Some photos are accurate storytelling devices that follow a strict set of ethics. Others are whimsical creations that really have no basis in actual life, but have used a variety of tricks to make it look awesome. I like to shoot somewhere in between, where fun meets real life, where the camera is used to create, not just to capture. This photo is somewhere in that blurry space, and it’s one of my favorites. Sure you could call me narcissistic and say I like it because it’s of me, but it’s really about having a photo of me doing something fun from summer.
So how did I shoot it?
First off, this is a self portrat. No other people involved in this shoot at all. I was headed home from a friends house and day of skiing when I noticed a nice low amount of evening light and wanted to try some good motion blur. I quickly setup my tripod on the bow of the boat, using whatever line was available to tie it secure and steady. I have had cameras in many precarious positions, but have yet to break one. Then, I simply autofocused on the drivers seat, once set I switched to manual so the focus wouldn’t bother changing when the shutter was tripped on the timer.
The most challenging part of this shot was getting from the camera to the wheel, and getting up to a reasonable speed fast enough. Too slow and there wouldn’t be good motion. Too fast and the waves would rattle the camera, loosing that smooth tracking look. Finally, after a few first attempts, I realized my face needed some light to pop out of the background. I didn’t have all the equipment handy to do a remote flash, so the easier solution was a simple flashlight. I don’t know what other people think of that light, but I like how it turned out.
Photography is fun because as the youngest child of three, I’ve always known that fun is where you find it, and with a camera, you can find it anywhere.
..not like it’s hard to find fun on a boat though, I’m aware.
