Exercise 2: Higher and lower sensitivity.

'For the first part of this exercise take similar shots at both normal and high sensitivity, submit a minimum of 12 images.  Start at ISO 100 then change to higher sensitivities, compare the images close up.  Look in two kinds of area in the picture; those that are smooth with little detail also neither bright nor dark.  What is the obvious difference? '

I wanted a subject that was a little different and of course it had to be moving, the course book suggests a street market, something I had already photographed during the exercise about colour.  When I heard that our granddaughter was going to visit us and knowing how much she likes going to the play area, I had the idea of photographing her on the swings.  She would certainly be moving and we would both be having fun, Izzy loves going to the park and I would get the pictures I needed for this exercise.  I've included two sets of images, the first taken from the side, the second more head-on, which I feel shows the movement a lot better.  The speed of her swinging varied with the first set of images because Izzy was propelling herself, for the second set her Dad pushed her at a more controlled rate.  This gave me the opportunity to pre-focus, so eliminating any issues other than the blur caused by the movement of the swing.

Set one.

To make comparison easier I've added the ISO and shutter speed used to each image, the aperture remained constant at f16.  Although I was concerned about the speed of swinging with the first set of photographs, an ISO 3200 was the first picture of both sets that appears not to have any motion blur when viewed at 100%. The previous image, taken at ISO 1600 was acceptable if not enlarged too much, some noise can be seen at 1600 and above, however this is better than the blur caused by movement, assuming that was what was intended.  I have learned to accept some movement within my photographs, in fact I very often use a slow shutter speed to get this effect.  The bike riders in my last assignment are an example of the type of image I'm referring to, the first pictures in the sets above and below are others.  They are almost abstract or maybe impressionistic in style, this is nothing new I know, however it is new to my photography, I used to be obsessed by preventing movement of any kind.

Set two