The Mid-August Blurs
Five photographic experiments from today (2011 August 18).As I have been playing around with recently, the name of the game is motion-abstraction (i.e. using a slow shutter speed and moving the camera during the exposure. For something different I also combined zooming the telephoto lens while sweeping the camera on some of these shots:
Indigo Blur
With Indigo Blur I took advantage of some colorful deep blue flowers that I came across in a neighborhood flower bed. I use a straight horizontal pan of the camera to create the abstraction.
Abstract 110818-067
Abstract 110818-056
Motion and zoom to abstract that last one with some sunflowers, as with these next two which were taken downtown:
Abstract 110818-094
Abstract 110818-090
Looking at the Sky
Sky Abstract 110807-072
Afternoon Clouds
Evening Sky Abstraction 122
August Afternoon Clouds 257-222
Lovett Sky
Summer Clouds 253-060
Like a few of the photos in this set theis last one was taken while I was sitting on Gallagher Hill across from downtown Edmonton taking in the 2011 Fol Music Festival
Edmonton Skyline and Sunset
5 Favorite Photos From the Last Week of July
If you follow me on Flickr you may have already seen some of these photos but here are some favorites from the last week ( 1 from each day that I took photos).
This first one is a photo of a sunflower growing next to a garage and fence in a back alley in my neighborhood. I was struck by the bright yellow of the sun flower and also the background color. I used a slow shutter speed and camera movement to blur the image and emphasize the color over the details.
Abstract 245-566
Again in this next one, color is the thing and motion blurring is the technique:
Abstract 246-058
Soft Evening Sky I was taken with a telephoto lens looking at the distant edge of the river valley in Edmonton, as the last rays of evening sun kissed the tree tops and provided a red glow.
Soft Evening Sky I
This next photo was purely an experiment in atmosphere. There was no subject, to speak of. I manually focussed as near as I could, just to capture the atmosphere generated by the background plants, a meter or two away, with their blue/green shades:
Abstract 248-131
Finally another motion-abstracted image – this of the Capilano Bridge in Edmonton. I used a telephoto lens and a shutter speed of probably 1/5 second. I panned the camera parallel to the bridge to keep the white and red edges on the bridge sharp and intense.
Capilano Bridge
I have received the comment that these photos look like paintings – I agree. Lately many of my photos that I like best have that quality. It is my intent to actually use these photos as reference or inspiration for paintings, but I am happy with the images as they are as photos. What do you think?
Randall Talbot - Artist 