Night Photography Ideas and Techniques: How to Do the Zoom Effect

What is zoom effect?  This if the effect that you can create during long exposure, it is a classic special effect that can be traced back to the time of early film photography.  With this effect you are able to create dramatic and artistic streaks of light from center of the frame.  This is a great technique to emphasize motion or create tension in photographs.  There are three ways to achieve this kind of effect and here they are:

The Classic Method for the Classic Zoom Effect

In doing this technique, you need to have a zoom lens and your camera must be capable of long exposures of about ¼ seconds and longer.  This technique will work with a slow shutter speed, dim lighting condition, reduced ISO setting, stopping down the lens, or using a neutral density filter.

To create the best result, use a tripod to hold the camera and avoid unnecessary shaking that will distort the image.  Then compose and focus the subject at exact center of the frame.  Just move the zoom lens form a longer focal length to a shorter focal length as soon as you hit the shutter button.  You can also experiment on zoom speed and the range of focal length to get the best possible image.  The classic zoom effect works best if you have a busy background with plenty of bright spots that can create the streak.

Use a Special Effect Filter

Although the classic method is fun to experiment but it can as well be very tricky to master.  That is why we have this other technique as an alternative in achieving the zoom effect.  This technique is to use a Cokin radial zoom filter.  It should make your photography life much easier.  For the setup to work you will need to have an adapter ring for your lens, a filter holder that clips on the adapter ring and accepts the filters, and the filter itself.  Then just do the same procedure and you will easily get your zoom effect instantly.

The Photoshop Magic

With various photo editor software available now, we can create many photographic effects including the zoom effect in an instant.  Photography software has made special effect composition much easier on the part of professional and non-professional photographers.  We should take advantage of it as well so that we can create artistic and attractive photographs.  It is actually quite easy to create the zoom effect in Adobe Photoshop.  You just need to adjust the amount of the effect to your taste to simulate the speed of turning the zoom ring.  You can also place the center of the zoom anytime and anywhere you want instead.  You can place it at the sides instead of the usual center to make it more appealing.  Here are some simple steps you need to follow in order for you to get that zoom effect using Photoshop:

1. Open the image you wish to edit in Photoshop (make sure it is the copy of the original file).
2. Then you now duplicate the layer.
3. In selecting the duplicated layer, go to Filter>Blur>Radial Blur.  Change the blur method to zoom and select the quality whether you want draft, good or best.  Then click and drag to select the blur center.  There is no preview available so you might have to experiment a little bit to get the effect you want.
4. Then add a layer mask to the selected duplicated filter.
5. You can now use the Gradient tool and select the black-white radial gradient.  Click on the center of the zoom and drag it out to where you want it to be.  Just make sure that the center of the gradient is black which will reveal the background layer to give you a clear center.  If you get the opposite effect, just check the Reverse box to reverse the gradient color and do it all over again.

Photography Fundamentals – How To Take Pictures Of Fireworks

We have seen many pictures of fireworks and as we look at it, it seems like it is still very alive. During Fourth of July, while every one loves the food, festivals, and general craziness that go around the celebration; it is what happens after the sun goes down that really gets people excited and nervous. Many people are taking pictures of the breath taking and amazing display of fireworks, but only a few of them captures it perfectly. Fireworks Photography is notorious for missed shots, shaky images, bad exposures, and out of frame subjects. However, fireworks photography is not that hard actually. As long as you know the basics of night photography, you’ll only need a few things more to keep in mind and get you started with fireworks photography. I will discus with you below the important factors to consider with fireworks photography.

Framing

We all know that fireworks do not explode in the exact same spot every time. They tend to go on different directions and come in different sizes. Because fireworks are so unpredictable, you have to plan on taking a wider shot than you would normally do. Just crop the image afterwards to correct framing. Besides, what’s important is that you were able to capture the whole thing.

Focus

It is so common to have out of focus shots during night time because of the limited light available. In the case of fireworks, they tend to move fast in low light condition which would really give your Digital Camera’s autofocus a hard time with it. So turn of the autofocus and prefocus or set your camera to manual.

Exposure

Fireworks are very bright but the amount f light created during a fireworks show varies greatly. The first few explosions are usually far enough apart that a relatively long exposure time (slow shutter speed) is to be considered. The space between explosions will also allow you to capture the shell flying into the air, the explosion, and the full extent of the explosive display. When the display reaches its finale there will be more light and the shells will explode rapidly. In order to make an image from this situation you will have to increase your film speed in order to decrease the exposure time. Leave your aperture on a high setting so that the entire explosion will be in focus.

Suggested settings for first few explosions

• Shutter Speed = 2 seconds
• Aperture = 14
• Film Speed = 200

Suggested settings for rapid explosions

• Shutter Speed = 1 second
• Aperture = 14
• Film Speed = 400