An easy way to create an artistic look with your photography is to use in-camera effects such as zooming the lens during exposure. No Photoshop needed! For this technique, the lens is zoomed in or out during exposure to suggest motion. To keep things sharp, yet blurred at the same time, I mounted the camera on a tripod and experimented with zooming until I found just the effect that worked for the starfish. It may take quite a few tries to nail the shot as this isn't an exact science, however it's fun to do!
Experiment with your lens to get the hang of zooming, and you don't need to zoom the entire focal length of the lens to get a great effect. Zooming during exposure is great for overcast days, and you can use a neutral density filter to slow down the exposure even more. Use a small aperture and experiment with shutter speed, giving yourself time to zoom smoothly. Try this at night too, with city lights, or colorful lights from a fair or circus.
Have fun shooting! ~ Deb
