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Motion, Video & Creative Techniques

Intentional Camera Movement

Deliberately moving the camera during a long exposure to abstract the scene into streaks and washes of colour.

Measured in seconds

In depth

The technique treats the camera as a brush: vertical movement through woodland produces streaked trunks, rotation produces spirals, and a pause at either end of the movement leaves a ghost of recognisable form. Results are unpredictable enough that the working method is to shoot many frames and edit ruthlessly.

Examples in practice

A half-second vertical sweep through birch trees renders them as vertical bands of white and green.