I wrote in this blog how slowing down can help improve your photography. This is such an important concept that often goes overlooked.

The art of stopping time with your camera can be hectic at times. Sometimes extremely so. Imagine you’re trying to get a photo of the birthday boy/girl while they try to blow out the candle. Or your children running around and your camera or phone not focusing where it needs to.

In the style of photography referred to as street photography, “hectic” is the modus operandi. People rushing around don’t necessarily stop for you to photograph them. Neither do the cars or the animals.

This week I wanted to remind us of how time plays a role in the images we make and how we can learn to work with it. This applies to fine art and a photo taken on your phone.

Take for example this photo below. It was early in my journey with the camera. In this image, I slowed down the shutter speed of my camera to about 1/15 in order to capture the fast moving bikers.

In this next photo, taken no more than 15 minutes apart from the one above, the one who had to slow down was me. I waited perhaps 5 minutes, maybe more, waiting for someone on a bicycle to pass by so this sign would take on a new meaning.

Lastly, for this last photo I took of my wife, literally everyone and everything had to slow down. On this long and secluded road in the middle of Arizona, we stopped the car by the side of the road and waited for the few cars to pass by. She then took her time finding the right spot in the middle of the road. I also took my time figuring out the best angle to capture (while keeping an eye on cars coming from behind us - safety first!). Lastly, I slowed down the shutter of the camera just a bit to give the clouds a slightly smooth look.

I hope these examples help you not only improve your photography but also your appreciation of the images that required a slower approach.

If you want to learn the story behind one of my favorite photos, read this blog next.

Happy shooting!

JG

Remember to slow down!

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