Now that you know how to snap shots of waterfalls to make them look as though cascades of cottony streaks are flowing over rocks, let’s turn our attention to techniques that allow you to achieve other abstract images.
As I mentioned in a previous blog, long shutter speeds allow for intentional blurring, which in most cases, help to enhance images. The same blurring technique can also be used to experiment with more abstract photos, provided you make a few minor modifications. Rather than simply increasing the shutter speed, consider adjusting your camera’s zoom as well. By using a long shutter speed, and zooming in or out at the same time you press the shutter button, you can add an artistic touch to your photos. If done correctly, the blur will be more creative than distracting.
Another way you can achieve abstract effects is to use some of your camera’s basic features. For example, the white balance setting is designed to compensate for the type of lighting used in photos. Most cameras include settings for daylight, overcast skies, indoors, fluorescent lights and more. By placing the setting on an option that would normally be considered “wrong” for your shooting conditions, you can create eye-popping effects, such as color-stripping and oversaturation. In addition, if you engage your camera’s red-eye reduction feature when taking a photo of the night skies, you can often capture a shot of a red sky.
Finally, one of the easiest ways you can achieve abstract images is to loosen your focus. This camera technique is often used when snapping experimental images, and can include the entire shot being out of focus or just the foreground. Combine this technique with extended exposure and you can create a really unique photo, especially if you are shooting night pictures. With a little practice you will be developing works of art that no one will be able to duplicate.
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