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Ian Bramham's Photoblog
Ford have come a long way from the Model T....this is their new Focus Cabriolet.
This is a photo taken using an extreme wide angle lens with a 10 stop neutral density filter fitted to the front to allow a long shutter speed of 8 seconds to be used.
The camera is fixed to a sturdy tripod that is secured in the back of the car and is triggered with a wireless remote. This means that everything in the car is sharp as the camera moves together with the car but everything outside is blurred.
Like what you see here and are interested in photographic composition?.....the blog section of my website now has a complete set of 5 articles covering my personal approach to the subject: Ian Bramham Photography - Blog
For purchasing high quality archival prints of any of these photos you can send me an email by clicking here or by going to my website Ian Bramham - Fine Art Photography where prices are listed in the gallery sections under each individual photo.
@Laura: Thanks Laura!
@Alfredo J. Martiz J.: Thanks Alfredo!
@yz: Thanks yz!
@Laurie: Thanks Laurie.....this the second time I've tried this type of photo and both times it was really easy. The best way to set up the tripod is to have two of the legs in the footwell - set at a wide angle, one wedged tight behind each seat. The third leg is kept short and rests on the rear seat cushion.
As for speed, it isn't important to be travelling fast - I think I was travelling at between 40 and 50mph but it would have still worked at a slower speed I'm sure. The road actually felt quite bumpy but it doesn't seem to have affected the sharpness too much.
@Rob: Thanks Rob!
I set the camera up and took a few test shots then switched the camera settings to fully manual before setting off - autofocus was disabled and exposure locked at the trial shot settings. I used the tiny Nikon infra-red ML-L3 remote to trigger the shutter.
I'm pretty sure the wide angle lens is key to this photo (this is a Sigma 10-20 at it's fully wide setting) as it also has a great depth of field. The other one is having a good solid tripod that will lock up nice and tight to minimise any camera shake.
@Momo: Thanks Momo....how have you been keeping?
@IanSmith: Hi Ian!
This was quite a fast sweeping 'A' road in the Lake District so there were no really tight turns however I did try it on some of the bendy bits but it didn't produce blur more on one side than the other....all it diid was result in shots where my hands and arms are blurry. I did manage some shots which have some of the effects you describe but they resulted from sections of the road which had heavy tree cover on the near side.
@GJC: Thanks GJC!....the chance to try this photo with an open top car was too good to miss. I wish though that I'd thought of turning on the dashboard lights.
@MadScientist: Thanks....I was pleased with the way the sky came out!
@Angelique: Thanks Angelique...the first time that I tried this type of photo I was amazed that there wasn't more blur of the parts of the image inside the car.
@hugo poon: Hi Hugo....:-)
I couldn't pass up the chance of trying this again in an open top car, especially now I've got this great new 10 stop nd filter to allow me to try it in daylight.
@Loretta: Thanks Loretta...it's actually very easy to do!
@Daryl: Thanks Daryl!
@Betsy Barron: Thanks Betsy....this was a borrowed car but I couldn't pass up the chance to try this shot in a convertible. I've tried it before in my own car which is a people carrier with a glass roof which is almost as good: http://ianbramham.aminus3.com/portfolio/163.html
@Pouhou: Thanks Pouhou!
@Vink: Thanks Vink!
@Michael Skorulski: Thanks Michael!
@DonLon: Thanks :-)
@Rui: Thanks Rui....it's very easy to do. Give it a try for yourself!
@Margie: :-) Thanks Margie....that would be great wouldn't it!
@Ted: Thanks Ted....I'd be tempted to say that that kind of thing only happens in films by Walt Disney except I know someone on Flickr that it actually happened to (he's a much better photographer than me however: http://www.flickr.com/photos/maxblack/2232745772/in/set-72157603981767616/
@dj.tigersprout: Thanks for letting me know it was on the spotlight page....I missed that!
@Michael: Thanks Michael!
@Double KK Photography: Thanks!
@Vincent Bertrand: Thanks!....you don't need high speed to get these images. I guess I was driving at between 40 and 50mph.
@MOHAMMAD: Thanks Mohammad!
@Ana Lúcia: Thanks Ana!
NIKON D40
8 seconds
F/8.0
ISO 200
15 mm (35mm equiv.)
