Finding Depth and Motion

[100219]

It has been raining here for weeks which has restricted my ability to venture outside and take some landscape or outdoors photos with different natural lights. I have had to improvise with the weather, therefore photo 1 is of a stream of raindrops coming off our carport shot with a slow shutter speed.
Photo 2 is of a small tree outside our living room window with a plam tree in the background.

[Duncan Rawlinson]

Hi!

Thanks for sending in another assignment.

Lesson 3 reads as follows:

Lesson 3: Assignment Assignment Title: Finding Depth and Motion

This assignment will have you prove to yourself that you understand how to create motion within a photograph and create a shallow depth of field. It’s a two part assignment and will require that you upload two different photo’s to our online student grading center.

The first photograph should be captured using a slow shutter speed on a moving subject which will create the illusion of motion within a two dimensional space.

The second photograph should be a shot of a shallow depth of field. The objects in your foreground should be in focus while your background should be slightly blurred.

If you don’t have manual control over your camera you should reverse the rules for the second photograph.

If you don’t have manual control of your camera your first photo should be of a fast shutter speed where you freeze a fast moving object of your choice. Most cameras that don’t have manual control have a fast shutter speed by default.

Your second photo should be of the largest possible depth of field you can achieve. Again, most cameras that don’t have manual control of this feature are usually built to capture a large depth of field.

You have submitted two photographs to be critiqued.

Your first photograph is quite nice and features some raindrops on leaves in relatively shallow depth of field.

I have added some notes to this photograph. (see below)

[attachment=0:1hwsjf3b]shallow-depth-of-field-raindrop.jpg[/attachment:1hwsjf3b]

1: Don’t let things get in the way.
This area of leaves is blocking the most interesting part of the photo. Try to avoid that in the future.

2: Lines!
Notice how there is a subtle line in this photo. Try to use lines like this in your images. But do it intentionally and for a reason. Such as to draw the viewers eye into the frame.

3: Good
Your background is simple and doesn’t take away from the frame. This is good!

4: Droplets
Water droplets are very nice to photograph. Try to get a macro lens and get even closer to these.

You’ve completed the first part of the assignment very well. That is the shallow depth of field part.

Now onto the next:

Your second photograph shows some raindrops which have some motion blur on them.

This is ok for the assignment but doesn’t highlight as much motion as I’d like.

The point is that you’ve manipulated the shutter speed to achieve an effect that you wanted so that’s really the point of the assignment.

Sometimes bad weather can be great for photography. Don’t let weather stop you from getting out there and getting great photos!

Nice work and I’ll see you on the next assignment!

🙂

[100219]

I wanted to submit another photo using a slow shutter speed based on your feedback. I believe I have improved the shot and my understanding of this type of photography.

[Duncan Rawlinson]

Yes you are getting a better idea of the motion aspect of this assignment.

The problem with this image was that you didn’t use a tripod and the rocks are blurry.

To achieve the effect you want here you must use a tripod. Also, use your camera’s built in timer to avoid shaking the camera when you depress the shutter release button.

Try this again and resubmit it if you like!

Otherwise I’m glad you’re getting a better understanding of this assignment.

[Author]

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