Time and Motion

"Motion is a kind of change, and change takes place in time." (p. 215)

As stated by Lupton, "A camera can capture a path of lights moving over time." (p.125). In the same manner, a camera can capture a train moving over time. 

The photo above was taken in front of a railroad track in downtown Appleton. In this photo, I tried to convey motion through capturing a train barreling down the tracks. Since motion blur requires a longer exposure time, I had to set up my camera to a slow shutter speed and used a tripod for stabilization. With a slow shutter speed, the train moves across the frame while the shutter is open, causing it to appear as a blurry streak in the image. 

However, I wanted to create a photo with a blurred background and the subject in focus instead of an entirely blurred image (an image of a moving train) so I stood near the railroad and waited for the train to pass by then captured its movement. By blurring everything but the primary subject, the camera focuses sharply on me, thus creating a contrast between moving and static objects. This contrast will accentuate the illusion of motion in the still image and make the photograph more appealing.