Movement in Monochrome – What do the Paris Metro, fairgrounds and street dancers all have in common? Well, they all offer great photo opportunities for capturing and conveying movement in our photography. Capturing ‘movement’ is a great way to add dynamic interest and excitement to your images
In this small selection of monochrome images I have set out to capture this movement; from dancers to trains, people to merry go rounds. With the use of a slow shutter speed, zooming the lens or twisting the camera during exposure I have intentionally allowed creative ‘blur’ to become a major component within each of these monochrome images.
In all of these images the movement is visible throughout the whole of the picture frame. However, by taking a different approach it is possible to record subject movement in isolation from the rest of the scene. This requires keeping the camera still, on a tripod or resting firmly on a hard surface, a wall or table for example. Choose a slow shutter speed and allow the ‘movement’ to take place within the frame whilst everything else within the frame remains static.
This technique creates a powerful juxtaposition between the movement of the subject and the other static objects in the composition. It is a technique that produces wonderfully creative black and white photography and would work well with lots of subjects. Landscape photography in particular can benefit from this technique, for example the movement of water or clouds in relation to static rocks, hills etc can work really well.
If this is a photography technique you have used and you would like to share your thoughts and ideas please drop a line or two into the comments box, it would be good to hear from you.
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