Motion Blur Assignment (Shoot 5)

f/20 - 1/6 sec

f/18 - 1/10sec

f/25 - 1/5 sec

f/32 - 3/10 sec

Observations and Learning

While experimenting with different shutter speeds, I observed how movement appeared very differently in each shot. At faster shutter speeds the subjects looked frozen and sharp. As I slowed the shutter, slight blurs began to appear, which made the photos feel more dynamic and alive. With very slow shutter speeds, motion turned into streaks and trails—especially with high speed moving objects—while still objects stayed clear. This contrast between stillness and blur created a striking effect.

From this, I learned that shutter speed is not just about exposure but also about storytelling. Fast speeds highlight clarity and detail, while slow speeds emphasize motion and energy. I also realized how important it is to keep the camera steady at slower speeds to avoid unwanted shake. Most importantly, I understood that motion blur isn’t necessarily a flaw—it can be used creatively to add mood and meaning to a photograph.

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Motion blur, motion freeze, Light trails and light painting (Shoot 6)

f/4.5 - 1 sec f/4.5 - 8/5 secs f/4.5 - 8/5 sec f/4 - 8/5 sec f/4 - 6.5 sec f/1.8 - 1 sec f/1.8 - 2 secs f/1.8 - 2.5 secs f/1.8 - 2.5 secs f/1.8 - 1.5 secs f/2.4 - 1/3 secs f/2.4 - 1/3 secs f/1.8 - 2 secs f/1.8 - 1.5 sec f/1.8 - 1 secs f/1.8 - 1/2000 secs Observations and Learnings At night, experimenting with motion blur felt very different from doing it in daylight. With slower shutter speeds, moving subjects created more dramatic and stretched blurs, while the darker environment made the trails stand out much more strongly. When photographing traffic, the headlights and taillights turned into long, continuous light trails that gave the images a sense of flow and direction. Light painting was especially interesting—I noticed how even simple movements with a torch or phone light could draw shapes in the air, leaving bright streaks captured by the camera. The combination of still backgrounds and glowing trails made the photos feel vibrant and alive, even though the setting i...

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EDWARD WESTON About him- Edward Weston (1886–1958) was a pioneering American photographer renowned for transforming photography into a respected modern art form. Born in Highland Park, Illinois, Weston began his career with soft-focus pictorialist images but soon shifted to a sharper, more realistic style known as straight photography He is best known for his black-and-white images of natural forms , landscapes , nudes , and close-ups of everyday objects like shells, vegetables (especially peppers), and rocks . Weston co-founded Group f/64 in 1932 with other notable photographers like Ansel Adams and Imogen Cunningham , promoting pure photography and clarity in contrast to manipulated or painterly styles. Pepper No. 30 (1930) This is arguably Weston's most iconic photograph. He used a simple bell pepper and transformed it into a powerful, almost sculptural form through lighting, contrast, and tight framing. The curves and folds of the pepper resemble the human body, showing hi...

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