2021 12 22 - Between the rocks #1

How much flow…

 

… is too much?

 

This is a topic that has come up a few times at Coffee and Cameras. It’s fair to say that opinions are divided.

 

I like a bit of flow (or motion blur). For me, it conveys movement and gives an added dimension to an image. But, it can be overdone.

 

Today’s two shots were taken in slightly different ways.

 

Shot 1 was taken with an open aperture (f2.5) and a moderately fast shutter speed (1/40th of a second). The intention here was to blur the background and give a tiny bit of movement in the water between the rocks.

 

Shot 2 was taken at f5, with a shutter speed of 1/10th of a second. The intention here was to create some motion blur, while keeping the rocks etc sharp. This almost works for me. I like the upper two-thirds of the shot. But the foreground is a bit too soft. It doesn’t convey motion, it just looks out of focus.

 

So, what’s the lesson?

 

Firstly, enjoy the process (of course).

 

Secondly, experiment with shutter speeds. Or, if you’re properly equipped – with a tripod – do some focus stacking.

 

P103-3754 Taken at: Buckie Braes, Perth, Scotland.

Done