CAPTURING MOTION WITH LENSBABY [OR ANY LENS FOR THAT MATTER]
words by April Milani
Twist 60
In week three in my Lensbaby workshop we learn all about movement. Very few things in this world aren't moving. When they aren't, you usually are. The slightest movement will change your focus. Here are my tips and tricks on photographing movement.
Fabric and movement
Velvet 56
Wind and fabric are a fun way to capture movement. I laid under this dress and let the wind take over.
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Enhancing movement
Edge 50
Long exposure and moving my skirt back and forth created movement. My placement of blur really puts an emphasis on the motion.
Edge 50
The way you tilt will either help show movement or stop it. The way I tilted here helps to move him along but shows the heaviness of the landlines.
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Action
Edge 80
Here I wanted only my son to be in focus. I also wanted to give him a path to dive into. Think of your subject and where they are going. Then create a path with your tilt and blur for your subject to move through.
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Water and motion
When it comes to water, I can only begin to show you your possibilities. Just remember to tilt, turn, and twist to gain a new perspective.
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Thinking of new ways to capture the known
Sweet 35
Edge 50
Next time you are at an event like the fourth of July, when fireworks are all around you, slow your shutter speed down and let your Lensbaby go in and out of focus. You will be amazed at what you see.
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Thinking of light and motion as one
Velvet 56
Here is something to think about. Have you ever thought of light as movement?
As you practice capturing flare, you will soon begin to see the colorful motion.
Now I'm going to share with you my favorite exercise for you to practice.
Exercise
Stepping up the movement
Edge 80
This may sound obvious, but any time a subject is in motion and you need to manually track them, it can be a challenge. Having someone walk toward you or away from you is great practice. At first, ask them to go slow. Then let them speed up when you feel you can follow them.
A tip on this—if you know you will get only one chance to shoot this, think about where you want the subject to be when you are going to snap the shot. Get your focus on that spot and wait for them to enter instead of following them and refocusing at each step.
Edge 50
Here is another example of predicting where your subject will be. No, this doesn’t always work. He could have turned and walked the other way. If you have the time, decide where you want your subject to be in the frame and then focus on that spot. When the subject walked into my sweet spot, all I had to do was click. One shot and I got it.
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There are so many opportunities to capture motion. What I would like you to do is practice, practice, practice your Lensbaby to emphasize the motion. I would also love to hear where you struggled and how you overcame it.
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Are you ready to learn how to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary? Whether you have recently purchased a new Lensbaby, are thinking about getting one, or have had one for awhile and were left discouraged – you’ve come to the right place. Grab that unopened box, take your dusty lens off the shelf and join April for an immersion into everything you need to get started as you learn to love your Lensbaby. Workshop begins October 5th, 2020.
