can change dramatically. From the low reddish sunlight of early morning and dusk, to the hard overhead mid-day sun. Following on from my previous article about exposure, let’s look at some of the effects light inevitably has on your photography. A few simple tips can be used to help deal with tricky light conditions.

* Shooting into the light can give dramatic silhouettes or impressive dark skies. This can be seen in many sun rises and sun sets. An image taken into the sun can make the subject stand out against areas of shadow giving a feeling of depth and rich tones. Modern lenses are coated to help reduce lens flare, but it is still advisable to use a lens hood or shade the lens with your hand.

*In very sunny conditions or in high contrast situations use fill-in flash to lighten the shadows. Most cameras will have a fill-in flash mode, some do this automatically. When the camera is in fill flash mode the camera exposes for the composition and adds just enough flash for the main subject. The result is a profession looking image with no dark shadows. This is something wedding photographers routinely use. Alternatively, use a reflector to bounce the light back into the shadows areas.

* For indoor shots natural light can be very effective. Have the subject close to a window where the soft directional light can be very pleasing, especially for portraits. Again, a reflector can be used to lighten any shadows. You don’t need a purpose made reflector. Any white material can be used - a sheet or white card will do.

* When photographing in strong sunlight try using the dark shadows as an integral part of the composition. They can produce interesting shapes and patterns. Long shadows early in the morning or late in the day can be used to great effect.

* Outdoor scenes can be greatly improved by attaching a polarizing filter to the lens. This will reduce glare and enrich the colors. This is especially effective for sunny outdoor scenes reducing the reflection off water and giving the sky a deeper blue. It has a similar effect to wearing Polaroid sunglasses. Polarizing filters can be rotated to minimize/maximize their effect. Outdoor landscapes and portraits can also be improved by changing the default white balance from “auto” to “cloudy”. This will give warmer tones.

* Shafts of light can look spectacular. In woodland, for example, light coming down through the trees are like natural spot lights. The sun shining through a forest canopy can give a dramatic effect. Backlit leaves give a translucent look and can enrich the greens. The sun shining through a sudden break in stormy clouds can be very dramatic.

* Always remember, even dull lighting can give surprisingly good results. So don’t put your camera away just because you are loosing the light. A long exposure can result in a great shot, giving the effect of movement. Especially street scenes. So even in tricky lighting conditions it is always worthwhile taking the photograph. In fact, take a few at different exposures.

Above all else, your photography should be fun – so always have your camera with you and enjoy!

Getting The Right Exposure

Getting the right exposure is vital for a good photograph. No doubt your camera will have an auto-exposure function which will be good most of the time – but not always. The key is knowing how to help your camera get the best result. There are a few simple techniques you can use when lighting conditions are not ideal.

The easiest lighting condition to expose for is to have your subject lit from the front. For an outdoor scene having the sun behind you will be easy to expose for, but is likely to give a flat uninteresting texture. In sunny situations, position yourself so the sun is slightly to one side, giving your subject greater dimension. An average exposure of the highlight and shadow areas is likely to be correct.

Exposure meter readings work best on mid-tones, so get to know them – basically neutral shades. Learn to take the exposure from part of the scene in tricky lighting conditions. Use the center-weighted or spot-metering if your scene has extremes of light and shadow. Depending on the type of image you are taking, there will usually be a key tone – a face, a flower, a building, part of a landscape – which has to be right, so expose for that.

The most demanding lighting conditions make it difficult to get the right exposure. So when photographing against the light or high contrasting lighting, check the image and retake if necessary. Taking several images with different exposures isn’t going to cost you anything. It is sometimes better to under expose than over expose. Over exposure tends to wash out the image, whereas slight under exposure may actually give richer tones.

If you are shooting in poor lighting or if your subject is moving, you can reduce the exposure time by increasing the ISO setting. This increases the camera’s light sensitivity and allows you to use a faster shutter speed and still get the right exposure.

Some cameras have a bracketing facility. This lets you take, usually three, separate images at slightly different exposures. Hopefully, one of them will be right.

Have fun! Until next time.