Photo Shoot: Motion Blur and Frozen Action

Make sure you go over the web page on motion blur/frozen action and also exposure (shutter speed and aperture) before you start, so you understand what the terms mean, what they look like, and what shutter speeds and apertures are appropriate for different effects. If you’re not sure, ask!

Your job here is to capture several specific motion shots on film; develop the film; print a contact sheet and 3 prints. Keeping track of what you shot is important too.

Requirements

1. Work with one partner
2. get a roll of film which will have about 14 exposures
3. Document each shot you take using the Exposure Record.
1. You must record the subject, shutter speed and F-stop after each shot – don’t try to guess afterward!
2. “Subject” identifies the shot, along with the numbered contact sheet.
3. Light conditions examples: outdoor sunny; overcast; shaded; indoor indirect sunlight; room lights; spotlight & reflector.
4. Intentions: e.g. motion blur of pitcher’s arm and ball being thrown, background clear
4. Take shots that demonstrate the following, and also are well-composed, well-exposed and interesting.
1. Motion blur (camera & background still, some part of subject moving)
2. Pan Blur (camera pans smoothly following moving subject: clear subject, motion-blurred background)
3. Frozen action
5. Print all frames onto a contact sheet, and clearly number the frames to correspond with your Exposure Record.
6. Make a half-sheet final print of your best example of each required shot (3 prints altogether). HINT: do a test-strip so you won’t waste photo paper.

Hand In

(both names on all parts including all 3 prints & the contact sheet); everything in a folder – don’t mount

1. a printout of the Evaluation Sheet (just one per pair of students)
2. the Exposure Record
3. the Contact Sheet
4. 3 half-sheet prints

Tips

• Learn exactly what each shot requires, and plan it out
• ASK if you’re not sure!
• Be creative and compose artistically – shots of cars in front of the school are BORING! Think of an interesting kind of motion, and an unusual background. Frozen action shots are great if they not only freeze motion but E-motion i.e. an expression on someone’s face
• Think about lighting. Your shots should be well-lit, but this could mean, for example, a silhouette of water spraying from someone’s mouth (take it outside!)
• Be very careful and neat at all stages. Don’t get fingerprints on your negatives in the dark bag, or scratch them.
• Take the exposure record with you so you won’t forget to record the info.