Abstract hand-held long exposure

[Anton17]

Well I've been out of the game for a long time now since I had to sell my old kit last year to pay the bills, and I'm currently waiting for my new 40D kit that I bought on Friday to arrive (can't wait!).

My point being is that I haven't had any form of a camera to experiment with for the last 8 months or so, but I have stumbled across some of this work that I really want to try out. I was hoping someone here has some experience with it since I'd like to be able to get some ideas for technique before I go and try it out for myself in a hundred different ways.

The guy that has probably inspired me the most is Chris Friel:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cfriel/

I adore his work and if I could just get even two shots like these all year then I'd think I have had a good year:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cfriel/4271462605/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cfriel/4322870207/

I'd love it if someone has some experience in this field of technique that could share out a few starting pointers for me and what I'd need to achieve both the effect and the colours. I understand that these types of photos are not reproduced easily and that's a big appeal to me - the fact that each time you take a shot like this and each movement your hand or the scenery makes you will get a different result; it's so unique and just what art is about. It could take you a hundred shots of the same thing just to get the one that's just right for you. I think it would be good ground for me to experiment in this kind of self-indulgence while also teaching myself the basics in standard photography so I have the contrast of technique and results there for perspective and creativeness.

Thanks to all replies and advice in advance.

 

[Jayst84]

He has some very cool shots.

Just had a quick look through bits of his website. Some of them are just basic moving the camera with the shutter open I think. But others I'm struggling to figure out.

A lot of it is looking at the scene, and working out how much exposure is going to come from different areas, and how they will interact when you move the camera. Light objects with dark surrounds for example.

Some of the wild horses series seem to have a sharp/blurred look that would make sense with flash (freezing part of the subject with isolated flash in a long exposure) but they don't look like they're lit with flash.

He also uses a tilt shift lens for some shots, which messes with the planes of focus and/or perspective.

Interesting stuff though, thanks for pointing him out.

 

[mercedes]

Sorry if it's harsh, but (only seen the 2 shots) these do nothing for me.

It looks like the sort of stuff 1st year students wish to pass off as 'arty' and something our cat with a remote trigger tied to it's scaredy cat tail would take if our car backfired.
I'm sure it's not though

 

[ed_o_brain]

I likey.
Esp. the horses.

 

[Anton17]

Sorry if it's harsh, but (only seen the 2 shots) these do nothing for me.

It looks like the sort of stuff 1st year students wish to pass off as 'arty' and something our cat with a remote trigger tied to it's scaredy cat tail would take if our car backfired.
I'm sure it's not though

I appreciate that but that's why I like it - art isn't supposed to be liked by everyone.

It's just a different take and a difference of opinion but the images didn't really seem like 1st year student esque to me, at least.

 

[Vic]

That guys certainly has some cracking shots and a good person to take inspiration from. I think its great that you are wanting to experiment, photography like any other art form shouldnt be restricted to rules. Cant wait to see what you come up with.

 

[guybrush]

I've tried this many times before, and whilst I do think those examples look good, I have just never been pleased with anything that I've done like that.

 

[MarcusF]

Sorry if it's harsh, but (only seen the 2 shots) these do nothing for me.

It looks like the sort of stuff 1st year students wish to pass off as 'arty' and something our cat with a remote trigger tied to it's scaredy cat tail would take if our car backfired.
I'm sure it's not though

I agree with this. No offence meant to anyone. I'm just starting out and get pics like those quite often. Mainly because I've got the wrong settings or because I've done something daft instead.

I'll have to post them up, they might be worth thousands

 

[Vic]

I agree with this. No offence meant to anyone. I'm just starting out and get pics like those quite often. Mainly because I've got the wrong settings or because I've done something daft instead.

Difference is this guy meant to do it