by Russell Burden Here's How To Take Great Motion Photographs
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A carefully chosen shutter speed does a lot more than provide a correct exposure. Used creatively, it can freeze the motion of a hummingbird's wings or create an impressionistic rendition of a galloping horse. Fast shutter speeds arrest action while slower ones tend to imply motion. When slow shutter speeds are combined with panning, photographic works of art can be created.
Motion can be conveyed by freezing peak action through the use of a high shutter speed or by exaggerating it using a slow shutter speed. The faster the action, the higher the shutter speed that's necessary to stop the movement. This will dictate using higher ISO films especially on overcast days, if shooting indoors, or if you're using a slow lens. On the other hand, if the photographic goal is to pan with the subject's motion or create impressionistic blurs, slow ISO films are required.
Anytime a photographic subject is in motion, an artistic rendering can be made. In these simple shots of the windmills, the one in which the blades are static was easier to make but it doesn't tell the story of the very windy day on which it was photographed. With my camera on a tripod, I made the first shot at an exposure of 1/500th at f5.6. The 1/500th of a second shutter speed was fast enough to halt the motion of the spinning mill, but that¹s not what I wanted to capture. I wanted to show the wheel's motion which required a shutter speed in the 1/2 second range. This meant adding four stops of neutral density and setting my aperture to f22. The little bit of extra effort netted me the image I envisioned.
Challenge yourself to go out and create some great motion photographs. Use a high shutter speed to freeze the movement. Then use a slow shutter speed to create a more painterly effect. Then try panning the camera in the direction in which the subject moves. Try varying your shutter speeds while panning. Each will provide a different effect. It's a fun exercise and it may net you some winners.
