Blurring the boundaries

If you've been reading my blog, you might remember that a photo taken at the last minute as I was leaving to go home has turned out to be one of my more popular shots this year (see 'look behind you') oh, and thanks for reading! The popularity of that improvised shot has made me think that perhaps I have started to get into a bit of a rut with my photography, I've been concentrating on improving my landscapes but have slipped into the habit of going to a location with certain shots in mind and not looking much further. Not really the ideal way to come up with something original or creative. 

If you haven't come across this technique before it's 'simply' a matter of moving the camera in a smooth motion as you press the shutter which is not always as easy as it sounds but digital photography lets you experiment to your heart's content so shoot away until you get it right. In the example below, the camera was on a tripod making it easier to get a smooth horizontal blur. The photo at the top was shot handheld and I wasn't quite happy with the effect I'd achieved in camera so I blurred it further in Photoshop to make it more abstract... it's heather and silver birches if you were wondering. 

I know that intentionally blurring landscapes, either in camera or with a bit of software help, is not exactly new but I love the impressionist feel it gives and I'm having a lot of fun experimenting with it so expect to see a bit more of it on my website or flickr page.