Getting used to a new camera will inevitably result in a few errors, many of which will end in the trash. But don’t be too hasty – some might just be worth a second glance.
My new Lumix LX 100 has usually been set for Aperture priority in the last few weeks, and that has worked very well most of the time. But it doesn’t work very well in lowish light when the ISO is set at 200 and the aperture at f11. Indoor shots at Tate Modern resulted in exposures of half a second which is how I ended up with this very blurred image. I actually sent it straight to Trash (on a Mac that is a holding station until the Trash is emptied every so often). Then working my way through the other images shot on the same occasion I came across others similarly blurred – the best of which is the one below.
I really liked the second image – particularly that suggestion of hand-holding. The first image was promptly retrieved and you see the results.
The first image speaks to me of the hustle and bustle of days out – conveyed by the message on the wall.
It is rightly said that you can never make a good image out of a bad image, but occasionally there are images that have significant faults but can still speak to us visually. And perhaps this is one of them – what do you think? Do you agree?
LensScaper 
I like both of them, very much. I had to smile at the second photo, where the elongated head of the first person ascending the stairs resembles various artists’ renderings of an alien. Perhaps you’ve captured more than you realized.
I thought the way that the solidity of the architectural cross contrasted with the out-of-focus people in the second photo was interesting, too: enduring values in the midst of chaos and all that. And it’s good that, in the first photo, the writing is legible, which adds context to the scene.
All in all, very pleasant images to start the day!
LikeLike
Thank you, Linda. I wasn’t entirely happy with the Alien’s head but I chose not to amend it – but since I read your comment I have taken another look at it and have been able to reshape it a little to have a more pleasing resemblance to ‘human’. I will experiment more with blur – intentionally next time!
LikeLike
There’s always a place for happy accidents. (Unfortunately there’s also always a place for unhappy accidents.) We’re talking about the visual world here, but some great scientific discoveries have happened through accidents. Penicillin is a classic example.
LikeLike
Very true, Steve. Research is full of chance discoveries. It’s nice to have happy acccidents, I can do without the unhappy ones especially the physical version!
LikeLike
Along the lines of what you did, I’ve experimented with long exposures during which my subject purposely moves. While a few of the results I’ve gotten are good, most are mediocre or worse.
LikeLike
I don’t think there’s anything unusual in the low success rate implicit with long exposure blurs, there’s always gong to be an element of chance. But when you hit the sweet spot, then you get something unique.
LikeLike
I love the second one; it looks to me like a purposeful blurring. The different people and their differently blurred shapes really look good (and completely make sense) on the staircase. I would love to see more.
LikeLike
Thanks Lynn – this is the only one on this staircase but I plan to return and experiment.
LikeLike
Great!
LikeLike
p.s. I have a book called “Passenger Seat” by Julieanne Kost that’s about creating projects using LR. It’s full of her photos of blurred landscapes taken from, you guessed it, the passenger seat. She has explored the technique thoroughly. I found it inspiring, and I play with it from time to time but haven’t really applied my intentions to it like I should.
http://jkost.net/passenger-seat-ii-1
LikeLike
What a fantastic set of images in that series – a unique take on ‘blur’ but I’m guessing that there is a lot more going on than just the image captured from the passenger seat. A wonderful source of inspiration – thanks so much for the link, Lynn
LikeLike
Thanks for giving Andy this link, Lynn. Some wonderful photographs here. At least some of them must be composites. I’d never thought of trying to make composites of my photos with Intentional Camera Movement. Now I want to try.
LikeLike
I’m not sure – she’s really spent a lot of time perfecting her technique. She does write a bit about it in the book. I’ve been shy about composites – one more thing to deal with – layering! But if I got into it I’d probably love it.
LikeLike
Love that second one, Andy!
LikeLike
Thanks Sue
LikeLiked by 1 person
Idem Dito, re second one…great sense of action, like it lots.
LikeLike
Thanks Paula. It’s that swirl of joined hands that makes the picture in my mind. I got lucky!
LikeLike
I agree about that “swirl of joined hands.” Hope you will keep experimenting with this technique, Andy.
LikeLike
Thank you Linda. One small detail can make an image work unexpectedly. I’m glad you also enjoyed the link that Lynn supplied – some of the most imaginative photography I’ve seen in a long time
LikeLike
I agree. Sometimes I find blurred images to be very artistic whether they’re intentional or not and I love both of these images.
LikeLike
Thank you, Edith.
LikeLike
WOW. These are simply brilliant. I’m with Edith on the artistry of these captures. 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks Frank for those kind words – accidental images as you will realize.
LikeLike
I quite like reading through an article that will make men and women think.
Also, thanks for allowing me to comment!
LikeLike