Blurring Motion

Creating Motion Blur

To convey motion in your images, such as flowing water or moving traffic, use a slower shutter speed. A setting of 1/30s to 1s can create beautiful blur effects, but remember to use a tripod to keep the rest of the scene sharp.

Exercise: Creating Motion Blur with Moving Lights

Objective: Capture the light trails of moving vehicles using a slow shutter speed.

Steps:

1. Find Your Location: Choose a spot with a good view of a busy street, highway, or cityscape. Make sure you’re safe and not obstructing any pathways.
2. Set Up Your Camera:
   • Mount your camera on the tripod and ensure it’s stable.
   • Switch to Shutter Priority mode (S or Tv).
   • Set the shutter speed to 10 seconds. This is a good starting point for capturing light trails.
3. Adjust Your Settings:
   • Set your ISO to 100 or 200 to keep noise low.
   • Let the camera choose the aperture, but check that it’s not too wide (below f/4), as this can result in overexposure.
4. Compose Your Shot:
   • Frame the scene to include both static elements (like buildings, street signs, or trees) and the path of the moving lights.
   • Use live view if available to fine-tune your composition.
5. Take the Shot:
   • Press the shutter button or use a remote release to start the exposure.
   • Wait for the exposure to complete (10 seconds in this case).
6. Review and Adjust:
   • Check your image on the LCD screen.
   • If the light trails are too short, try increasing the shutter speed to 15 or 20 seconds.
   • If the image is too bright, lower the ISO or wait until the scene is darker.