Photography expresses an idea from my active imagination to make it visible for others to see and experience. The camera and Photoshop are my artistic tools. It’s how I capture a thought and share what I see. There is a vast difference between capturing a photograph and making an image. I aim for photographs that speak and tell a story to those willing to view and interact, to capture imaginations and touch the viewer’s emotions.

I admired Eadweared Muybridge’s use of the camera to freeze the action to create motion pictures. I wanted to freeze the motion to put it together in a way that looked like motion in a static image by using different tools of overlaying images, adjusting the mode and the opacity, and creating a motion-blurred background.

Flipping Woman is about motion and emotion. My model, Mahara, is a performer, and I wanted to capture a range of movements in still images. Creating images and presenting them for competition and viewing makes my stomach churn and do flip-flops. I often doubt my ability to capture a strong image and composition, but I push myself beyond that fear to create what I picture to be the image that will say… “Look at me. Look at what I can create.” for my confidence in growing my skills.

I captured a range of this extraordinary woman’s abilities to move. I originally captured the motion with slow-shutter speed however I was not thrilled with the outcome. Capturing the motion with a faster shutter speed allowed me to be more creative with the post-production. The long black dress captured another force of movement that shaped the arc of the flickflacks. The stills of the motion allowed me to create a new reality to portray my physical and emotional response to the scene.

What are the TWO most impactful features that make your image a good photograph? Don’t be shy!

1. The sense of movement and emotion is created by overlaying and adjusting static images.
2. The somber tones of the motion-blurred background enhance the feelings I wanted to portray

If you could make this photo again, what would be the ONE thing you would like to do better or different?

I would reshoot the whole sequence with different settings.

Cheryl Muirson shared this photograph with the FRAMES Facebook Group.

Photographer

Cheryl Muirson, North Canterbury, New Zealand

Equipment and settings

Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 24-105 lens
Tripod for tracking
1/3200 sec., ISO400, f/4