Pent-up tension...part two
By Michael Billert
2 September 2008
This has been a work in progress for the past few months. Trying to show energy with slow shutter speeds and pans or the total reverse fast shutters. it ought to be easy to get started and yet thousands of exposures to get on film what is in my head. Seems that fast film and faster shutters have froze moments for us.
We have become a nation of fast. We shoot with the capabillities of four or six fames a second. After an event is passed take a look for the perfect example of what we want to say. This has enabled us to leave lots on the floor or in the digital trash basket.
What I am looking for is displayed action to tell a story. Let the blur or zoom tell a story. Can an extreme fast capture of the paton pass in a relay race show the emotion of the moment or would it make the statement better with blur or movement. You have to make the decision before the racers come around the turn. The bike rider or skate boarded coming into your view. Should you freeze every hair on his head, suspend him in mid-air or should blur and streaks from panning the movement tell the story better. I realize there are really no answers to these questions. What I am looking for is examples that are creditable in either direction.
So look at this as a little challenge: Set up out of the way hopefully of someone or something moving toward you . Get the panning down so the movement stays in the frame. Shoot the action with a slow shutter. And then freeze it with a fast speed. Be rfeady to zoom when the action comes a secon time. See what you can do with the idea and put me on your contacts. michael
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