AboutKent Staubus Expertise I am an experienced outdoor photographer that sometimes sells photo`s on a free lance basis. My knowledge base includes 35mm, medium format, landscapes, wildlife photo`s, and rural subjects such as country churches and farmers/ranchers/ hunters.
Question i wish to photograph a moving steamtrain.how can i get a clear image with a blurred background to show the movement.i dont wish to use a preset i would like to do this manually
Answer Don't know if you knew it, but taking photos of trains is what I do the most! I get published several times a year. I'm a "foamer," which is your equivalent of a trainspotter. This isn't hard to do, but does require practice. What you are doing is called a "pan shot," or "panning." Basically you select a long shutter speed (try 3 seconds), with camera in shutter priority mode so it will set the aperature. Probably need a slow ISO such as ISO 100 or 200 if you're trying this in the day time. Oh, I forgot. It's rarely sunny in UK anyway. (he he!) Anyway, you point the camera at the train, push the shutter button, and follow the train with the camera, keeping the train centered in the same spot of the frame. The ground blurs as you move the camera. I.e., point the camera at the train, push the shutter button, follow the train with the camera. Not hard, just takes practice. A quick internet search will have a ton more info, but I've basically given you what you need. The shutter speed is the key to the whole thing. You need between 1 and 4 seconds, depending on train speed. Practice.
