Posts with tag: "Telephoto"

 

 

August 07, 2010

A simple technique sometimes used by photographers to create interesting effects is called zooming your lens. It's a trick which gives the impression that the subject of your photo is moving away from you.  Here's how you can create an image like the one I recently took of the Tower Bridge in London.

First take a test shot (using a tripod) to get a sense of how long an exposure is needed to get a nicely balanced image. In this case I used a four second exposure.


Next, repeat the first step, but about halfway into the exposure time (at the two second mark in this example), slowly and carefully start to zoom out your lens trying not to shake the camera. You continue to zoom the lens until the shutter finally clicks. If you start this process immediately after depressing the shutter, the image of the bridge will be less pronounced and the streaks of light longer. You might have to play around with the exact timing, and how fast you zoom the lens, but it shouldn't take more than a handful of tries to get it just right.

Something new to experiment with the next time you are looking for a different take on a common subject.