NATURE IN MOTION


Intentional camera movement (ICM) is a well established photographic technique. I've seen numerous examples on Flickr and elsewhere, some very well done and others poorly executed. For a successful image, I like to strike the right balance between detail and blur. For starling murmurations, the birds must be in focus and the shutter speed should not be set too low, otherwise blur will be so strong, that any sense of motion will be lost and the viewer may struggle to identify the subject. When photographing static subjects, I will place the camera on a tripod and open the shutter using a remote controller. For half a second, the camera is kept still to record fine detail, before I gently sway the camera vertically, taking care to prevent the tripod feet from hitting the ground. The result is a finely detailed image, with sleek, blurry lines, free of jerkiness.

Wealdenblur

Blurmuration and West Pier

Blurmuration over Stormy Seas

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