Yes, it can be habit-forming! Once you start moving your camera during a slow-shutter exposure and see the emerging patterns of fall, you will want to do it again. And, again, … Of course, the colorful leaves on the trees and the ground also attract the attention of the camera as it tries to draw random lines.
Fall Colors with a Moving Camera
I still do not have full-fledged control of the process and rely on randomness and luck. Not that they are not helping, but I would like to gain a little more control over the process. What I notice is that bright areas on dark backgrounds with slight underexposure seem to produce more defined lines. At the same time, I am also trying to leave some hints of the objects when possible. Selecting patches of color with some contrast is a good start.
Edit in Lightroom
In Lightroom, I enhance the contrast and boost the blacks. Because of the smearing of light over dark areas, they get a little weakened. Pulling the blacks down brings the image closer to the contrast range I photographed. They also wash out somewhat because of the movement and need some push on the HSL or other adjustments. In post-processing, I aim to produce a color, line, and possibly some shape coherence.
Here are the results from the last couple of outings. Refraining from posting about 40-50 photographs I initially selected, I present only sixteen in this collection.
Haluk Atamal
“What I notice is that bright colors on dark backgrounds with slight underexposure seem to produce more defined lines.”
For such abstractions, I would not underexpose but rather keep the histogram as far to the right as possible, without cutoffs of course. Then in post, you can manage your way up to huge tonality advantages.
Your precious work, although confessed as “….rely on randomness and luck..”, in fact addresses a huge potential in absolute control of your style. After all, how many of us are out there not relying on luck?
Thanks for the very adventurous sharing, Cemal. Take care and best regards!
Haluk
A. Cemal Ekin
I tried that, Haluk. The brights going over bright areas create unrecoverable clipping. But, as Pasteur said, “luck favors the prepared mind!” There will be more! Yes, it sounds like a threat, but it is also a lot of fun.
Take care, stay safe,
Cemal
Mike Di Stefano
Howdy Cemal, I like the look of the swipe technique, but i never think to try it. The fall foliage was a great subject to try it out on. I love #50, the simplify and flow.
A. Cemal Ekin
Good to hear from you, Mike. Yes, it can be a lot of fun. Try it, play with it, and see what you will end up with. The one you picked has a clear separation of lines. I must have moved very smoothly and evenly. Show us what you see near you in the woods.
Take care, stay safe,
Cemal
Sal Capirchio
Cemal-Love these! They are all great! Its amazing how differently we all see things. I have to admit, on the coattails of Halloween, I’m a big fan of #56! I absolutely love the motion that I see in this one – I do see fall, but it also looks like there might be one or two apparitions in there as well. Very fluid and very flowing.
-Sal
A. Cemal Ekin
Coattails of Halloween be it! It suits the mood, flair, and mental models. Try these sometime, you may like it.
Cemal