Here’s a variation on slow photography using a slow(ish) shutter speed, but with a moving subject. Using my variable ND filter, ISO 50, and f13 I was able to get this shot down to 1/5th of a second. By panning with the runner I was blurred her arms and legs keeping the body and head relatively steady. The bright sun reflecting off the bay provided a great opportunity to turn the runner into a near silhouette.

I tried longer exposures, but with the bright background, the runner’s arms and legs were largely lost in the light and almost didn’t register in the image. The notion of a head and torso hurtling down the beach didn’t really work with the image I was trying to create…

 

This owl clearly has his eye on a target as I followed his flight with this panning shot.

I tried to post something yesterday, but nothing was working for me. I tried a few photos, but everything I tried fell flat. After four or five images failed to resolve in my mind I decided I needed to back away from the computer. I think I was too immersed in Friday’s photo. Thanks everyone for all the kind words. It’s so great when you take the time to tell me what you think about one of my images.

I wanted to keep with the idea of motion today, but with a completely different subject and flavour. This is clearly a panning shot where few details are still. This reminds me so much of the beach and everything I love about visiting (or living by) the ocean – the joy, the light, the energy.

This is a red-tailed black cockatoo shooting past me as I grabbed a few frames at 1/40s. And no, we don’t have any cockatoos here in Edmonton. This shot is a few years old when I was living in Australia. The slow(ish) shutter speed allowed me to capture the motion and the panning allowed me to capture some detail in the bird.

This is a photo that originally had quite vibrant colours, but I found it all a bit distracting. There was so much colour it actually detracted from the image (for me). By removing the colours, I stripped this down to nothing but the bird and its shadow.

The problem with this photo is I think I captured it a moment too late. If I had shot the bird when it was in front of me or coming up to me rather than having just passed me, I would have seen its face and an eye. The image still works for me, but I’d be very interested in seeing the same thing rewound back in time about five seconds.

On another note, I’m always keeping an eye out for new photo blogs that make me stop and look. Found a new blog today – new to me, not new to blogging. If you love artistic images with mood and feeling, you have to check out FATman Photos. There are some very interesting images with a unique eye. Take a look!

 

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In case you’re interested (as Jeff mentions below in the comments), this is the original image with no edits save for some dust removal.

 

We’ve had so much snow in Edmonton this winter, I’m starting to run out of places to put it. The snow banks are my height in places. Of course, considering my conservative stature, perhaps it’s not all that bad.

Tonight it is snowing again and coming down hard. I don’t know yet if we’re breaking Edmonton snow fall records, but we must be coming close. The snow plows can’t keep up. For two weeks now, most of the residential streets have been unplowed. With all the snow, the street level is now higher than the foot path in some places!

Residential street plowing was supposed to start last week, but was delayed when we were hit again by more snow. The city council has rescinded the noise bylaw that prohibits residential plowing at night so we can expect to hear the plows at any moment. While I’m excited about the streets getting driveable again, I have mixed feelings about the 3am wake-ups.

This afternoon I spent half an hour trying to help dig a neighbour’s car out. She was very very stuck in the laneway beside her house. Sadly all I did was help her move back about three metres. Her car had bellied out on the snow with the wheels in some seriously deep ruts. Good thing a more useful neighbour came by with his 4×4 and a tow rope. He solved the problem in about five minutes. So much for all my shovelling and pushing.

On the bright side, all this snow has helped me rediscover my love for alpine skiing. I am even teaching the kids now. This is their first time living in a winter climate with access to winter sports. Their enjoyment of winter sports makes all this snow worthwhile.

Technical details: ISO 100, F6.3, 1/60s (panning), 90mm
Photoshop mods: Curves to enhance contrast and saturate colours, shadows/highlights tool to increase texture in snow, added layer with emboss filter blended with multiply at 50% to sharpen the edges

With our return to winter, the family and I have been immersing ourselves in winter sports. My previous strategy was to stay inside and hide from the cold. Making the most of the snow seems like a better way to go. So far we have indulged in skating, skiing and sledding – a triple alliteration of snowy fun! Skating and sledding are free and easy access; perfect for after school.

Today I took the girls sledding. They got to have fun and I got to try out some panning and blurring shots. I prefer to go tripod-free as it allows me to move around more and get into the action. It also allows me to jump out of the way of out of controls sledders like this one.