Previous blog posts looked at two ways to capture movement. 1. Panning with the subject as it moves and 2. Keep still while something moves through the frame.
A third way to show movement in an image is when you are moving with your camera.
The movement is different than panning because you are not following a moving subject through the frame. You are actually the one moving. This can be done from a moving vehicle like a car or a train or even on a skateboard or chair with wheels. You will need to keep the camera quite steady so that part of your image is sharp.
If the ride is very bumpy, your image will not be sharp. Just like other photos involving movement, I would start at 1/15, check your results and then adjust your shutter speed.
You could either adjust your shutter speed using your aperture if you are in aperture mode or you could put your camera in shutter speed mode and set your desired shutter speed and let the camera set the aperture. I would recommend using shutter priority mode because if they light changes a little you will still have a consistent shutter speed. The shutter speed is the most important part of the equation.
If you point your camera at a perpendicular angle to the direction you are heading you will get a blur of the world passing by. Some features of the background that are further away like clouds may be in sharp.
I actually prefer to capture this movement is a different way. Point your camera in the direction you are moving. If you include some part of the foreground, it will be sharp with the surroundings zipping past in a blur. The sharpest part of the image will be the centre so try to ensure there is something interesting in the centre of your frame.
This is a situation where you will need your widest angle lens. The wider the better. Because of the properties of a wide angle lenses, the world will appear to be going past you at faster speed than it actually is. This means that the edges of your frames will show much more blur than the centre of your frame.
I will often change my camera from autofocus to manual focus because sometimes the camera will have difficulty focusing if you are moving quickly.
This is one of those rare situations where a tripod will be more likely to give you a blurry image. I have tried using a tripod or attaching a tripod to the vehicle and I tend to get blurrier images especially when the road I am on is bumpy. If I am in a car or on a bike or other vehicle with rubber tires then the ride is a little softer and I tend to get more images that are ‘keepers’. However, I just find it easiest to hand hold my camera in situations where I am on the move.
Make sure you are careful when photographing from a moving vehicle. Do not drive and photograph at the same time!
Workshop: Movement – Capturing movement while you are moving
This technique is a bit more difficult to do – especially on your own. I would start by finding a moving vehicle that you can ride in (like a car) where you are not the one driving. You will need to be able to see clearly out the front of the vehicle. Use a wide angle lens and start with a shutter speed of 1/15 of a second and adjust from there.
What you need:
Wide angle lens works best because it exaggerates the speed – the wider the lens, the stronger the effect.
Something to ride on that is not too bumpy and that allows you to still use your camera.
Remember (Your focus):
Start with 1/15 of a second and work from there – this is a great time to be checking your camera’s display screen for your results.
Things will appear as a blur going by with more blur on the edge of the frame and the sharpest point being in the middle of the frame so have a strong focal point in front of you.
A pathway or road provides great lead-in lines for your image.
Maybe try using manual focus and preset your focus distance on your lens.
Once you have found a good shutter speed for your activity, use shutter priority mode so that the camera chooses the correct aperture.
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