Slow Shutter Speeds
This is the final point on the Systems and Processes Unit.
Camera/Lens Technique- 4- "Use high shutter speeds to freeze action or a slow shutter speed for motion blur effects".
Firstly, if i am honest i didn't feel the need to research this, the main reason is that this is something that i already know how to do and also understand the process as this was something i did at length during my A Level our theme was movement, so i spent months taking photographs to either freeze the action or create blur.
I have a few ideas for this and wanted to try to get some light trails as they involve using a slow shutter speed to capture the light which causes a trail of light as the subject moves across the frame. This is something i have done before but this was using an analogue camera years ago and i wanted to practice this with my camera in order to get used to the settings as well as show research into the brief.
To take these i went to a motorway bridge with my Tripod, when i got there i realised my tripod wouldnt extend high enough to get the barrier out of the shot so in the end i had to use the barrier to rest my camera on and keep as still as possible. This wasn't ideal but as i had only planned to take a few test shots it is something i could improve on later.
F32, 4 Sec, ISO 2500, resting on barrier, un-edited.
F32, 14 Sec, ISO 2500, rested on barrier, unedited.
F32, 2 Sec, ISO 2500, resting on barrier, un-edited.
F11, 1 Sec, ISO 2500, resting on barrier,un-edited.
After taking these i thought that with bonfire night coming up i could try to take some photos of the fireworks as a firework is really just a trail of light created by chemicals set off into the sky. I would need to use a slow shutter speed to capture the fireworks and had never done this before so i figured it would be good practice for me.
After taking these i thought that with bonfire night coming up i could try to take some photos of the fireworks as a firework is really just a trail of light created by chemicals set off into the sky. I would need to use a slow shutter speed to capture the fireworks and had never done this before so i figured it would be good practice for me.
Rather than go into an actual firework display i was stood on a dark field next to where the fireworks were going to be, the main reason for this wasnt because i am too tight to pay the fee to get in! But in face because i had more space and better conditions for taking the photos, if i was stood in a crowd of people the visibility would have been poor and people no doubt would have blocked the view of my camera on its tripod so i was more than happy with the spot i found on the local playing field.
Whilst waiting for the fireworks i wanted to do a few test shots of some sparklers- they give a similar effect to fireworks so i had someone make the shape of a heart as i set my camera on the tripod for these shots:
F4.5, 8 Sec, ISO 400, tripod, un-edited.
F8, 5 Sec, ISO 400, tripod, un-edited
F8, 5 Sec, ISO 400, Tripod, un-edited.I was quite pleased with these images, after a stressful 10 minutes trying to direct my assistant i think it went quite well considering neither they or i could really see what shape they were doing until the image flashed up on my LCD screen.
The fireworks started and i realised photographing fireworks you really have to be prepared, the average firework display only lasts around 10 minutes and you not only have to pre-empt where the next exposion is going to be in the sky but also move your camera on your tripod each time and secure it again to make sure it is stable during the exposure. Not easy!
I decided after a few shots that it was easiest to put my camera on the bulb setting so that i had more control over the length of exposure.
Here are a few of the photos i took, not bad for my first experience in photographing fireworks?
F14, 9 Sec, ISO 200, tripod, un-edited.
F14, 3.2 Sec, ISO 200, tripod, un-edited.
F14, 5 Sec, ISO 200, tripod, un-edited.
F14, 8 Sec, ISO 200, tripod, un-edited.
F14, 6 Sec, ISO 200, tripod, un-edited.
F14, 8 Sec, ISO 200, tripod, un-edited.
F14, 15 Sec, ISO 200, tripod, un-edited.
F14, 5 Sec, ISO 200, tripod, un-edited.I also went to the blackpool illuminations and took a few photos for this point on the brief. I wanted to try to get some photos of them whilst driving through them in the car to create some light trails.
I also wanted to try and get the trams that are lit up, as they move this would create a trail of multicoloured light. Unfortunately i forgot my tripod so this was pretty much impossible, the other thing that made this difficult was the fact that there werent many of these trams and i didnt know when they were coming.
F8, 0.8 Sec, ISO 400, resting on dashboard, un-edited.
F5.6, 1/2 Sec, ISO 1000, handheld, un-edited.
F8, 2 Sec, ISO 400, handheld, un-edited.
F5.6, 5 Sec, ISO 640, rested on barrier, un-edited.
F5.6, 4 Sec, ISO 250, rested on barrier,un-edited.
F5, 22 Sec, ISO 100, rested on barrier, un-edited.
F5, 15 Sec, ISO 100, rested on barrier, un-edited.
F5, 19 Sec, ISO 100, rested on barrier, un-edited.
F5, 25 Sec, ISO 100, rested on barrier, un-edited.
F5, 15 Sec, ISO 100, rested on barrier, un-edited.
F8, 13 Sec, ISO 100, rested on barrier, un-edited.
F8, 25 Sec, ISO 100, rested on barrier, un-edited.
F4.5, 28 Sec, ISO 250, rested on barrier, used the adjustment brush in LR to darken the sky and the hillside on the right.
Light Trails Again
I wanted to try and get some better examples of light trails, the main problem with the last ones was the fact that there were street lights on the motorway that took away the emphasis from the actual light trails, so i found a stretch of motorway with no lights and took them from the bridge above it. The barrier was really high and although i am tall i had to wear high heels to be able to see over it!
My tripod wasn't high enough to reach over the barrier but i managed to rest my camera on the barrier and against my face and had to hold my breath for the length of the exposure! It would have been easier with one of those gorillapods...definitely one for the christmas list!
The photos i got are definitely an improvement on the previous light trails:
My tripod wasn't high enough to reach over the barrier but i managed to rest my camera on the barrier and against my face and had to hold my breath for the length of the exposure! It would have been easier with one of those gorillapods...definitely one for the christmas list!
The photos i got are definitely an improvement on the previous light trails:
F5.6, 5 Sec, ISO 640, rested on barrier, un-edited.
F5.6, 4 Sec, ISO 250, rested on barrier,un-edited.
F5, 22 Sec, ISO 100, rested on barrier, un-edited.
F5, 15 Sec, ISO 100, rested on barrier, un-edited.
F5, 19 Sec, ISO 100, rested on barrier, un-edited.
F5, 25 Sec, ISO 100, rested on barrier, un-edited.
F5, 15 Sec, ISO 100, rested on barrier, un-edited.
F8, 13 Sec, ISO 100, rested on barrier, un-edited.
F8, 25 Sec, ISO 100, rested on barrier, un-edited.
F4.5, 28 Sec, ISO 250, rested on barrier, used the adjustment brush in LR to darken the sky and the hillside on the right. I think this is definitely the best one. It is well focused and i like the fact that there is a bend in the road so the light trail curves off into the distance. It was done on a long exposure of 28 seconds and looking back at the other images i think that this works best. I know that the longer the exposure the more light is let onto the sensor so it goes without saying that the lights will be brighter. The other reason it is brighter is because the longer the exposure is the more cars that pass the camera and they thicken and brighten the trails of light.
More with a Slow Shutter Speed
I went to London and when i was stood on a bridge taking photographs of the buildings, i notcied there were literally hundreds of people walking past me, i decided to rest my camera on a wall/barrier and i pointed it toward the people, i got my boyfriend to stand in front of it shielding it from obvious view of the people walking past us. I put my hand on the shutter and pressed it without anyone realising what i was doing.
I wanted to capture them using a slow shutter speed, people in London are always in a rush and there was actually a road sign near me saying no stopping, which i found quite amusing as it looked as though it referred to the floods of people, one thing i have noticed in certian parts of London such as the tunnels in the tube stations and where i was near the tower bridge is that no one stops!
Here are the photos i took, they have been edited using Lightroom.
More with a Slow Shutter Speed
I went to London and when i was stood on a bridge taking photographs of the buildings, i notcied there were literally hundreds of people walking past me, i decided to rest my camera on a wall/barrier and i pointed it toward the people, i got my boyfriend to stand in front of it shielding it from obvious view of the people walking past us. I put my hand on the shutter and pressed it without anyone realising what i was doing.
I wanted to capture them using a slow shutter speed, people in London are always in a rush and there was actually a road sign near me saying no stopping, which i found quite amusing as it looked as though it referred to the floods of people, one thing i have noticed in certian parts of London such as the tunnels in the tube stations and where i was near the tower bridge is that no one stops!
Here are the photos i took, they have been edited using Lightroom.
F14, 0.8 Sec, ISO 100
Here i have cropped the image to centralise the focal point, and decreased the exposure slightly.
F14, 0.8 Sec, ISO 100
F14, 0.8 Sec, ISO 100
I am really pleased with this one, i think the colour of the ladys coat really makes it work, it is quite balanced also by the lady behind her having a red scarf.
F14, 0.8 Sec, ISO 100
This image has just been edited in Lightroom using basic editing such as decreasing the exposure and increasing the clarity, i like the fact that the no stopping sign is visible in this image and the colourful bus in the background makes the image more interesting.
F32, 6 Sec, ISO 100
This is similar to the previous image but beacuse it had a longer shutter speed it shows more blur from the movement and i am pleased with the effect, i have used a gradient filter in Lightroom at the bottom which i think has added a little depth and i have decreased the exposure too.
F32, 1.6 Sec, ISO 100
F32, 1.6 Sec, ISO 100
This is the same as the above image but i have increased the fill light and blacks and given it a slight blue tint.
F22, 1.3 Sec, ISO 100
This image was edited by increasing the fill light and blacks which gives it quite a painterly feel, i also used a gradient filter for the sky to darken it and draw the eye down into the image.
High Shutter Speeds
I was keen to try to show some examples using a high shutter speed to freeze the action, i enjoy using these techniques and there is so much that you can do to show examples of this.
As my boyfriend is an Athlete i went to the track where he was training and took some photographs of him.
F4, 1/500 Sec, ISO 400, handheld, edited.
F4, 1/500 Sec, ISO 200, handheld, edited.
F4, 1/500 Sec, ISO 200, handheld, edited.
F4, 1/500 Sec, ISO 250, handheld, edited.
High Shutter Speed Again
I wanted to try some shots using my macro lens and decided to see if i could use a high shuitter speed to capture this lizard's tongue, the lizards tongue is used to sense things so when it senses something new has entered his tank he uses it to work out what it is. I got my boyfriend to put his hand in and i was ready to capture it, it took a lot of time and patience as the lizard is so fast but i eventually got one:
1/80 Sec, ISO 2000, handheld, edited.
When using the macro extension tubes i am unable to control the aperture on my camera and it automatically sets it to the widest aperture, which is why the F number isnt shown above.
I used lightroom to apply two gradient filters to the corners, i i did this to try to emphasise the lizard as i felt that the pieces of wood on the bottom of its tank acted as a camouflage and drew attention away from the main focal point.
1/80 Sec, ISO 2000, handheld, edited.
Here i used Photoshop to cut out the Lizard and place it on a plain black background, this does make the Lizard the only focal point and i like the effect but i think it looks more natural in the previous image.
I could use these images for one of the prints for my objects brief.
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