Exercise 4, Shutter Speeds. Spectacle of colour

I have been very lucky to be able to attend the Muscat Festival here in Oman on three occasions this month, and each time I have come home with some very interesting photographs of Omani Culture.  On my first visit earlier this month, at Qurum Natural Park,  I spent an hour in the childrens fairground area and came away with what I think are 'arty' images of the Ferris wheel and Carousel.  
I would like to share these with you, and would love feedback.


I chose to use the VR 50 - 300 lens, I had no tripod with me, therefore I steadied the camera whilst sat very firmly on a concrete bench, using my knee as a 'tripod'.  
The ISO I bumped up to 320 and used this throughout and set the camera to Shutter Priority. 
Obviously it was dark, as it was between 19.00 hours and 20.00 that these images were taken. 
At times the ferris wheel was stationary and at other times the carousel was still, both moved in a clockwise direction and at differing speeds. 


The neon light depicting angel wing with arabic text below is the advertising slogan for Nawras, one of Omans telecommunications companies.

Fig 1    1/5 sec     f/5.00

Fig 2    1.3 sec    f/13.00

Fig 3    2 sec    f/14.00

Fig 4    3 sec    f/18.00

Blades of colour

Fig 5     8 sec    f/22.00

Repetitive pattens 

Fig 6    8 sec    f/22.00

Blur of lights

Fig 7     1/10 sec    f/4.5

Twisted blades created and repetitive patterns occurring 

Fig 8    1/1.3 sec    f/5.00

Static logo for Nawras

Prominent red circle created around centre of wheel

Fig 9    1/1.3 sec    f/5.00

Construction of the ferris wheel can be seen here, while static,  for some reason there are white flashes of light cutting across the carousel.  

My thoughts on this exercise

This was more of an experiment but one that I was pleased with when I saw the results, I experimented with very slow shutter speeds and had no tripod so expected noise in the final results.

I managed to capture blur of light and colours and therefore created some extraordinary images, when I combined the slow shutter speed with the increased ISO. 

Exercise 5. Panning with different shutter speeds.

The aim of this exercise was to:-

• Use my camera and photograph in the panning mode with no tripod.
• Follow an object moving continuously in front of me. Vary the shutter speeds.
• Compare results, of the differing shutter speeds, look at the different effects.
• Select the image I consider to be the best.

Oman is the ideal location to photograph speeding or moving vehicles as there is a very big problem here with speeding and reckless driving.  I came to realise whilst attempting this that I could add to the dangers on the roads here as people slowed down to see what I was doing and some even stopped as before when photographing movement.  

On a morning that I decided to photograph a mosque outside town, I was able to capture a couple of cars and an Indian on a bike by making out that I was far more interested in the mosque..generally it is in there nature to be inquisitive...this can be wonderful  but sometimes a hindrance.

I found the panning technique to be very difficult, having tried several times to capture good images. We are told it comes easy to some...not me, but I will persevere and try again to create better photographs that show speed and motion in them.  Reading and watching u -tube videos enlightened me a little, and what I gleaned from this was:-

• Set the camera to Shutter Priority
• Use a slow shutter speed.
• If nothing looks blurry slow down shutter speed further
• Set camera to auto focus mode, Al servo mode
• Centre - auto focus mode.
• Shoot when the subject is directly in front of me.
• Set camera to continuous drive mode.

Fig 1    1/80 sec    f/11.0

I caught this seagull, coming towards me and followed it from above in the panning mode, the wings of the bird are showing signs of motion as they are blurred and the background which was rocks on the beach are unrecognisable, almost streaked. 

                                       

Fig.2    1/25sec    f/22.0

The background is blurred, and the wheel trims of the car also. 

Fig.3    1/30sec    f/18.0

There is more effect of motion here, the background gives a sense of moving through the photograph

                               .

Fig.4   1/40sec    f/18.0

There is motion and movement in the wheels of this bike, and the mosque is very slightly blurred.  This cyclist was travelling very slowly and was very aware that I was photographing him, I felt slightly uncomfortable, as I am sure he did too. 

Fig 5     1/80sec     f/13

The blur in the background of this photograph shows that the car is moving through the scene, along with the blur on the hub caps of the car

Fig 6    1/20sec     f/20.0

Because the background was too far away in the distance the motion blur cannot be seen, but the car does give the effect of moving through the picture because his wheels are totally blurred through movement.

What I learnt from this exercise

• I found this very difficult and have a large selection of photographs with half the vehicle missing due to me misjudging speeds, or there being little or no motion seen as the drivers slow down to wave or throw down their mobile phones.
• If I had not had set my camera to continuous drive mode or CU on the D7000, I would have failed miserably at this.. 
• When the subject is towards the edge of the frame it gives a sense of movement through the picture, as in Figure 6.

Out of these 6 images, the first image of the seagull is the photograph I prefer, to me the blur of the beach, water and rocks creates a watercolour effect which I admire, and I also consider the motion in the birds wings to be pleasing to my eye.