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Home: Video University Forums: Digital Photography for Videographers:
How did I do this? - Photo Blur

krskrewz
Enthusiast

Aug 7, 2007, 5:27 PM

Post #1 of 9 (547 views)
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How did I do this? - Photo Blur	Can't Post

I was a guest at my friend's wedding this past weekend and decided to bring along my Canon 30d SLR. I was taking pictures at full manual. I'm not even close to a pro in photography but am just trying to learn the ins and outs of my camera and event photography. Anyhow, I believe my settings were at f2.8 / Shutter 60 / Iso 400 and no Flash and I ended up with this pic attached. The bride and groom look somewhat clear while everyone else looks like they're a blur. I thought at first it was because everyone else was moving and the shutter speed was too slow but then I noticed that even one of the little kids on the bottom who does not appear to be moving is blurry too. I liked the look of it but have no idea how I did it.

Does anyone know how to go about getting this effect? The picture is straight from the camera with no photoshop.

Thanks for any help!

Attachments:

blurpic.jpg (31.8 KB)

videochicke
Veteran

Aug 7, 2007, 8:08 PM

Post #2 of 9 (533 views)
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Re: [krskrewz] How did I do this? - Photo Blur [In reply to]	Can't Post

Did you have a zoom lens on the camera? You can get that effect by zooming in or out while hitting the shutter.
Julie

Shadow
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Aug 7, 2007, 9:10 PM

Post #3 of 9 (530 views)
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Re: [krskrewz] How did I do this? - Photo Blur [In reply to]	Can't Post

Pretty cool photo!

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krskrewz
Enthusiast

Aug 7, 2007, 9:21 PM

Post #4 of 9 (526 views)
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Re: [videochicke] How did I do this? - Photo Blur [In reply to]	Can't Post

Yes it was a zoom lens. I'll try to test it out and zoom in while snapping the shutter. Why does the subject in the middle stay focused? Does the camera only auto focus the centered object while zooming and snapping so quickly? Thanks!

DarrenS
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Aug 7, 2007, 9:43 PM

Post #5 of 9 (524 views)
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Re: [krskrewz] How did I do this? - Photo Blur [In reply to]	Can't Post

How did I do this?

That's pretty funny actually.

Nice picture!!! I know why they stay relatively sharp near the center, however putting it into words isn't easy for me. It's not related to focus, it's related to non-perpendicular angles and the relative movement of your subjects in the composition (due to zooming) at those angles.

Don't worry about why, just shoot more like that! Smile

Shadow
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Aug 7, 2007, 10:13 PM

Post #6 of 9 (519 views)
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Re: [DarrenS] How did I do this? - Photo Blur [In reply to]	Can't Post

The sharpest part of the glass is in the middle so maybe that had something to do with it?

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Postal Boy
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Aug 7, 2007, 10:42 PM

Post #7 of 9 (517 views)
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Re: [Shadow] How did I do this? - Photo Blur [In reply to]	Can't Post

Darren has it. When you zoom, the objects in the center of the lense stay in the center of the lense, and things on the edges "move" with the zoom. The center images should get larger/smaller, but maybe on this photo it isn't enough to cause a distortion in their faces?

I have seen the effect with a flash where the flash is focused on the face during a zoom, and ambient light has the zoom effect:

This image was stol....er...taken from the strobist.blogspot.com site and is basically two flashes on the edge that light up the face only. Then the shutter speed is slowed way down to let the rest of the frame fill with ambient light while he zooms. The face gets a "snapshot" during the flash and is consistent...the rest has to "soak up" the light with the slow shutter during the zoom. There is a closeup of the face and it is crisp as can be:

http://strobist.blogspot.com/...e-head-shot-v20.html

Pretty cool effect, I think...

-Postal

(This post was edited by Postal Boy on Aug 8, 2007, 9:19 AM)

Shadow
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Aug 7, 2007, 10:53 PM

Post #8 of 9 (515 views)
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Re: [Postal Boy] How did I do this? - Photo Blur [In reply to]	Can't Post

Pretty cool - Thanks Postal!

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RustyB
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Aug 8, 2007, 12:06 AM

Post #9 of 9 (507 views)
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Re: [krskrewz] How did I do this? - Photo Blur [In reply to]	Can't Post

That's too funny. I've tried to do that on purpose with a zoom lens with no luck, after seeing it in frames video I'm editing, and trying to duplicate it with my DSLR. Laugh

Probably easier with a tripod.

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