Photo #1 - Tundra with kayaks, Alpine County, CA. This photo was shot at 1/15 sec as the Tundra was moving.
Photo #2 - Bougainvilleas, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California. This photo was shot at 1/5 sec. I also fired my flash.
- You can use either a stationary or a moving subject.
- You need to use a slow shutter speed (1/15 sec or slower works best). You will need to use a low ISO, unless you are working under really low light. Try adding either a polarizer or a neutral density filter to let less light in when not working under low light, which will let you use a slower shutter speed.
- This is a great technique to use when there is not adequate light to capture a standard image.
- A flash can also be used while zooming.
- Keep your camera as still as possible. A tripod is recommended, althought I rarely use one for this.
- Experiment with different shutter speeds and lenses for different effects.
- During your zoom, try to zoom in or out as smoothly as possible for the best results.
What was your impression of Cabo like? I’m looking for more places to add to my southwestern / spanish-type images. I get the impression that Cabo is more like a party place though than of historical significance.
Hi Richard,
Yes, indeed, it is a party town and very touristy. We went there to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. A great friend has a Timeshare there and gifted us a 1 week stay. We brought home some great photos, but the trip was more of a vacation, than a business trip.
For adding to your southwestern/spanish-type image files, I don’t think Cabo would be your best bet.
Thanks for asking!
Sherri
One thing I have been trying to experiment with in my zooms is dividing the exposure time into 2 parts – stationary time and zooming time. It is somewhat hard to do when only dealing with fractions of a second, but the results end up being quite different vs. just zooming through the whole exposure.
Another helpful tool is the expensive Singh Ray Vari-ND filter. You can dramatically lengthen exposure times with this tool giving you more options to play with.
Thanks Mark! I’ll have to give that a try. Another tip I read somewhere, was to pause midway during your exposure, which is also hard to do when dealing with fractions of a second. A tripod is a must for this!
I too am in constant zoom! I have a great pic if I could figure out how to post one??
obviously a newbie, who stumbled here, looking for places to shoot fall.
Cindylou – thanks for leaving a comment. Were you able to get any good ideas for your fall photo shoot?
okay here it is” the results of my zoom..not so focused though, its the background that is awesome..iso-800, flash on, high noon, 101 degrees out, close-up, high powered zoom lens.
http://s304.photobucket.com/albums/nn167/cindy-lou_2008/?action=view¤t=DSC_0176.jpg
Nice shot Cindy. But, if a zoom is really what you are after, you need to use a slow shutter speed and a low ISO (see tips above).
Why don’t you try it again, following the tips I’ve given above. Then, we will put a link to that image as well.
Thank you for your comments and interest!
what if your camera wont zoom while taking a photo?
iv been trying zoom for a while, but because my camera will not allow me to zoom, i end up moving it with my arms, extending then bringing them sharply back while i take the shot. this however never turns out very well. is there a setting im looking over?
i dont have an SLR, its just a Sony CyberShot with a 15x zoom. can you help?
-Katie
Katie – thank you for asking your question. Unfortunately, I don’t think it’s possible to zoom with that type of camera.
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