Seven weeks ago we started this journey of taking a picture a day for a year.
We four bloggers Amy, Amalia, Sarah and I have been at this thing for awhile now, and it can be easy to become comfortable and complacent.
However, this week things are a-changin’.
This week I am throwing down the gauntlet.
I am challenging you three other bloggers (and any reader who wants to join in) to practice with your shutter speed, and capture one picture of something in motion.
AND I nominate Amalia to make a photography related challenge for next week (and she can nominate whomsoever she chooses).
In case you are wondering how to freeze things in motion rather than blur them…read on, my friend, read on…all the knowledge I acquired in the past thirty minutes I now bequeath to you. Use it wisely.
Maybe I am slow to this whole photography game, but I never knew how to capture things that are moving.
I have always wanted to be able to take pictures of athletes or someone running through a sprinkler, but never knew how. Until today. And I am in love with this picture. Look at the waviness of the stream of water! Look at the rainbow caught in each drop of water! Look at my orchid calmly watching behind! Look at my messy sink.
Anyways…I used my sink, because it was the easiest thing I could find in motion, and boy did I have fun. Until Warrior Man came up and began laughing at me, so intense on photographing our sink full of dishes. Then he walked away, his arms gesturing wildly as he conducted an orchestra in his head.
Things are a bit crazy in the Lotulelei household.
But back to photography…
In order to capture this water I first changed my settings to Tv (for Canon cameras).
You see the 1/1600 number next to Tv on my screen? That is the shutter speed–or how fast or slow the shutter on your camera will snap closed.
See that little black dial that you can turn back and forth (not the one with Tv on it, the one that you can spin left and right) that controls your shutter speed when you are in Tv mode.
If you turn it down to, say, 1/40 you have a slower shutter speed and can set up a tripod of the Niagra falls and capture a blurred look. But if you want to freeze motion you have to turn that dial up. If you turn it up too high (1/1600) your pictures might be too dark. So, I generally kept it around 1/200-1/400 to capture the water.
But you need to just practice to see what works for you.
Practice turning that dial back and forth until you can freeze things in motion without getting them too dark. It’s fun!
Here is another picture of frozen motion…
And here is a picture where I dialed down my shutter speed. See the difference?
So, sweet blogging friends of mine, that’s your challenge! I dub you all, Frozone, for the week!
For a more in-depth tutorial on settings (that taught me a lot about shutter speed!) check out this blog post or check out tutorials I am loving this week on my Pinterest board!
Now, back to pictures. Here are the rest of my pictures from this week.
Go forth, and conquer this week, friends!
What about you, dear readers, what photography skill have you acquired, or wish to learn?
Pingback: A Day In the Life | aflyonzwall
Pingback: Week 9 — 365 Challenge, and a Challenge Within the Challenge! | Second Breakfast
Great photos! I really love the water ones. 🙂
Thanks, Stephanie! I am so impressed by your photography–it is so beautiful!
I have always been amazed by water pictures and hope that I do that some day! Love your amazing pictures!!
Ursula aka Blueridge Beauty
Thanks, Ursula! You can do it, too. Just pull out that camera and start snapping. 🙂
Love the “stopped water” pics!
Thanks, Dad!
What a great idea to try to capture water in motion. I’ve seen cool photos like yours before but never thought to try to recreate it myself–I’ve got to try this! 🙂 Thanks! 🙂
Let me know how it goes, Jennie! I love seeing other people’s photographs. 🙂
Great tutorial! It’s so cool how photography can change our perceptions of the way we see things.
So true, Jaimee! Thanks for reading. 🙂
This is seriously so awesome!! I’m going to run up stairs and grab my camera right now to try it out. Thanks so much for the tip!!
I love your enthusiasm, Danielle! I would love to see any pictures you take! Send me the link or post on Dandelion Pie’s facebook page!
This is a great challenge. This will force me to learn how to operate my camera and look a new skill.
Do it, Lozelle, it is so much fun to play around with!
Those photos are amazing! I love the frozen water and the tutorial. I have a tiny camera and could NEVER take good images. Could this work with smaller cameras?
Thanks for your encouragement, Zan! What type of camera do you have?
I have a tiny Samsung 12. While I was flying today, I was going through my camera settings (thanks to your post) and I have a freeze setting. And a bunch of other cool ones, too
I had seen them before but did not use them since U lost the instruction booklet. Thanks a bunch!
I accept your challenge! And, not only your challenge, but your nomination! Bwa-ha-ha-ha! I have something special in mind for you, my pretties. . .
Oh, boy. What have I gotten myself into. 😉
This is beautiful! What a fun and creative shot. I love the idea of this challenge. It’s a great way to push yourself to try new things and to create a memory for each day.
If you want to join in, Jenna, we would LOVE to have you! We will all link to you as well, natch. We post every Saturday. 🙂
Oh goodness! How creative. This sounds like a ton of fun, and might solve a problem for a photo I`ve been trying to take, but only get a blur, for a long time. Good job!
Hope it helps, Sarah! Looking forward to see your picture. 🙂 Be thinking on what you want to challenge the rest of us to do, as eventually you will be nominated!
*gasp* Gauntlet acknowledged! Challenge accepted! And might I add, what a capital notion?! I will: what a capital notion! I bow to your superior photog skills, oh esteemed daught. Whee! I can’t wait to try this myself!
Aw, you make me smile. See —-> 🙂 . Can’t wait to see your picture or pictures!