Using a slow shutter speed…

Mar 30

Written By keith

This photo is some peak action skateboarding fun. This was shot after I left the really nice, main branch of the Montpellier library with a few really good monographs featuring, Cartier-Bresson, Elliot Erwitt, Sergio Larrain and Peter Lindburgh.

There are always (at least when I've been there) skaters in the space between the library and the amazing public pool.

A note about the shot for those that may wonder how it's done in camera.

Focus is set ahead of time. Use a slow shutter speed and follow the action. Trigger the shutter and continue your follow through. The follow through portion is more important than it sounds.

Trial and error is your friend here. The slower the shutter the more surrealistic and unexpected (and many unusable) images you get.

It's a risk, reward thing so start on something unimportant.

I've been doing it for years and it's a trick I go to fairly often when the situation is right.

Keep playing and never stop learning.