The MasterClass Series #24
Zoom Burst: Energise Your Shots
Equipment
EOS 60D (shot #1)
EOS 5D Mark III (shot #2, #3, and #4)
EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L USM,
EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L II USM,
and EF 24-70mm f/4 L IS USM.
A Gitzo GT2545T Tripod.
EXIF #1
Diwali Festivities
Focal length: 70mm zoomed out to 27mm
Aperture: f/13
Shutter speed: 2 seconds
ISO: 200
EXIF #2
Bangkok Skyline
Focal length: 70mm zoomed out to 24mm
Aperture: f/2.8
Shutter speed: 2.5 seconds
ISO: 100
EXIF #3
Flowers in a vase
Focal length: 70mm zoomed out to 24mm
Aperture: f/2.8
Shutter speed: 4 seconds
ISO: 160
EXIF #4
Frames
Focal length: 200mm zoomed out to 70mm
Aperture: f/13
Shutter speed: 2.5 seconds
ISO: 100
Editing
Adobe Lightroom Classic CC
This article on Zoom Burst Photography appeared in the March 2016 issue of JetWings, the in-flight magazine of Jet Airways. This takes you from forcing a perspective to infusing dynamism in a shot.
The Story
Not all destinations are click-worthy, neither are some interiors. For example, while Bangkok’s skyline offers an interesting detail around the waterfront and near the Grand Palace, the general cityscape is ordinary. As for interiors, although some design elements may have a charm of their own, a photograph of them would not be very inspiring to a viewer.
The Challenge
In such uninteresting situations, how to add a touch of the abstract, or a soft, dreamy, romantic feel to an ordinary subject is a challenge.
The Technique
The Zoom Burst Photography technique can infuse photographs with a burst of energy or dynamism; lend them an abstract, artistic quality or a sense of mystique; or create a focus or strong leading lines that draw the viewer’s eyes to the core subject. Wikipedia provides a stub entry for this technique.
It involves zooming in or out while we press the trigger, and it makes the subject ‘burst’ forth from the centre of the frame, blurs the sides of the frame and creates dramatic streaks. There is no need for any specialised equipment to achieve stunning images through this technique – a DSLR camera, a zoom lens, and a tripod is enough. Since the technique requires zooming in or out during the shot, slow shutter speed is a given. For this, during day time, a Variable ND filter may also be required.
The Shots
Shot #1
Not too long ago, I set out to photograph the Diwali festivities around Gurgaon but only came across isolated islands of illumination. Since I was on the road with scant access to any dramatic vantage, I resorted to the zoom burst photography technique to add some much-needed sparkle.
Shot #2
While shooting Bangkok’s otherwise boring skyline, I chose an imposing high-rise as my centrepiece. The illumination of the buildings and the traffic were the other available elements. I zoomed in to accommodate a part of it in the frame, adjusted the exposure, pressed the trigger, and then did a smooth zoom out to achieve this futuristic-looking frame.
Shot #3
A little patience and a touch of zoom burst were all it took to add a soft, dreamy, romantic feel to an ordinary subject like some flowers in a vase.
Shot #4
While these frames displayed on a rustic wall had a charm of their own, a photograph of them would not have been very inspiring to a viewer. To add a touch of the abstract, I captured this interesting decor element through zoom burst photography.
