In photography, there is a very fine line that separates the photographer who simply takes pictures from the one who takes them, and this line is passed with time and dedication, but above all with curiosity and the desire to learn and master the technique without let it dominate you. And although there are too many concepts and techniques to photograph everything, the truth is that you will achieve practically everything thanks to the knowledge of the exposure triangle: Aperture, Speed and ISO.
So let’s do a quick review before we start:
Diaphragm opening: Controls the light input through the lens. The more open the diaphragm is, the more light will enter and the less depth of field or area in focus in the image. The more closed, the less light will enter but the depth of field will increase.
ISO: It is the sensitivity of your sensor to light. If you have more light, you will be able to work at a low ISO, if on the contrary you have little light, you will probably need to increase it. Remember that ISO is directly associated with noise in the image (more ISO more noise).
Shutter speed: It is the speed at which the shutter opens and closes, that is, the time it remains open once you press the shutter on your camera. The less time it remains open, the more we can freeze the image. If, on the other hand, we want to print movement in the scene, it is best to work at slow speeds, where the shutter remains open for longer.
Remember that you cannot control the above parameters, unless you leave the “comfort zone” that the automatic mode surely provides you, and immerse yourself in the manual mode or in one of the semi-automatic modes available to you. If you haven’t already, this is a great way to start 😉
And now, once we have reviewed a bit the concepts that make up the exposure triangle, we are going to focus on speed and everything you can achieve with it just by knowing it, you won’t believe it 😉 Shall we see it?
1. Sweep
Have you ever seen those images that are the sensation of speed made photograph, of a Formula 1, of a cyclist, a runner, etc., frozen in the image while the background appears moved? Well, that image has been achieved with no more and no less than a sweep, and the sweep is achieved with no more and no less than playing with the movement of the scene and the speed of your camera. There is no magic formula (well yes, practice) but sweeps are achieved by chasing the movement of what you are going to photograph with the camera, at a speed of between 1/30 to 1/60 (more or less depending on the ambient light , the ISO, etc.) so that it is impregnated in the image, but your protagonist remains as static as possible.
2.light painting
This is, without a doubt, a technique with infinite possibilities that mixes your pictorial skills with your photographic ones. Have you ever tried paint with light in an image? Nope? Then you have to dare to try it ;-). Lightpainting is achieved through slow speeds, a moving light source (candles, flashlights, etc.), a low-light environment, and unlimited imagination 😉
3. Silky effect of water
This is an effect that I am sure has not gone unnoticed when you have seen a landscape image in which water appears. In some of these images, the water has a silky texture, as if it were a painting. This image is also achieved by playing with speed through a slow speed. A good landscape with moving water, a tripod, a Neutral Density filter (which allows us to lower the ambient light and work with slower speeds than normal) and a landscape with dim light, will allow you to obtain these wonderful images.
4.Zooming
We could say that it is a kind of sweep but in which the movement is provided by us through the zoom of our camera. Surely you have also seen those images in which the protagonist appears surrounded by a kind of time tunnel, he stopped in the center, and the rest in motion. Well, this science fiction image is also a mixture of movement and slow shutter speed. If you are interested, take a look at this article that tells you step by step how to get this type of image.
5. star photography
If you are one of those who enjoys nights outdoors counting stars, observing the milky way and looking for your horoscope in the sky, you have to dare to photograph them because the results are almost as magical as lying stretched out with your eyes on the sky surrounded by peace and universe. If you have a tripod, a camera with manual controls and a sky full of stars, this is your chance to get one of these wonderful images.
6. High speed: A drop of water
Not everything is achieved with slow speeds, we can also go to the magic of high speed or how to freeze an impossible image. A simple way to put it into practice is in your own home, setting up a mini home studio in search of a drop of water falling on a liquid. And whoever says a drop of water says a cookie falling into a glass of milk, or a balloon bursting at the precise moment the shutter closes. For these types of images, we go to the other extreme, we will need very high speeds and lots and lots of light. The idea is to try to capture the precise moment in which the action happens.
7. Fog
Foggy photographs are usually images full of magic and mystery. And one way to enhance and accentuate the fog and the atmosphere it generates is through speed. With low speeds, you will get more texture in it, more travel and more presence of it in the image.
8. Clouds
You can use the clouds as a static element that accompanies your image, as the protagonist, as the frame of the image, or as a moving element contrasted with the stillness of the rest of the scene.
9. Free creativity
Challenge what is established, circumvent sharpness or seek it to the extreme, blurred portraits, vertical sweeps… Once you master speed and diaphragm, there will be no technique that will resist you 😉
10. Movement and static subjects
The contrast between elements always catches our attention when we look at an image. A static character surrounded by people rushing somewhere makes our eyes automatically go to what stands out for its difference; in this case the static subject, or vice versa, a static scene and a moving object, will direct our gaze to what is moving.
As you can see, speed has infinite uses and applications, whether you are obsessed with sharpness or if you are a portrait of movement. Be that as it may, knowing and mastering it will open up a huge world of photographic, creative and imaginative possibilities that you can’t even imagine 🙂 So get to work and dare to practice with it. As always, in practice is the key to learning.
I hope you found it useful and interesting. If so, share it with someone else who you think might find it interesting (Facebook, Google+ or Twitter) Thank you very much and until next time 🙂