Catching the Wind

[Ed Vatza]

I was out in a hilltop meadow this morning hoping to photograph wildflowers but the wind made focusing in on single blooms there next to impossible. So as I started to think a bit about what I could do, I remembered reading about slowing shutter speed as much as possible to capture the wind in the movement blur of the flowers. So I thought I would give it a whirl.

This image was made using my Canon 30D and 300mm f/2.8L IS lens.

I slowed the shutter speed to 1/4 sec by stopping down to f/32, dropping the ISO to 100 and overexposing by 2/3 stop.

This is the image out of camera. I then added a bit of brush stroking in post-processing but will show that elsewhere.

[Arthur Morris]

Good try but for these to succeed there needs to be more of a complete pattern--there is a big hole of nothingness in the middle and too many flowers along the frame edges. Going much wider might have helped... Exposure is good.

[Julie Kenward]

I agree with Artie...that hole in the middle loses me. I like the overall effect, though...would love to see you try this again, Ed!

[Sabyasachi Patra]

I agree wih Artie. Actually this picture can be divided into two completely different halves. Cropping it doesn't give the impact. A wider canvas as suggest earlier would be better.

[Ed Vatza]

Artie, Julie, Sabyasachi,

Thank you for your comments/feedback/critiques. Admittedly I was more caught up in the "technique" than the composition. This was the first time I stopped trying to stop the wind and started trying to capture it. Your points are all well taken. Julie, as you know from the macro/flora board, I am not a quitter. I'll be back out there again trying for the same effect with more attention to the composition next time.

Besides, I thought that void in the center would just pull you right into the vortex! :D;)

Again thanks.