LESSON 4 the Right Shutter Speed

LESSON 4

The Right Shutter Speed – Panning and Freezing Action Video Stream: Freezing Action

As you no doubt have learned by now, the aperture plays a very critical role in making a truly creative exposure. All the while, the poor shutter speed has been resigned to the role of "bringing the exposure to a close." It's sort of like the role of the bass player in bands throughout the world. Although the role is very important, you seldom hear from them.

That's all about to change, at least in the arena of shutter speed. If ever there was a creative tool in exposure that could 'turn up the volume' of a photograph it would have to be the shutter speed! Only with the aid of the shutter speed can we FREEZE ACTION, allowing us to study at will the fine and intricate workings of an otherwise "too darn too fast to notice" subject.

Only with the aid of the shutter speed can we IMPLY MOTION, calling further attention to the motion that was there and doing so in such a way as to turn up its volume. The most classic example of this is of course the waterfall, when photographed at shutter speeds of 1/2 second or longer.

And finally, only with the aid of the shutter speed can we create anxious and hurried moments by PANNING an already moving subject.

Today we will begin with a thorough look and understanding at panning and freezing action. Panning is a technique that is first reserved for subjects that are either ALREADY moving or that can be moved at your 'command' i.e. your dog ("fetch the Frisbee, boy!") or your model ("Okay, start pedaling the bike and don't forget to look at me and smile as you go by.")

There are three rules that one must adhere to when panning. The first has to do with your point of view in relation to the moving subject. You must be at all times PARALLEL to the same subject and shoot it as it goes by. Trying to pan a subject that is moving at a 45 degree angle to you or God forbid a subject moving right at you is well, let me think about this, yeah that's it, it's a totally ridiculous idea! So don't try it as it will result in zero results!

The second rule is choosing the right shutter speed. There are three to choose from, a 1/60 second, 1/30 second and a 1/15th second, but more often than not two of them seem to work the best in most panning situations, 1/60 second and a 1/30 second. I will occasionally use a 1/15 second but it is normally reserved for slower than normal moving subjects; a child, three years old, doing his/her best to pedal as fast as they can.

And the third rule, the one embraced with zeal, is to NOT to use your tripod. Since you are panning moving subjects, you must be free to move. Using your tripod to pan makes about as much sense as eating spaghetti with your hands tied behind your back - Oh, it’s possible, but what a herky-jerky, hit-and-miss, and messy proposition.

For the past two weeks, I've emphasized aperture and now for the next two weeks my emphasis will be on shutter speed. With the camera now forever set in manual mode, and with your creative emphasis on speed, you will first set your shutter speed to a 1/60 second and then call upon the aperture to bring the exposure to a close. This time and every time whenever and wherever you want to give the creative exposure priority to the shutter speed you will ALWAYS set it first and then bring the exposure to a close via the aperture. Let's take a look at this very simple yet powerful idea in action!

Image Examples

PHOTO #1 Car in Sunflower Field © Bryan F. Peterson 2003 All Rights Reserved I'm having the time of my life shooting sunflowers out in the middle of nowhere and the only noise that breaks the incredible silence is the occasional car that meanders along these back roads.

It wasn't until I turned my attention away from shooting patterns and color that it occurred to me that an image of a car panned as it sped through the small paved road that divided this sunflower field might look kinda cool. And as often happens in cases like this, now that I WANTED a car, I waited and waited and waited for a car. Why is it when you're ready to go, you discover you were actually getting ready to wait?

Just when I thought about packing it in, I heard a car approaching. I wasted no time in putting the camera to my eye and a quick RE-CHECK of my exposure, 1/60 second @ f/16, was still correct. Once the car made its entrance, I began to shoot and pan, to follow the car, doing my best to keep the car in the same point in the frame. And of course my finger was stuck to the shutter release button the whole time, while the cameras motor drive played "sweet music". Because I had loaded a brand new roll of film for this opportunity, I was in no danger of running of out of film at exactly the wrong time (boy how often has that happened, eh?).

If not for the loud clap of thunder just outside my office door I doubt I would have got up from my desk and open the doors to witness the sudden downpour. Many of the people on the street below were quickly trying find cover, and I was just as quick to grab my nearby camera and 80-400mm lens and take advantage of this flurry of activity by simply panning the many hurried pedestrians below. This poor guy was doing his best to get out of the rain, as he sped by below on his bike, but not before I managed to fire off several frames of him as he passed by. Hand-holding my camera and lens, I set the aperture to f/11 and with the camera in Aperture Priority Mode, the resulting shutter speed of a 1/8 second proved sufficient in creating this 'anxious moment in the rain'.

Fields of red poppies adorn the countryside throughout France every spring. Besides the obvious flower compositions that one could take, the fields are also a great backdrop to shoot motion filled imagery against; specifically panning shots. As my willing daughter Chloe ran through one such field, in celebration of a long awaited spring, I was quick to fire off numerous panning shots of her, as I hand-held my camera and 35-70mm lens. With my aperture set to f/22, I was able to record a correct exposure at a 1/40 second on this day of bright overcast.

It doesn't take long at all to create some wonderful panning shots if you find yourself hanging out at Times Square in New York City. In a matter of only a few minutes, I was able to record more than my share of the famous Yellow Taxi's rushing down Broadway, against some color-filled backgrounds; the many large signs/billboards which Broadway is of course famous for. With my shutter speed set to a 1/15 second, I simply adjusted my aperture until f/16 indicated a correct exposure. And it was handheld, of course.

Carnival comes to Lyon France every February. Started in Italy years ago, and now celebrated throughout Europe, it brings out the 'best' in people. Adorned with their costumes they parade around Old Lyon for much of the weekend and as they rush about, it's an obvious panning opportunity. With my shutter speed set to a 1/30 second, I simply adjusted my aperture until f/11 indicated a correct exposure and of course handheld.

Throughout the morning wheelbarrows filled with fish are rushed from seller to buyer at the Dubai Fish Market. This is clearly an opportunity to do some panning and for many shooters panning is embraced with zeal since the last thing you want to do is use a tripod when panning. Panning is all about hand holding the camera and lens and moving it in the same direction of your moving subject while you fire off any number of exposures.

There is no one shutter speed that is called upon for panning, but with practice and experience you will make the discovery that shutter speeds of a 1/60, 1/30 or a 1/15 second will be called upon most often, depending on the 'speed' of your subject. As the wheelbarrow laden with fish sped past me, I simply moved in the same left to right direction while shooting with my Nikon D2X and 17-55mm lens at the correct exposure of f/22 for a 1/15 second.

FREEZING THE ACTION America is a very sports-minded country. Not a weekend goes by that doesn't showcase two or more sporting events. Next to a baby's first few weeks of life and the family vacation, sports-related activities are probably the most often photographed subjects. Sports cater to men and women, and both young girls and boys play various sports, including soccer, basketball and baseball. Besides shooting the action of these and other sports, such as water skiing, snow skiing, and windsurfing, many amateur and professional photographers want to capture the participants' emotions. For example, a photographer may want to record the grimaces of two soccer players as their heads collide or the frightened expression of a cowboy flying through the air only seconds after being thrown from the meanest bull at the rodeo. Successfully shooting action-filled subjects requires not only skill and experience but also the right shutter speed. Only a fast shutter speed is capable of rendering such exacting detail and emotion on film. When action is coming toward you, such as a motorcyclist zooming over a hill. a shutter speed of 1/250 sec. freezes the subject in midair. But if you're shooting parallel to the motorcyclist flying over the hill, a shutter speed of 1/1000 sec. is a must. When it comes to the creative use of shutter speed, 99 percent of all professional and amateur photographers still opt for only the fastest shutter speeds. such as 1/500 sec. and1/1000 sec.

Surfer in Maui-On the island of Maui's North Shore, surfers and windsurfers alike arrive every morning at Hookipa Beach hoping to catch the next biggest wave and/or ride the constant wind. It was here I chose to spend the better part of a morning several years ago, hoping to be rewarded with some freezing action themes, particularly action scenes of surfers 'wiping out'. Although my first few rolls were great records of 'fun in the sun' it seemed everyone out in the surf were experts and any 'wipeouts' I had hoped to record would have to be done at the next 'beginning windsurfed class'.

Although I was tempted to leave, I chose to be patient and was soon rewarded. The wind picked up and with it even larger swells began to form. For many, the much stronger wind and waves seemed to excite and emphasize the great talent and balance required of these athletes. But common sense (and the size of these 'new' waves) told me that a 'wipeout or two' was in the midst and my patience was soon rewarded when one such surfer took a really big hit from a thundering and far too powerful wave, knocking him off his board and sending him flying. A few minutes prior to making this image I had already set my exposure by aiming my camera and 600mm lens mounted on tripod, towards the blue sky above the horizon line. With my shutter speed set to a 1/500 second I adjusted the aperture until f/8 indicated a correct exposure. As a result I was more than ready when the action began to unfold in the viewfinder accompanied by that familiar 'whirring' sound of the motor drive.

My daughter Chloe is convinced that sharks can come up the bathroom drain and eat her, so that's why I we have to leave the bathroom door open when she bathes so we will better hear her cries for help when the shark arrives. Yet, she has no problem jumping into swimming pools around the world, whose drains are even bigger, as I have so 'eloquently' pointed out to her. Kids; you gotta love them!

Although it took some negotiating, (ice cream later), Chloe indulge my desire to simply throw her wet head back several times as I made an attempt to freeze the action of her long hair and water that would certainly being thrown off. With my ISO set to 400, and my aperture set to f/11, I was able to record a correct exposure at a 1/800 second. Telling her to "stay in that spot and don't move your feet when you come up from under the water", allowed me to pre-focus as well as pre-compose so at the count of three, I was ready and presto, this is the result! An action stopping, sharply focused image of 'a day at the pool.'

Kids and puddles; they go together like peanut butter and jelly. Place Terreaux, in Lyon, France is one of several large gathering places for people; it abounds with outdoor cafes. The design of Place Terreaux is such that numerous and small fountains are sticking above the marbled floor; an open invitation to the many kids that gather here and jump over these small fountains. I chose a low viewpoint, really low, laying on my knees and belly in front of one such fountain and challenged several nearby children to make the jump.

Because the late afternoon sunlight was casting its warm glow upon the face of the city hall and because the fountain I chose was in open shade, I knew this would be a very graphic exposure, combining both a strong silhouetted shape against a warmly lit background. In order to accomplish this, I first determined my lens choice to be the 17mm-35mm wide angle lens set to the 20mm focal length. The wide and sweeping vision of the 20mm lens would allow me to capture not only the child in the foreground but also the surrounding plaza, including the distant city hall. I then chose a shutter speed of a 1/500 second and with the my light meter set to 'spot metering', I took a meter reading from the warm light falling on city hall and adjusted the aperture until f/9.5 indicated a -2/3rd's exposure. I was now ready and I motioned to the kids to start jumping. This image was my best take from the more then 20 images made. Because my exposure was set for the much brighter light falling on city hall, the foreground, including the child, recorded on film as a severe underexposure, seen here as a silhouette. (More about this in lesson's 7-8.

Implying Motion Video Stream 1: Motion (Zooming) Video Stream 2: Motion (Spinning) Video Stream 3: Motion (Up & Down) Video Stream 4: Monet Technique

We continue to give priority to the many many creative exposure opportunities offered by the shutter speed. Last week was panning and freezing action and not surprising, your results were fabulous!

This week, we embark on the journey of Implying Motion.

As we discussed last week, compositions that showcase frozen action allow us the time to necessary to closely inspect at out our own pace, the minute and often missed details of an otherwise hurried event - the fleeting moment! This week, we are now going to turn our attention to the often overlooked world of 'subtle motion' and how we can best exploit that for the most creative effect.

When the camera remains stationary - usually on a firm support such as a tripod - and there are moving subjects going inside the composition, the photographer is presented with the opportunity to imply motion. The resulting image shows the moving subject as a 'blur', while stationary objects in the composition are recorded on film in sharp detail. The list of motion-filled opportunities is long; waterfalls, streams, crashing surf, planes, trains, automobiles, pedestrians, joggers are but a few of the more obvious motion-filled opportunities. Some of the not so obvious motion-filled opportunities include, a hammer striking a nail, toast popping out of the toaster, hands knitting a sweater, coffee being poured from the pot, a ceiling fan, a merry-go-round, a teeter-totter, a dog shaking itself dry after a dip in the lake, wind blown hair and even the wind blowing through a field of wildflowers. Choosing the right shutter speed for many of these motion filled opportunities is often times trial and error. It is here where once again, the digital shooters have the advantage since one can view instantly the results of the right or wrong choice in shutter speed. Additionally, there are no film costs involved so the period of trial and error is done at zero cost! There are certainly some general guidelines to follow and if nothing else, they can prove to be good starting points for many of the motion filled opportunities that abound. For example, a 1/2 second exposure will definitely produce the cotton effect in waterfall and streams. An 8 second exposure will definitely reduce the headlights and taillights of moving traffic into a sea of red/white streaks. A 1/4 second exposure will makes the hands that knit a sweater appear as if they are moving at very high rate of speed. A 30mph wind that is moving through a stand of fall colored maple trees, coupled with a 1 second exposure can render a composition of stark and sharply focused trunks and branches in contrast to the now wispy, wind driven overlapping leaves. And now, as proof that a photograph is worth a thousand words, let's take a look and learn.

The Portland Rose Festival takes place every June along the banks of the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon. It is also one of the few festivals that afford the photographer a few from above when seen from the Morrison Bridge. With my camera and 12-24mm lens on tripod, I set my aperture to f/11. When shooting at dusk, I ALWAYS set my exposure from the dusky blue sky so with my camera pointed to the sky above I adjusted my shutter speed until 4 seconds indicated a correct exposure. I then recomposed and shot the scene you here. Note the relative absence of noise.

There are numerous tunnels in and around the French and Swiss Alps. Some of these tunnels extend for 17 miles and needless to say, if claustrophobia is a concern, you may want to think twice about touring in this area. On the other hand, if claustrophobia is not a concern, then you may want to take advantage of a motion filled opportunity. With my camera and 18-70mm lens propped on the dashboard and set to Aperture Priority Mode, I set the aperture to f/8 and the auto-exposure override to +1 and simply pressed the shutter release while I did my best to pace the semi-truck in front of me. The 22 second exposure resulted in a motion filled scene, perhaps an image that could serve a useful purpose as a "Don't Drink and Drive" poster, but despite it being an effective image, note the excessive noise.

I was sent to Rome, to shoot a story for Globo, a German travel magazine. Among the many things I was sent to shoot, the Vatican was NOT big on their list. But as it happened, I found myself in the area one evening and shot this long exposure of it, and although I started shooting shortly after the streets lights came on, the Vatican itself never lit up! But more important was once again the opportunity to record the "subtle motion" of the traffic which was moving down this street during my long exposure time; this explains those red streaks since they are all taillights from the many cars that were moving down the street towards the Vatican.

In any event, there is another filter I can't live without, (besides the Polarizer) and that filter is the FLW. It is a magenta colored filter NOT to be confused with the FLD. The FLW is far more 'dense' in its magenta color and is far more effective on the normally 'greenish' lights of the city, turning them into much 'warmer' colors for starters. Additionally this filter also imparts its magenta cast onto the sky which is perfect for those nights when Brother Dusky Blue is in one of his 'shy' moods and doesn't come out to play. (More about the "Sky Brothers" in lessons 7-8.

With my 105mm lens and FLW filter and camera mounted on tripod, I set my aperture to f/32. With the camera now pointed to the gray/dusky sky, I adjusted my shutter speed until 30 seconds indicated a correct exposure! I wanted the longest possible exposure which is why I chose to set the aperture to f/32 by the way. And what about that thing called "noise" that most if not all of you digital shooters are familiar with?

Digital Tip-"NOISE" Film shooters are all too familiar with grainy pictures when they use a film with a high ISO e.g. 800, 1600. Digitally speaking, "noise" is the same thing and is most noticeable when you choose to select an ISO of 640 or greater on your digital cameras, AND it also a problem when shooting exposures longer than four seconds with most digital cameras. Today's most current digital cameras offer up a "noise reduction" feature in your camera's menu which, like the name implies is intended to reduce the noise as the image is being stored onto your compact flash card. Think for a moment that the digital pixels are akin to human skin. If we stay in the sun too long without adequate sun-block we will get burned. Fortunately, when we get sun-burned we can apply some lotion to offer us some relief and in the case of the Pixel Family, when they get 'sunburned', you can apply some 'lotion' on them as well. The 'lotion' in this case is called "Noise Reduction" software and once it has been applied, the noise and related anomalies are quickly vanquished.

After loading any "noisy" image into my Kodak Digital Gem Noise Reduction ( a'plug-in' I have added to my PhotoShop software) I adjusted the sliders for maximum effect and voila, the noise and related artifacts are gone. Besides a Kodak's downloadable plug-in there is also another company's offering called Noise Ninja. Both are worth checking into if you want to stay ahead of the noise problem.

"PAINTING" WITH SHUTTER SPEED Until recently, the 'rule' of photography has been to "keep the horizon line straight and above all else, make sure it's in focus". It was also unthinkable for a photographer to deliberately handhold their camera at a very slow shutter speed without the aid of a tripod. For those who did venture out of this 'norm', they were often scoffed at because the resulting images were of course "blurry and out of focus" and on more than one occasion the photographer was asked "were you drunk when you took that shot?" Fortunately times have changed and the idea of "painting with a slow shutter speed" has been embraced. But, unlike panning, which is already challenging enough, painting with a slow shutter speed is a real "hit or miss" affair, BUT when everything does come together, it is truly rewarding. (Have you priced 'abstract art" lately? Doing it yourself is not only 'cheaper', but since you 'painted' it yourself, it's also that much more rewarding.)

Painting with shutter speed is a simple technique really. The challenge is in finding the 'right' subject to paint. Once you feel you have found a subject to paint, you simply set a correct exposure that will allow you to use, a 1/4 or a 1/2 second shutter speed, and at the moment you press the shutter release, you twirl, arch, jiggle, or jerk the camera in and up and down, or side to side or round and round motion; PRESTO an instant abstract painting! Just as Monet discovered with his brush and canvas, flower gardens continue to be the number one choice of photographers for painting with shutter speed, but don't overlook other compositional patterns as well, such as boat harbors, fruit/vegetable markets and even the crowd in the stands at the NFL football match. Also, consider painting with shutter speed in low-light where shutter speeds can range from 2 to 8 seconds-the difference here is that your movements are slower than the quick and hurried 'jiggle' mentioned above, and the resulting effect can look like that of an artist who uses a palette knife.

In this instance, I simply looked up into these trees and while hand-holding my camera and 17-55mm lens, I simply spun a full 360 degree and fired off several frames in the process. The resulting image was a total surprise and I have since made "look up and spin" a requirement if you should ever attend on my on-location workshops.

Primrose and crocus are a welcome sign of spring as they hold the promise of the warm and sunny days to come. Hand-holding my camera and Nikkor 35-70mm lens I set my aperture to f/22 and simply made a circular movement during the 1/4 second exposure as I shot down upon this bed of primroses. I was both surprised and delighted to discover that this circular motion recorded a 'flock of flying and colorful seagulls'. Experimentation can and often does prove to be successful and again for us digital shooters, we'll never fret over the film cost of these experiments, since there are NONE!

Tripods Are a Must!

When the camera remains stationary-usually on a firm support such as a tripod-and there are moving subjects going inside the composition, the photographer is presented with the opportunity to imply motion. The resulting image shows the moving subject as a 'blur', while stationary objects in the composition are recorded on film in sharp detail. The list of motion-filled opportunities is long; waterfalls, streams, crashing surf, planes, trains, automobiles, pedestrians, joggers are but a few of the more obvious motion-filled opportunities. Some of the not so obvious motion-filled opportunities include, a hammer striking a nail, toast popping out of the toaster, hands knitting a sweater, coffee being poured from the pot, a ceiling fan, a merry-go-round, a teeter-totter, a dog shaking itself dry after a dip in the lake, wind blown hair and even the wind blowing through a field of wildflowers. Choosing the right shutter speed for many of these motion filled opportunities is often times trial and error. It is here where once again, the digital shooters have the advantage since one can view instantly the results of the right or wrong choice in shutter speed. Additionally, there are no film costs involved so the period of trial and error is done at zero cost! There are certainly some general guidelines to follow and if nothing else, they can prove to be good starting points for many of the motion filled opportunities that abound. For example, a 1/2 second exposure will definitely produce the cotton effect in waterfall and streams. A 1/4 second exposure will makes the hands that knit a sweater appear as if they are moving at very high rate of speed.

But it is the wind that I want to focus my attention in part of today's lesson. All of us can feel the wind, and at times we have found ourselves even cursing the wind. But more often than not, one ends up by-passing opportunities to shoot the wind since most shooters still prefer razor sharp images of their subjects. Why? Imagine a 30mph wind that is moving through a stand of fall colored maple trees, coupled with a 1 second exposure; can you envision wispy yet colorful compositions, in some cases almost violent looking of wind blown branches against the much starker and sharply focused tree trunks? If not, then I suggest you go out and try this idea with the next forecast for wind.

PHOTO#9-#10-The Valensole Plain continues to be one of my favorite shooting locations in all of Europe. In late June and early July the air is filled with the scent of hundreds of acres of lavender and the sound of buzzing bee's, bee's that are far more interested in the flower's scent then they ever might be interested in you, which is a relief for anyone who is allergic to bee's. And on most any afternoon, the hot winds of the Valensole Plain increase and thus begins the dance with each and every row of lavender. A dance that is mindful of a gospel revival where arms and clapping hands are extended high, the long stems of the lavender flowers swinging left to right, right to left in the hot blowing wind.

With my camera and 12-24mm lens mounted on a tripod and at the flowers eye-level, I waited momentarily for the wind to moderate a bit and fired off the first image you see which was shot at f/11@ a 1/250 second. I then reached into my filter wallet and placed a four stop Neutral Density filter on my lens, thus cutting the light value down by four stops, PLUS I then added my Nikkor Polarizing filter cutting down the light value by another two stops. I then re-adjusted my exposure for this six stop reduction in light, which meant I now had an exposure time of f/11 at a 1/4 second, BUT I wanted to still set a longer exposure and I simply stop the lens down further to f/22, (two more stops) so now my exposure was f/22 at 1 second. It was at this one second exposure where I was able to record a number of exposures of the 'lavender dance', one of which you see here.

PHOTO#11-#12-Venice, Italy continues to be one of the most visited cities in all of Europe and the gondolas are of course one of the bigger attractions. Seldom, however, do I run into other photographers who, like me, are out before sunrise shooting the many 'parked' gondola's near San Marco Square. As difficult as it is for some, getting up with the roosters does have its rewards, not the least of which is having much of the world all to yourself. Of course at this hour, and assuming you are wanting to record the somewhat rhythmic motion of the 'bobbing' gondola's brought on by the 15MPH wind, you will need a tripod since in all likelihood. And even if there was no wind on this morning but just the gondolas sitting peacefully in the still water, you would still need your tripod since you would still be shooting at slow shutter speeds.

As we can see in the first exposure of the gondolas, there is not a lot of movement being conveyed in the composition and it has much to do with my exposure time of f/8 at a 1/8 second. However, as the breeze picked up, along with the wake in the water from the large ferry that had passed by moments ago, I was certain that these same gondolas would soon be dancing atop the waters as well as being tossed a bit side to side and sure enough, they were.

It was at this point I changed my exposure to a much longer exposure time, again with the addition of my polarizing filter, (two stops of light reduction) and by stopping the lens down further. In both exposures I initially took my reading off of the dusky blue morning sky by simply aiming the camera up above the gondolas. In the first example that meant, with my aperture set to f/8 I adjusted my shutter speed until a 1/8 second indicated a correct exposure and in the second exposure and with the polarizing filter in place, I pointed my camera to the sky again, and ALSO with the lens now stopped down to f/22 I simply adjusted the shutter speed dial until four seconds indicated a correct exposure. Once I had recomposed the scene with this longer exposure in place, I tripped the shutter release and voila, we are now able to see and hear the 'ghosts' of gondolas in this pre-dawn light.

PHOTO#13- Returning home from a workshop, I was greeted at the front door by my two daughters and wife, all of whom had a large precocious grin on their face. The grins on their faces was explained soon enough when a few minutes later I was greeted by the new member of the family, Cosmo. Although I thought we had all decided a few weeks earlier that getting a dog at this time was not a good idea and when and if we did we would get a 'dog' and not a 'toy', Cosmo had soon stolen the hearts of all of us. Cosmo enjoys being out on the terrace and one such morning, the winds were really strong and every so often his ears appeared to be standing straight from the wind coming up from the streets below. I was able to shoot several 'slow' exposures with my Leica D-Lux 3, quite possible the best digital point and shoot currently on the market. With the ISO set at 100 and with camera set in Aperture Priority Mode I was able to fire off several frames at f/5.6 at a 1/30 second which was perfect as this exposure registered some subtle blurring of Cosmo's wind whipped ears, which in turn rendered a portrait of Cosmo the flying Pekinese!

PHOTO#-14- For years, studio photographers have used ordinary fans to bring some 'movement' to their fashion work. It's a really simply idea too, and definitely an effective one if you wish to record an image of sensuality and/or playfulness. The key to making a shot like this work is to once again use the right shutter speed but again, it’s important to ask the question; Do you want to 'freeze' the action of the blowing wind in crisp sharp detail or showcase the windy conditions as a subtle soft blur? In this simple yet effective composition of my wife, I chose to shoot at an action-stopping shutter speed of a 1/250 second. Using one mono-light placed inside a soft-box, off to her left, (my right), I was able to determine with my Sekonic Flash Meter that an aperture of f/11 was the correct exposure based on the five foot distance of the flash's output to her face and based on my choice in using ISO 100. With the fan only three feet away to her right, (my left) her long blonde hair was quickly blowing as if caught in a 15 mph wind gust. Hand-holding my camera and 70-200mm lens, I took a number of shots as the 'wind' blew and as you can see here, the blowing hair has been captured in exacting sharpness across her face. If you don't have a flash, no worries as this idea can easily be done outside in available light and along with an extension cord, you can take your fan most anywhere in your yard and with a gas generator, heck, you can take your fan(s) anywhere!

PHOTO#15- Born in Iowa, Carl Magee, a lawyer and publisher, was, according to San Miguel County Judge David Leahy in 1920, a "lying, un-American political harlot, fat headed imbecile remittance man, dirty cowardly reprobate, wicked, wanton, false, malicious dishonest, corrupt, unscrupulous, and worse that the assassin of President McKinley". The judge was responding to an article Magee wrote in the Albuquerque Journal, which Magee also owned, where Magee called San Miguel County's government the worst in the United States. Five years later these two guys ran into each other in a hotel and, according to the El Paso Times, a wild fistfight ensued. Magee pulled out a pistol, trying to shoot Judge Leahy, but the bullet only grazed him, but a second bullet that was fired by Magee did kill an innocent bystander, John B. Lassater.

Magee was later acquitted of manslaughter! Which as we now know that if he were to found guilty and subsequently ended up going to prison all of us just might have never known the "joy" of feeding money into a parking meter since it was Carl Magee who is credited with inventing and patenting the first parking meter which was later installed on the streets of Oklahoma City on July 16, 1935.

Although not a shot of the wind, it can be argued that this is a shot of the 'wind' doing 55MPH. With my tripod mounted camera and 70-200mm lens set to ISO 100 and my aperture set to f/16 along with the polarizing filter I was able to record a correct exposure at a 1/30 second, which proved to be just slow enough to record the blurred motion of the many large trucks I photographed that afternoon in Tampa Bay, Florida. Both of these shots are no doubt a study in motion, but they are also motion-filled examples of graphic color.

MOTION FILLED SCENES VIA THE ZOOM LENS

How do you make a stationary subject 'move'? You zoom it! With the proliferation of zoom lenses on the market today, I am surprised that the "zooming during the exposure" technique hasn't been revived. With my camera and 17-35mm lens on tripod, I first composed this crowd scene downstairs at the Louver in Paris. Then with the addition of my Polarizing filter, which caused a two stop loss in light, and with my aperture set to f/22 I was able to record a correct exposure at 1/8 second. At same time I pressed the shutter release, I 'zoomed' from 17mm to 35mm, and recorded this 'explosive' effect during this quick 1/4 second exposure.

It is an even easier to create this effect with slower shutter speeds, such as 1/2 second or 1 second, since you now have a bit more time to zoom the lens during the exposure, but unless your subjects are in deep shade or in low light, you will need a 3 or 4 stop Neutral Density filter to reduce the light of a bright day that is coming into the lens. The addition of the ND filter will allow you to maintain a correct exposures at these slower shutter speeds. Also, experience has taught me that its best to begin any composition you want to zoom by framing it first with the widest angle of any given zoom and then zoom towards the longer end i.e. begin with 17mm and zoom to 35mm or begin with 18mm and zoom to 55mm or begin with 70mm and zoom to 300mm. This effect WILL produce the desired results but not without practice. Don't be disappointed if your first few attempts don't measure up.And remember the number one rule for all of you digital shooters; "Every shot you take is 'free' so fire away!"

If not a crowd scene, why not a lone oak tree at sunset? With my camera and 35-70mm lens on tripod, I first composed this lone oak at sunset at the focal length of 35mm and with the addition of the Lee sunset filter. With my shutter speed set to a 1/2 second, I then adjusted my aperture until f/22 indicated a correct exposure. As I then pressed the shutter release, I zoomed from 35mm to 70mm.

This is merely one of a handful of images from the two rolls I shot of this tree using this effect. It looks like "God-rays", doesn't it? Practice makes perfect, and this effect WILL produce the desired results, but not without practice. Don't be disappointed if your first few attempts don't measure up.

THE (E)MOTION OF FALLING RAIN

I don't know if I was first to shoot the idea, but I was certainly first to the marketplace with flowers in the rain. Back in the mid-eighties I stumbled upon the idea by mistake when shooting a portrait of my kid, oblivious to the lawn sprinkler in the background, which was watering a whole bed of flowers. When I got the film back I noticed the backlit "rain" in the background and went to work the following morning.

Over the course of the next three weeks I not only shot all the flowers in the garden but I went and bought cut flowers at the local Safeway and even hit a couple of florists shops. (You can imagine my ex-wife's surprise when I came in the door with fresh flowers from the florist NOT intended for her. Come to think about it, I think that had something to do with the divorce.)

Anyway, I would set these cut-flowers in a vase, which was sitting on an old wooden crate in the backyard. Facing into the early morning backlight, I would then place the lawn sprinkler behind the backlit flowers so the water would also be backlit. As the water fell around the flowers, I would of course hear that familiar whirring sound of the motor drive.

Setting the exposure was the easy part, AFTER numerous trial and errors. First, the shutter speed must be at a 1/60 second! Secondly, with your 200mm or 300mm lens (and maybe the addition of an extension tube), you should move in and fill the frame with the backlit flower, even if it's not in focus, and of course BEFORE the sprinkler gets turned on. Then you simply adjust your aperture until a correct exposure is indicated and then move back to your spot and shoot to your heart's content.

And by the way, from Hallmark to Gibson to Avanti, these compositions of flowers in the rain made (and still do) good money not only in the greeting card market but also in the healthcare related markets.

Why should falling "rain" be limited to flowers? Several years later, I began to place other subjects in my falling "rain" including this vivid blue bowl of fresh strawberries. With the bowl placed on a small wooden stool, I took a meter reading from the light falling on the strawberries. With my shutter speed already set to a 1/60 second, I adjusted the aperture until the light meter indicated a correct exposure, which was at an aperture of f/19. I then backed up, composed the scene you see here, turned on the sprinkler and fired off several frames each time the "rain" would fall on the bowl of strawberries.

Not much is required to create some truly exciting abstract paintings with your camera other then a slow shutter speed and the willingness to perhaps look 'foolish' in the presence of others. Defying all the 'laws' of photography, strangers stop momentarily as they find it odd to see you with your camera pointed at a given subject, jiggling, spinning, jerking and/or turning your camera while pressing the shutter release, and they can't for the life of themselves understand what on earth you could possibly be so happy about it. You may even perhaps give the impression that you suffer from a nerve disorder which would no doubt accounts for why you can't obviously hold the camera steady. Like I said, we do look foolish, but do we really care?

PHOTO#19-#20-#21-A roadside flower bed in the heart of the city of Lyon France provides a welcomed reminder that spring has arrived, following a harsh and cold winter. Standing over a portion of this flower bed and shooting down with my camera and 12-24mm lens revealed a most interesting and energy filled composition that was reminiscent of those times I went to the county fair in my youth and gladly paid the man 25 cents for a white piece of paper upon which I would squirt various colored paints and then this paper would spin for several seconds and reveal a kaleidoscope of colors. So how did I do it?

A rather simple technique here but you will want to call upon your wide angle zooms first and foremost AND your polarizing filter and/or your three/four stop neutral density filter.

Remember when creating these abstract works of art, we are calling upon these two filters primarily to decrease the intensity of the light, thus allowing us to use slower than normal shutter speeds, while still maintaining a correct exposure. With my 12-24mm set to the focal length of 12mm and fitted with a four -stop ND filter, I was able to set a correct exposure of f/11 at a 1/4 second and as I pressed the shutter release, I did the following:

I rotated the camera in a right to left circular motion, as if drawing a circle, and at the same time, with my left hand, I zoomed the lens from 12-24mm. And keep in mind all of this took place in a 1/4 second so you are right to assume that you must be quite fast in turning the camera in that circular motion and zooming at the same time. In comparison to the next shot, I was able to slow down a bit as I repeated the same moves, but I had also changed my exposure from f/11 at a 1/4 second to f/22 for 1 second. Of course the choice is yours, but clearly the spiral effect that results leaves a bit more definition in the flowers at a 1/4 second then the exposure seen in the 1 second exposure. Are we having fun or what!?

PHOTO#22-#23-For some people, walls and doorways, covered with graffiti and posters are seen as unsightly, a blight of societies woes, but personally I have found them to be great fields of photographic potential, harvesting them often by the likes of my macro lens. But it was only recently that I discovered they are also a great resource to create 'art' with the principles described above. Again, with my camera and 12-24mm lens set to ISO 100 and equipped with a 4-stop ND filter, I was soon turning the camera and zooming the lens at the same time, moving from one wall or door to the next, shooting with such careless abandon, experiencing once again that feeling of newness that often accompanies every photographers first few days or weeks behind the camera. A wall of poster covered windows and graffiti is quickly transformed into a swirl of color and textures. F/16 at a 1 second.

PHOTO#24-#25 - Just around the corner I went to work on another wall of 'art' and this time, rather than spinning I simply moved the camera in a slow and upward direction, while at the same time, zooming the lens, quickly, in and out, in and out. Note in this exposure the somewhat stair-stepped effect, a layered palette knife painting effect. Again, this was the result of moving up and zooming in and out at the same time, rapidly over the course of my TWO second exposure.

Nikon D2X, 12-24mm lens with 4-stop ND filter, ISO 100 f/16 for 2 seconds.

PHOTO#26-#27- Much of Europe's back roads and meadows are turned into carpets of red during the early part of May thanks to the perennial blooms of the red poppy. In fact up in the north of France, near Lille and as far as east as Strasbourg, acres upon acres of red fields can be seen. To many of the French, the sea of red poppies serve as a reminder of the blood that was lost by those who fought during one of WWII's most decisive battles fought in this area, the Battle of the Bulge.

Bringing my car to a sudden stop was quickly explained as I rounded a corner on a small country road after having just passed a lone farmhouse whose entire yard, front back and sides were rich in tall green grass and red poppies. After a quick knock on the door and receiving permission to take pictures on the property, I was soon immersed behind camera and lens. Of the many exposures I had hoped to shoot that morning, creating motion-filled shots were high on my list. From the front-lit side of the house, I made this exposure of a rather ho-hum, somewhat static composition, but it possessed all the ingredients I felt it needed to make a wonderful abstract of line/color and texture and all that was needed was for me to shoot it again at a much slower exposure while simply moving the camera in a steady upward flow. The first exposure was made with my camera and 12-24mm lens with the ISO at 100 at f/11 for a 1/250 second. The second exposure was made with the same camera and lens, but the lens was equipped with both the Nikkor Polarizing filter and my 4-stop ND filter which resulted in a light loss of six-stops. In order to recover these six stops, I simply re-adjusted my shutter speed from a 1/250 to a 1/125, to a 1/60, to a 1/30 to a 1/15 to a 1/8 to a 1/4 second where once again my meter was now indicating a correct exposure. However, I stopped the lens down further by one full stop, to f/16 which meant I now needed again to double my exposure time from a 1/4 second to a 1/2 second in order to return to a correct exposure. I then pressed the shutter release and simply moved the camera upward in a very smooth flow which resulted in recording the streaks of color and texture that you see here.

ASSIGNMENT 4 MOTION, MOTION, and MOTION! This week we give you MANY options for capturing motion! You can freeze it, pan it, imply it, traffic streams, flowers in the rain, zooming, Monet, oh MY!!! Pick out three DIFFERENT techniques (your choice which) and upload your three shots! Happy hunting! Bryan