In years of photographing, I’ve learned that not all photos need to be crystal clear and sharp. In fact, shots that are technically imperfect often end up being the most engaging, since these bring with them a sense of energy and liveliness.
Capturing motion in a still image can be difficult, especially for those who might be new to photography. Here are a few simple ways to easily imbue our photography with that elusive feeling of energy and movement.
First, let go of the “perfect photo”
The world around us is constantly in motion. A great way to show that is to simply get out there and shoot it, without worrying so much about making shots that are perfectly exposed and perfectly sharp. Instead, embrace the limitations of your environment and your gear. Don’t worry that your light meter is saying that your shutter speed is somewhere way down in the tenths of seconds or that you’ve got a somewhat slow lens. Just keep your hand as steady as possible, shoot at these slow-as-molasses shutter speeds, and see what comes out.
If you’re shooting film, don’t stress that you accidentally loaded low-sensitivity film before heading out for the night. Shoot lower ISO stock even in low-light situations. You may be surprised by the results.
Some of the best photos I’ve made of my daughter or my dog are technically imperfect messes of blur and motion. But these are also the shots that most accurately represent the excitement and never-ending energy that these creatures seem to posses.
One shot in particular, taken at the New England Aquarium, shows a shape that’s hardly recognizable as being my three-year-old kid. But few photos I’ve made so readily bring to my mind the moment in which they were made (she was running that whole day, and the shot reminds me of the many hours that I watched her twirl and dance among the dimly lit fishtanks).
Try Panning Shots
One of the most popular ways to emphasize movement in a photo is through panning. This technique most easily showcases a fast-moving subject by blurring the background of the image while keeping the subject in focus. This requires a steady hand to keep the subject in the same relative position within the frame for the entire span of time that the shutter is open, a task that’s easier said than done. But practice makes perfect.
To try this out yourself, simply set the camera’s shutter speed to a relatively slow speed, handhold the camera and move it in unison with the subject.
The easiest way to do this successfully is to use a camera that’s capable of shooting in shutter-priority mode. In this mode, simply set a slow shutter speed (somewhere around 1/4th or 1/30th of a second, depending on light conditions) and let the camera automatically set the correct aperture. Now just track your subject and try not to sneeze.
If you only have a full manual or aperture-priority mode camera, you’ll have to experiment a bit more. Try setting your aperture to whatever value will achieve a shutter speed of 1/60th of a second (or thereabouts) and see how that works. If you’re shooting in bright conditions, don’t be afraid to close down that aperture. If you’re shooting on film you won’t be able to immediately see your results and adjust as necessary. If this is the case, shoot a bunch of frames at varying speeds, take notes, and see what develops.
Try Double Exposure and Multiple Exposures
Double (or multiple) exposure photography can be polarizing. Some people consider it hackey, while others love it. I haven’t been able to make a decent multiple exposure photo, to be honest, but I’ve seen some incredible shots made by others and I think it’s a great way to capture, if not motion per se, than certainly a sort of energy.
The shot shown below is a good example of what I mean. It’s a handheld multiple exposure shot made with a Rollei 6008. The idea was to capture the energy of the city in an abstract way, and I think the photo pulls it off pretty well.
To make multiple or double exposure photos you’ll need a camera that’s able to do this. Most modern digital cameras will do multiple exposures without any trouble, but older film cameras sometimes lack this feature. Check your manual to see if your camera can do it. If not, get a Minolta XE (the camera that launched this website!), or any other of the hundreds of film machines that have this capability baked in.
Try long exposures
We’ve written about capturing the motion of smaller subjects; people, animals, objects. But what if you want to show movement on a larger scale; movement in cities and nature, the movement of the universe? It’s possible to do this with photography, and it’s not even that hard. Long exposures will get you there.
By shooting long exposures in cityscape and landscape photography we’re able to show the bustle of the city, the passage of time through the movement of the ocean or rivers and streams, and even the paths of the stars.
What you’ll need – a good tripod, a camera that’s capable of bulb or timed exposure shooting, a remote shutter release, possibly a neutral density filter, and patience. The rest is simple. Find a photogenic location, set up your tripod, mount the camera, set the exposure time (usually thirty seconds or longer to get really fluid water or gorgeous star trails), and remotely trigger the shutter. Wait for your exposure to finish and see what you’ve made.
Depending on your light conditions, you may need to really choke down that lens aperture or mount a filter to kill some light. Trial and error are your friends here, and once you’ve made a few shots in this way you’ll realize there’s nothing to it.
Some photos in this article have been contributed by readers and are marked with credit. Many thanks to Alex Luyckx, Devon Salyer, Pascal Jean Provost, and Reinier de Guzman, and David Libson.
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- Photo courtesy of Pascal Jean Provost
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- Photo courtesy of Pascal Jean Provost
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- Photo courtesy of Alex Luychx
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- Photo courtesy of Devon Salyer
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- Photo Courtesy of Reinier de Guzman
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- Photo courtesy of David Libson. See more at Instagram.com/davidlibson
There are plenty of other ways to make the most of motion in your photography. If you’re a motion master, link us to your most energetic photo in the comments below and tell us how you made it.
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Just use an Argus C-3, multiple exposures are a breeze! (And often a complete accident). I’ve gotten some fun pictures with that little gem. For film cameras that don’t have a multiple exposure ability, there’s a little trick that can work. When you wind for the next frame, hold down the little button you press when rewinding, and keep tension on the rewind crank. The camera will cock, but (theoretically) not wind on another frame of film.