in night motion

I enjoy night photography. Long before I had a DSLR I tried to use my point and shoot to achieve these long exposures - to no avail. I would toss my camera up in the air or try the "spastic move" jerking your hands quickly while you press the shutter release - nothing could capture what I saw in my head. Now years later with tripod in hand I venture out quite frequently to capture the long dancing lines of light from cars headlights and tail lights.

I pine over the image shot by deannamaire, she captured this scene perfectly. I just love it.

later mus-a-rators

michel

xox

Tis a busy world we live in.. by deannamaire

freezing motion

I have really enjoyed looking at all your motion pictures and techniques used to create them.  This may be a cop out but I really love the look of motion frozen in time and the anticipation of what will happen next.  So crank up your shutter speed and capture some frozen moments!

I really love the picture by A bunch of beans, the motion, mud and well baby toes :)

(Also it seems I haven't gotten over the fact that summer has left me...)

Have a lovely, happy day!

April :)

Mud wave by A bunch of beans

motion sickness

I have to admit that my eyes glaze over as soon as anyone mentions shutter speeds and ISO ratings. But light painting has always excited me and was my initial excuse to get me to play with all the settings on my camera, the ones I normally leave well alone. With Halloween and fireworks night fast approaching, my mind is full of sparklers, bonfires and lights shining in the dark. I spent a wonderful family evening in the summer, glow-sticks in the night, painting the sky with shapes, dancing and jumping, laughing and tumbling. It was an evening of collaboration and fun as we waited for the camera to process each photo and then planned our next picture before the mosquitoes became too unbearable and we retreated indoors. This time, just a few months on, I felt much more confident in setting up the picture myself, cooperating with my daughter as I pushed the shutter release and she painted the sky.

I chose saturnsvu's picture as I felt she captured the same excitement, counting to four to see if the photo magic worked. And it did!

kirstin
x

fire flower by saturnsvu

like the wind

As you have seen from the other posts here on Mortal Muses, there are a number of ways to imply or highlight motion within the frame. Still unsure of what subject I wanted to shoot for this theme, I went out for a drive to see what I could find. What I found was an old barn in the middle of a field where a remote-control airplane club meets. It was a beautiful blue-sky day, and there were lots of colorful airplanes to shoot. I decided to try my hand at capturing the motion of the airplanes by panning. Panning requires a slow shutter speed, to allow the background to blur as you follow the object with your camera and keep it in focus in the viewfinder.  The background of a panning shot is most important, as it’s what will imply motion. This same shot against a blue sky would not have the same effect. (Trust me, I have quite a number of those shots.) It certainly took more than a few tries to get the shot.  Thankfully, the men flying the planes were eager to help out, and kept flying low to the ground for me to shoot.

I love how the background of this shot by Jennifer Stein really shows motion and emphasizes the movement of the boy, who looks for all the world determined to run like the wind.

♥ maureen

like the wind by jennifer stein

leap of faith

I have a fear of flying.  I'm scared of heights.  I'm mortified to step onto the dance floor.  I've never been on a roller coaster (well, not a real one -- I guess you can't count the one in the kiddie park.)  All these things take a giant leap of faith, trusting the universe, letting go.... believing. 

And yet, I know that someday I'll do these things I'm afraid of.  I'll board an airplane again because I want to go places and see the seven wonders of the world.  I'll climb a steep mountain because I want to experience the breathtaking view from the summit.  And while I may not go sky diving or bungee jumping (that might be asking a little TOO much), I'll step onto the dance floor someday and twirl and spin and take that leap -- and fly.  See -- that beautiful dancer in the photo below by muchadesign?  That's me someday.  Really.  I trust... and believe.

Until next time.

--lucy @ a little light reading

leap by muchadesign

abstract motion

When I first downloaded the above photo from my camera, my husband commented over my shoulder "it looks like barcode".  I love the happy accidents of photography.  I took a photo of the redwoods near my home and sure they were pretty and majestic and all the things that towering trees can be, but it didn't excite me.  Knowing that our prompt for motion was coming up I experimented with moving the camera sharply, softly, wildly, gently over and over.  Thankfully I was at an art festival and no one gave my spastic camera handling a second glance.  At least I don't think they did.  Now I'm paranoid.

As an extra treat, move your mouse over the photo and see the still image I took first.  Nice, right?  But boring.  Now if you're ever so slightly obsessive (like me) go back and forth rapidly, on and off the photo.  Fun!

Lisa-Marie's photo gave me the same sense of being slightly off balance, moving with the action in the picture.  It's a powerful medium we're partaking in, when a still image can affect us in an almost physical way, along with the more common visual and emotional response.

Happy accidents to you all!

cheers,
mosey

Untitled by Lisa-Marie Halliday

moving forward

 

Moving forward means getting to a point where you might need to leave people you love, moving into a direction which is uniquely yours. To a destination where you want to be. Where you can be yourself again.

I really like this quote today.

“You control your future, your destiny. What you think about comes about. By recording your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be. Put your future in good hands - your own.”
~Mark Victor Hansen

I chose sara_conti's picture because it expresses movement so well. I really like how the girl runs towards the trees.

See you in 9 days! :)

Love, Suki

Untitled by sara_conti

a new move

I must confess with this theme I have been a bit stumped. My photography tends toward what I call “Real Life Still Life,” the key word here being still. Shutter speed is usually just a tool to help me get the right exposure; I don’t use it as a creative setting very often. And yet, here I am, musing about motion and movement.

With all of this thinking on motion and looking at my own photos, I realized that in the course of choosing a shutter speed, of deciding to freeze or blur the action I see in the viewfinder, I often forget that I can intentionally move the camera too. Moving the camera during a long exposure can be like painting in an abstract way. You no longer control exactly what you get, but you create a new way of seeing a still scene. And seeing something in a new way - isn’t that what photography is all about?

Thank you to melodicshot for the beautiful image below, which reminded me to think outside the box on motion and movement. And, if you have never intentionally let your camera be the source of movement in a photo, it’s worth a try.

Kat of The Kat Eye View of the World

Souls by melodicshot

the motion of play

Photographing our youngest son is my favorite activity. I click away as he is lost in an imaginary world and remember Plato's famous words... "You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation." I have discovered his intense love of all things outdoors, the sincerity of his smile, and the unguarded innocence of a person not yet self-conscious about being photographed.

The poem below is called "Just Playing." It was written by an unknown author and has been a favorite of mine for years. I hope you enjoy the sentiment and the featured photograph by Angie JJD. I love how she captured the constant movement and focus of a child at play.

When I’m building in the block room, please don’t say I’m “Just Playing.

For you see, I’m learning as I play about balances and shapes.

Who knows, I may be an architect some day.

When I’m getting all dressed up; setting the table, caring for the babies,

Don’t get the idea that I’m "Just Playing".

For, you see, I’m learning as I play; I may be a mother or father some day.

When you see me sitting in a chair, reading to an imaginary audience.

Please don’t laugh and think that I’m "Just Playing."

For, you see, I’m learning as I play; I may be a teacher someday.

When you see me combing the bushes for bugs,

Or packing my pockets with choice things I find; don’t pass it off as “Just Play.”

For, you see, I’m learning as I play; I may be a scientist someday.

When you see me engrossed in a puzzle or some “plaything” at my school,

Please don’t feel the time is wasted. For, you see, I’m learning as I play.

I’m learning to solve problems and concentrate. I may be in business some day.

When you see me cooking or tasting foods,

Please don’t think that because I enjoy it, it is “Just Play.”

I’m learning to follow directions and see differences. I may be a cook someday.

When you see me learning to skip, hop, run and move my body;

Please don’t say I’m “Just Playing.” For, you see, I’m learning as I play;

I’m learning how my body works. I may be a doctor, nurse or athlete someday.

When you asked me, what I’ve done at school today,

And I say “I just played”; please don’t misunderstand me.

For, you see, I’m learning as I play. I’m learning to enjoy and be successful in my work;

I’m preparing for tomorrow. Today, I am a child and my work is play.

____________

Take some time today to embrace your inner-child and spend some time playing.  Now tell me...what are you going to do?

stay sweet.
tammy lee of bliss and folly

255/365 M is for Motion by Angie JJD