Daily Disney - Monday Method - Main Street Clock
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On Mondays I share a picture that maybe takes a little technical know how or creative thinking and try to explain a little how I got the shot.
Daytime blur. This one has two parts. First was a technique to get the shot and then there was some major editing.
Basically to achieve blur in daylight you need to somehow limit the amount of light that reaches the sensor with keeping a longer than normal shutter speed. This can be challenging especially in broad daylight. For this shot, it was near dusk so it wasn't quite as difficult. So the first thing you want to do, as you do in the case of most, if not all creative exposures, is think about the "exposure triangle". ISO, aperture, shutter speed. Since I know I want as long as possible shutter speed and understanding the relationship between the three, I know I want as low as ISO as possible and as small (think larger number) an aperture as possible. "Aperture Priority" mode would be a good choice here, but at the time I was trying to learn to shoot in "Manual" mode, so I read the camera's light meter and chose a 30 second exposure. Also, to help to limit the light even more I used a neutral density filter coupled with a circular polarizer filter. Think really dark sunglasses for the lens.
On the editing end of the shot, I started out with just a simple edit of levels and colors adjustment. It felt really flat. So to get the - almost fake "tilt-shift" lens - effect I did two things. Well, back up a step. First of all the clock face felt really lackluster so I did some dodging and burning on it to get it to stand out a little more. Actually, a lot more. Then I duplicated the layer and added a "motion blur" effect to the entire picture. Then I created a "show all" layer mask and painted away (with a very large soft brush) the areas around the clock. Lastly I used the "depth of field" effect within PSPX2 to blur out the background even more.
My hope is that the end result draws the focus to the clock. The blur - a combination of the natural motion blur of the crowd, the added motion blur and fake depth of field blur - makes for somewhat of a dreamy photograph. Hope you like it!
Quick EXIF:
Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 w/ neutral density filter and circular
polarizer filter
Mode: Manual
Exposure: 30 sec
Aperture: f/22
Focal Length: 27mm (40mm full frame equivalent)
ISO: 100
Bias: N/A
Thanks for stopping by!
Comments and faves
Quru-li, Matt Pasant, Diznefreak -princesskelz-, rocket9.net, and 54 other people added this photo to their favorites.
penelo_peep (29 months ago | reply)
very nice
Quru-li (29 months ago | reply)
awesome!!
The World Through My Eyes
radarbrat photography (29 months ago | reply)
Awesome shot. You can see the movement of the minute hand on the clock
janoimagine (29 months ago | reply)
Excellent capture and description.
Matt Pasant (29 months ago | reply)
I am going to have to pick up one of those filters. Love it!
Kiki FL (29 months ago | reply)
I like it very much, and thanks for the excellent tutorial!
Diznefreak -princesskelz- (29 months ago | reply)
love it! Love how the motion blur of everything!
Eugene1959 (29 months ago | reply)
Great capture.
David.Stewart (29 months ago | reply)
Very nicely done! I'm lost at the "show all" layer mask part! After the layer with motion blur added I would have used erase tool over the clock. Is that basically the same thing?
My eye is slightly drawn to the mobility scooter which is a shame but the overall treatment and ultimate effect is great.
Dann.Gooding (29 months ago | reply)
Very, very cool. Gives such an impression of the energy at the parks every day!
alphazeta (29 months ago | reply)
Sounds complicated but worth the effort :-) Great colours and super blur :-)
Todd Hurley (Todd_H) (29 months ago | reply)
Well done!
le-spikey (29 months ago | reply)
Excellent, love the blur of the people - gives this image some real life to it.
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IceNineJon (29 months ago | reply)
I love the color and ghosting in this!
FemkeJenkinsPhotography (29 months ago | reply)
awesome! its like times flyin by.
AnAmazementPhotography (29 months ago | reply)
Love it! :D
Jeremy Bischoff (29 months ago | reply)
@ David Stewart - You would be creating the same thing with erasing the blurred layer. The difference is that with a layer mask, you can go back and tweak it by painting. Think of being able to bring back portions of an erased area without using the history brush or undo functions. It is basically a way to edit a layer's properties while keeping the entire layer intact.
Cool photo BTW.
David.Stewart (29 months ago | reply)
Thanks for that.I'm not familiar with the workings of 'layer mask' and painting, think i need a tutorial!
Larry White (Trying_to_Shine) (29 months ago | reply)
Really cool shot and great processing.
deefordisney (29 months ago | reply)
Joe, this is super super awesome. I really like the dreamy quality of this shot, and the sensation that time is both rushing and standing still. Very cool. Thanks for the explanation!
Peter E. Lee (29 months ago | reply)
Nice effect -- I really like the atmosphere you've created!
If you wanted to accentuate the tilt-shift miniature feeling you could blur even more of the image to create the illusion of a super narrow DoF (as if you were shooting a model using a big aperture). With the clock being so sharp I would expect the Main St. buildings and castle to be blurrier in an actual miniature. Also it's much easier to fake a miniature shot if the camera is above the subject and any people in the shot appear small. Forgive me if you already knew all that of course...
DugJax (29 months ago | reply)
This is super awesome! I'm going to start printing your tutorials and put them in my camera bag.
troymguillory [deleted] (29 months ago | reply)
Wonderful effect
Cory Disbrow (29 months ago | reply)
Excellent effect. I really love how you managed to get that blur without blowing out any major highlights. Brilliant!
AmpamukA (29 months ago | reply)
Beautiful capture !!!
Happy to ~EXPLORE~ your Photo
kapt (29 months ago | reply)
That's a cool effect!
Tom Bricker (WDWFigment) (29 months ago | reply)
Nice work on the effect, and especially in making the colors quite vivid without blowing the oranges!
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Jeff_B. (29 months ago | reply)
Very cool shot and effect!
Chena De Manias [deleted] (29 months ago | reply)
Excelente!!!
Happy to ~EXPLORE~ your Photo
tcwmatt (on Hiatus) (29 months ago | reply)
Beautiful, Joe! The reason I like this so much is because the blur on the castle and of people walking mixed with the vibrant colors it produces makes me think of watercolors running together. Except better than that. ;)
{kidnurse} [deleted] (29 months ago | reply)
Cooooooooool!!!!!!!!
Victoria Shade (29 months ago | reply)
Very cool! Thanks for walking us through your steps.
Gavin Sullivan (29 months ago | reply)
Nice shot! And you gave a good description of how you made it happen.
Photogineer (Doug) (29 months ago | reply)
Kind of make me mad. I have these filters but always forget to use them. I will have to write a note next time. Great idea and execution.
JuliaT. (29 months ago | reply)
Don Sullivan (29 months ago | reply)
Wonderful shot. i love the effect.
Breakwater {Kelly} (28 months ago | reply)
Love the vibrancy of this.
sara joelle (27 months ago | reply)
i love every single one of your pictures! disney is my favoritefavoritefavorite place.