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deep diver

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Jan 17, 2008
2,711
4,521
Philadelphia.
I was inspired by redshifted's post a couple of weekly contests ago ("it's a Lie"). I've moved my camera plenty of times mid-exposure, but never intentionally. I went into the woods behind my house and gave it a try. Here are what I think are the best images.

I'm not sure what the white streak is on the first image. I was using my lens hood as the pivot. It is a tulip hood and I'm wondering if it might be a bit of light bleeding in as the orientation changed.

As always, I am open to all comments.

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akash.nu

macrumors G4
May 26, 2016
10,870
16,998
That is good stuff. Never considered but your post has made me rethink.
 

OldMacs4Me

macrumors 68020
May 4, 2018
2,327
29,967
Wild Rose And Wind Belt
Thanks for sharing!

Looks like you are a lot of having fun. Which is or certainly should be the number one goal, unless of course you are attempting to make a living at it.

Lacking sufficient shutter speed control I would have to limit such activities to the realm of my photo editing software.
 

oblomow

macrumors 601
Apr 14, 2005
4,508
18,899
Netherlands
Looks like fun. Thank you for the inspiration. I like the last 2 the most. What shutter speed down you recommend?
 

deep diver

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Jan 17, 2008
2,711
4,521
Philadelphia.
Looks like fun. Thank you for the inspiration. I like the last 2 the most. What shutter speed down you recommend?

I used the little known "play with it and see what works best" feature. :D

All of these were shot between 1/5 - 1/2 second. It also took me a while to find the speed that I could move the camera most smoothly. It didn't take that long to figure it out. Probably not more that 15 or 20 shots.

Also, I did very little in post. The vibrance and saturation in the colors is an artifact of the technique rather than something I did. I'd love for someone to explain the science behind that.
 
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deep diver

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Jan 17, 2008
2,711
4,521
Philadelphia.
I have some friends who do this really well. Most of my attempts look like a two year old scribbled on a photo. I have one or two that I like. I took this one this summer at the beach with a one second exposure.

View attachment 1696345

I like this. I tried some horizontal and diagonal pans but I didn't like the way they turned out. I think everything I tried to shoot just lent itself to a vertical pan.
 
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deep diver

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Jan 17, 2008
2,711
4,521
Philadelphia.
Thanks for sharing!

Looks like you are a lot of having fun. Which is or certainly should be the number one goal, unless of course you are attempting to make a living at it.

Lacking sufficient shutter speed control I would have to limit such activities to the realm of my photo editing software.

I don't make my living this way. In any case, it would be very sad if I did not have fun with both my hobbies and my professions.
 

mollyc

macrumors G3
Aug 18, 2016
8,065
50,744
I used the little known "play with it and see what works best" feature. :D

All of these were shot between 1/5 - 1/2 second. It also took me a while to find the speed that I could move the camera most smoothly. It didn't take that long to figure it out. Probably not more that 15 or 20 shots.

Also, I did very little in post. The vibrance and saturation in the colors is an artifact of the technique rather than something I did. I'd love for someone to explain the science behind that.
I found the same, that I didn't have to do much editing. I actually had to reduce exposure on mine because I was at f/22 and the required second for the movement allowed in a bit too much light....but I did have to clean up a ton of dust spots at f/22.
 
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Laird Knox

macrumors 68000
Jun 18, 2010
1,958
1,346
Two other things to try.

Instead of moving the camera during the exposure change the zoom. This will cause more of a tunnel effect and can be different if you zoom in or zoom out.

Add a flash to the equation. The flash will "lock" the foreground while letting the surrounding bits to streak. This works well with the zoom pull. The flash can be either a front or rear curtain trigger.
 
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deep diver

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Jan 17, 2008
2,711
4,521
Philadelphia.
Two other things to try.

Instead of moving the camera during the exposure change the zoom. This will cause more of a tunnel effect and can be different if you zoom in or zoom out.

Add a flash to the equation. The flash will "lock" the foreground while letting the surrounding bits to streak. This works well with the zoom pull. The flash can be either a front or rear curtain trigger.
I've done the zooming thing without flash. I've gotten some nice results but I think the ICM is just more fun. I think there is more mystery to it while with the zooming I've been more able to predict the results.
 
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anotherscotsman

macrumors 68020
Aug 2, 2014
2,369
16,735
UK
Here's one from 3-years ago.

One way to take them is to act as if you are taking a panning shot; start moving the camera and when it gets to the zone you want to frame then press the shutter whilst continuing to pan. Motion doesn't have to be smooth and in fact you can stop/start during exposure to get some good effects.


Forest abstract (Explored Oct 17)
by another scotsman, on Flickr
 

Laird Knox

macrumors 68000
Jun 18, 2010
1,958
1,346
I've done the zooming thing without flash. I've gotten some nice results but I think the ICM is just more fun. I think there is more mystery to it while with the zooming I've been more able to predict the results.
ICM - In Camera Motion? The zoom would be ICM too. ;)

Try the zoom with spin or pan. That way you can X, Y, and Z motion.
 

deep diver

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Jan 17, 2008
2,711
4,521
Philadelphia.
I've always heard the term as being "Intentional Camera Movement," rather than "In-Camera Morion."

I'll have to experiment again with that, but right now our weather isn't conducive to being outside -- dreary and cloudy.

I've seen both, but as I said above...........
 
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