Digital Photographer
Issue 272
NATALIA ZMYSLOWSKA
Natalia is a travel photographer and filmmaker and this issue, she has written us an artistic shooting tutorial. Learn how to implement creative shutter speeds and camera control to turn mundane scenes into colourful, abstract light shows. You’ll find Natalia’s tips and shooting steps on p56 of the magazine.
Create zoom bursts
Shoot energetic impressions of motion with longer shutter speeds and changing focal lengths.
Zoom burst is a creative photographic technique that adds dynamism and transforms a still subject into a visually more captivating image. This approach involves changing the focal length of the lens during the exposure, resulting in a dramatic blur and radial lines emanating from the centre of the image. By creating the illusion of movement, you will draw the viewer’s eye towards the centre of the image while blurring the surrounding elements. This technique is ideal for conveying a sense of excitement, chaos or drama in your shots.
To capture a moment in time with a heightened sense of energy, you will need a DSLR or mirrorless camera where you have manual control over the settings and a zoom lens, preferably in the range of 24-70mm or 70-200mm. This technique can be done handheld but to achieve the most intense effects, it is advisable to work with a tripod, remote shutter release or the camera’s builtin timer to ensure a steady shot during the longer exposure time.
As the outcome of the zoom burst depends on the scene’s light intensity combined with the chosen exposure time, it’s best to experiment with shutter speeds. Here, popular subjects are colourful city lights at night or bright objects in the daytime. Travel photographers often use this technique to convey the atmosphere of a bustling city or vibrant nightlife, while sports photographers use it to highlight their subject’s speed.
BEFORE
Night cityscape This dark night scene is well exposed, but with the subject placed in the centre of the image, it lacks the dynamism to really draw the viewer in
AFTER
Dynamic lines Adjusting the focal length during the exposure time creates light trails that guide the viewer’s attention to the subject and add visual interest
1. Choose your subject
To achieve a more powerful zoom burst effect, select a subject that will stand out in the centre of your frame. Landscapes, urban scenes, nightlife and even people can all make great subjects for the zoom burst technique.
2. Secure the camera
Position your tripod on a stable, flat surface and mount the camera securely on it. Working with a tripod not only keeps things steady, but also slows down the photographic process and allows you to concentrate on the image composition.
3. Select manual mode
For the zoom burst technique, the interplay between aperture, ISO and, most importantly, shutter speed is crucial. Therefore, you should set your camera to Manual mode so that you have full control over the exposure settings.
4. Select exposure settings
Combine low ISO settings, small apertures (big f-stop numbers) or an ND filter for daytime shots to avoid overexposure. However, at night time, experiment with larger apertures, starting with a shutter speed of around 1/2 second.
5. Trigger the shutter
To ensure the sharpest results, use a remote shutter release or take advantage of your camera’s built-in self-timer to expose the subject. Immediately after pressing the button, get prepared to zoom in or out of the scene.
6. Change focal length
As you press the shutter button, smoothly zoom in or out during the exposure time. Do this carefully so that you don’t cause any camera shake. Experiment with your zooming direction to achieve the desired visual effect.