For the last three days, I have been walking through Arles during the “Rencontres Photographiques d’Arles” accompanied by another nice photographer who specializes in underwater photography.
We just left one of the many exhibitions of the “off” festival and walked towards the great arena. The sun was down, and the mild summer nights started. The city of Arles was full of photographers and lovers of photography.
Suddenly, we observed a strange live performance and stopped. The subject kind of danced in front of a surprised but curious public. The dancer was manipulating a pant and white fabric in an excited dance. We were not sure what this should be, but it was captivating.
As we just discussed my technique for shooting blurry pictures, I proposed to make a demonstration. I quickly configured my Fujifilm X100VI, searched for my references, and started to shoot. I had to be quick as the performance was moving fast, from standing to lying down on the ground and back again.
After a few minutes I adapted my shooting rhythm and camera parameters to the performance. Acros film simulation with a high contrast configuration, low shutter speed and a swift hand movement.
For me, the final result is always a surprise. Quickly, the first shots confirmed that it works very similarly to my studio. Everything was black except the model. It works a little bit like light painting.
I know that I have captured something useful, but I will only know once I see it on full screen on my workstation, where I have to select the good images out of a really large set.
I highly recommend to all photographers and enthusiasts to visit Arles during the opening week. It is a wonderful experience.
What are the TWO most impactful features that make your image a good photograph? Don’t be shy!
Blurry images have a story to tell. On the one hand, they are a resume of a situation, and on the other hand, the observer has to read the image, and this combination creates an emotion.
If you could make this photo again, what would be the ONE thing you would like to do better or different?
You should really get into the flow, be even more observant, and try to understand what the image is “painting” on the sensor.
Peter Ortmann shared this photograph with the FRAMES Facebook Group.
Photographer
Peter Ortmann, Eupen, Belgium
Equipment and settings
Fujifilm X100VI and low shutter speed.
Acros film simulation, high contrast configuration, serious underexposure.
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