Panning

Shutter priority, f22, 1/20s, ISO 100 (Olympus Pen E-PL1 + 14-45mm @ 14mm)

Aside from zoom burst (or zoom blur), there is another technique you can use to imply motion in your images. It is called panning.

Zoom burst creates motion by turning your zoom lens while your camera is stationary. On the other hand, the panning technique requires the photographer to move the camera parallel to, and at the same speed as the action or subject focus. Oftentimes, slow shutter speeds are used in this technique.

Panning enables the photographer to keep the main subject, e.g. moving car or cyclist, clearly in focus while the background is a blurred motion.

Creating beautiful 'zoom burst' images

Photo: Pinoyborian's Flickr

Making creative images with my digital camera is one of my goals. However, as a beginner photographer I have many limitations. So, I buy copies of the magazine Photography for beginners to help me with my learning. In one of the magazine issues I came across the zoom burst technique.

The zoom burst technique is quite simple to do and quick to create. Images from this technique implies motion, with a centre subject that is sharp and the surrounding elements giving a directional blur. A camera with zoom lens is ideal for this technique although moving your body to zoom will also do.

Olympus Pen E-PL1

Pinoyborian's Flickr

In Christmas 2011, I bought my first "serious" digital camera. It was not a straightforward and easy decision to make. In the end, it was the cost of the camera and the non-DSLR body that made me decide.

The Olympus Pen Lite E-PL1 is one of its earliest micro four-thirds mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. I bought it as a twin lens kit from Jessops on a 10-month 0% finance scheme.

My camera gear and accessories

Since 2011 I have slowly build up my digital camera equipment and accessories. The list below will be regularly updated.

Digital camera (body)
• Olympus PEN Lite E-PL1
• Olympus PEN Lite E-PL2
• Olympus PEN Mini E-PM1

Native mu-43 lens
• Olympus 14-42 mm f3.5-5.6
• Olympus 40-150 mm f4-5.6
• Olympus 17mm f2.8
• Sigma 30mm f2.8
• Sigma 60mm f2.8

Adapted lens
• Minolta Rokkor MD 50mm f1.4
• Vivitar 2x macro teleconverter 50mm (MD mount)
• (Fotodiox MD to mu-43 adapter)
• Ozeck II Super 135mm f2.8 (FD mount)
• Vivitar 2x macro teleconverter 50mm (FD mount)
• (unbranded FD to mu-43 adapter)

In addition, I also have 2x Olympus Trip 35 film cameras when I feel like shooting in film, which is seldom.

My family (and me occasionally) are now using my old point and shoot cameras, Olympus mu-725 SW and Nikon Coolpix L110.

Note: This is also posted as the Gear page.

Welcome and come again

Welcome, or as we say it in my native tongue, "Dajon" (come in) to my photography blog. In here, I will chronicle my journey as I strive to improve on my photography skills. Like most budding photographers, my aim is to master my digital camera and take better pictures.

Photography is mainly a hobby for me. I have only gotten a bit serious on it when I bought my first interchangeable lens camera a couple of years ago. It is a micro four-thirds mirrorless camera, the Olympus E-PL1, which came with a twin lens kit. And I've never looked back since then.