Blurring Work Diary

For this shoot, I was set with the task of shooting the technique of Blurring. For this technique, I would have to use a combination of studio light and camera settings. The effect has the potential to capture a range of movement which can introduce new tones and colours to the image. Since I was restricted to the small area of the studio as I wanted to achieve specific effects that would be centred around movement on a small scale. For this shoot I looked at existing practitioners of the blurring technique. Within my research, I found a photographer named David Galstyan whose work with blurring served as a massive influence for me. One of his images used blurring in a way that helped evoke emotion within the format of a portrait. The image was stunning and the tones featured within the image helped create a portrait which is unlike anything outside of the subject of blurring. I could take this idea of portraiture which has been enhanced through the use of blurring and apply it to my own work by focusing my images within a portrait format. I could use the new colours and tones that can be found within movement to create a pattern across the frame to fill the empty space, causing the image to appear more exciting than standard portraiture. I could link this technique to my subject of hyperreality as I am taking normal things such as movement and giving the audience a new experience which cannot be found naturally. As this shoot would be heavily reliant on my camera settings and light set up I had to make sure these were accurately set up. I used two lights with soft boxes which would set off a flash as the camera began taking pictures. I used a shutter speed of 2.5, an f stop of 16 and an ISO of 200. I would need to capture the range of movement before the shutter shuts again.

This image represents a simple range of movement and how it can be documented. The glow of the skin colour against the dark background creates a contrast which causes the range of movement to become more evident for the audience. We can see the bounce of each step as they make their way from the left of the frame to the right. The boldness of the colour within the frame allows for more information to be given to the audience as they can judge roughly how fast the person was moving within the frame as the colour fades as she moves faster.

This image uses an in camera zoom in order to reflect a different form of blurring. This quick, blurring motion can be used in order to create an interesting, varied result which can take place within portraiture. This can be used to add more detail within the frame, focusing on close ups and the body in order to show the audience more of the person that is being photographed. This method can also be used to imply a sense of speed as the range of motion implies that the person has quickly moved from the background to the foreground.

Progression:

I was able to achieve a good variation of images which could be applied to a number of different subjects such as movement and portraiture in interesting ways. If I were to do this shoot again, I would experiment with the technique outside. I could experiment on a vaster scale and implement cars and more open areas such as a field and also experiment with some of the different forms of light in that can be seen in location portraiture from headlights to streetlamps.

Blurring Contact Sheet

Blurring Straight Image

Blurring- Techniques Page

Set the ISO onto the lowest number possible. The next step is to put the camera onto shutter priority  mode. Then begin to turn the shutter speed down to reach the desired effect. After the camera is set with the appropriate settings you can begin shooting. There are many factors within the image to consider when creating a blur effect. You can move the camera yourself or you could even photograph with objects moving within the frame depending on what type of desired effect you wish to achieve. Lighting should also be considered as the image can appear very dark in the wrong conditions and very bright in others.

Blurring Image Bank

Within this image, we can see a shopping trolley navigating what appears to be a supermarket. The shopping trolley is the only item within the image which remains in focus, the background becomes obscured by the severe blur. This means that the trolley must be travelling at a great speed. This can offer connotations to say that the person is in a rush to get around the supermarket. Some more metaphorical analyses may suggest that the image shows how the routine of everyday life can cause everything to become repetitive and meaningless, passing by at great speeds.

This image features what appears to be an empty street which has trails of light weaving throughout the image. Considering that there are no visible objects or people within the image, the frame still appears to be full of life. The audience can tell that there must have been a substantial amount of cars journeying through the image in order to create such as strong trail of light. The effect causes the image to feel chaotic instead of vacant in order to more accurately depict what a busy road is really like.

This image shows a woman waiting next to a train as it zooms past her. As a result of the movement, the woman stands out in contrast to the blurry background. The audiences eyes are immedietlye drawn to the right of the frame as a result of the effect. We can get a sense of the immense speed in which the train has been travelling. The image can give off the sense that life is passing the woman by at high speeds while she just stands there and observes it.

This image shows a man on an exercise machine. Although the image itself is not moving, the audience is given a sense of momentum due to the blurring effect. The man's legs become nothing more than a faint blur within the image, this shows how fast his legs are moving in order to achieve this look. This can be used to show how hard the person is willing to work in order to get into a better physical condition.

This image shows a teddy bear which appears to be sitting on a roundabout. The background begins to fade into obscurity as the speed of the roundabout starts to increase. This has a positive effect on the image as a result as it causes the bear in the foreground to stand out from its background more. If all the components within the image remained static then the brown bear may get lost within the forest background of green and brown tones. This effect causes the subject to appear sharper than would have been possible without the effect.

This image shows a car moving from right to left down a road. This image sounds as if it would be very visually bland. Without the blurring effect, the image would appear boring and would typically get lost amongst the bland tones of grey, black and yellow. The image instead matches the speed of the car in a way that causes it to remain separate from its background and also give a sense of momentum to the image as a whole.

Blurring Definition Post

Definition:

- To make or become unclear or less distinct

Describing Words:

Obscure, Smear, Smudge

This image shows all of the properties that blurring can have within an image. This photographer has clearly directed the audiences' eyes by using the effect. The focal point becomes sharper as the background becomes a blur. This clearly shows where the attention is intended. The effect is emphasised through the use of contrasts as the background appears as dull and similar colours while the subject can be seen using strong colours such as red and yellow.

This use of blurring within this image can accurately reflect the tone that was intended by the photographer. The use of the effect in this sense creates a sense of momentum within the image and danger. These connotations could not be reflected without the use of the technique. Instead of being static, the image is given new life was everything within the image is given a sense of kinetic energy. The photographer may use this effect in order to reflect the speed and occasional rush of riding a bike of road.

This image shows how the blurring technique can be used to highlight a static object within the frame. It is clear that everything around the woman is moving at high speeds, making it difficult to identify what is taking lace around the woman. This can be used on a metaphorical level to indicate that the world is constantly changing/shifting around at immense speeds and its sometimes hard to take a moment within the chaos of it all.

This image shows another example of how the effect can be used for metaphorical purposes. The photographer has purposely singled out the wing mirror of the car as it travels at high speeds. As a result the background can appear to be blurred, only revealing shapes and colours in the distance. The metaphorical factors that could be taken from this could centre around the passage of time and learning from our past. The road ahead is unclear but what remains behind us is clear, showing that we can learn a lot from what we have experienced when proceeding into the future.