Chapter 9 Action and Event Photography
251
Blurring for Visual Interest
As described in the preceding paragraphs,
some degree of blurring from subject movement
is often useful to help convey a sense of motion.
Normally, blurring due to movement of the
camera is considered much less desirable. Two
types of blur induced by camera motion—
panning and zooming—are often used creatively,
however, to add visual interest.
Panning and zooming
In panning, the camera is moved in an arc
as the subject passes, and the shutter release
pressed at the desired point. The result is a
sharply focused subject moving across a blurred
background, strongly conveying the idea of rapid
movement, Figure 9-15. Best results are obtained
when the camera is moved smoothly at the same
apparent speed as the subject. The panning
movement must continue past the point where
the shutter is released. A background close to the
moving subject will streak more interestingly
than a distant background.
Although most panning is done with a
horizontally moving subject, vertical panning can
be used to capture an ascending rocket or a fast-
climbing stunt plane at an air show. For either
horizontal or vertical panning, a tripod-mounted
camera results in smoother movement than can
be obtained in hand-holding. This is especially
true when a long lens is being used.
Figure 9-13. Using motion blur to convey movement. In
this shot of a rodeo rider “biting the dust,” the shutter
speed was fast enough to preserve the instant of impact,
but allowed some blurring of the bucking bronco’s
hooves and tail.
Figure 9-14. A slow shutter speed was used to blur the
lights of these cars on New York’s Eighth Avenue into
colorful streaks that show movement. Although the
handheld camera was braced on a solid object, the long
(1 second) shutter speed allowed some blur due to slight
camera movement—note the ghosting or doubling of
the letters on the neon signs.
Figure 9-15. Panning the camera along with the motion
of the subject will produce a picture with a sharp subject
and a streaked background.