I went to a cycling event yesterday because I needed to get back behind the camera for myself. Instead of freezing everything at 1/1000 sec, I slowed my shutter to 1/125–1/160 and panned with the riders. Just enough blur in the background. Just enough movement in the wheels and feet. But the focus? Always on the face. When we photograph action, the instinct is usually to freeze everything. Fast shutter. Sharp rider. Sharp wheels. Sharp background. But sometimes… freezing the action removes the feeling of movement. Two Ways to Use Slow Shutter in Sport 1️⃣ Panning (Controlled Motion) This is where you: - Lock focus on the rider - Move your camera smoothly with them - Press the shutter while continuing to move If you get it right: - The rider stays relatively sharp - The background streaks into beautiful motion lines That streaked background is what gives the image energy. Tip: Use continuous focus (AF-C / AI Servo) and burst mode. 2️⃣ Letting Everything Blur (Creative Motion) You can also stay still and let the riders move through the frame. This gives: - Blurred wheels - Ghosted limbs - A sense of speed and chaos It’s less controlled. But sometimes more expressive. Camera Settings to Try: For DSLR / Mirrorless users: - Shutter Priority (S or Tv mode) - Start at 1/30 sec - Adjust from there - ISO low enough to avoid overexposure For bridge or compact camera users: - Use Shutter Priority if available - If not, try “Sports” mode and manually reduce shutter if your camera allows - Some bridge cameras allow very slow shutter speeds — experiment! The Secret Ingredient: This technique involves failure. Lots of it. You might take 20 frames and get 2 that work. That’s normal. It’s timing + smooth movement + patience. Your Challenge: Next time you see: - Kids on bikes - Runners - Dogs at the park - Even cars driving past Instead of freezing the action… Slow it down. Try:1/60 → 1/30 → 1/15 And see what happens.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve reorganised the Classroom to make the learning pathway clearer and easier to navigate. The community, Absolute Beginners course, Q&A, Image Critique, and the Camera Basics cheat sheets remain free and open to all members. Additional courses — including Foundations, genre and technique deep dives, and the growing cheat sheet collections — now sit inside the paid membership tier. This simply separates:• free orientation and community• structured, in-depth learning for those who want to go further Nothing has been removed — the structure has just been clarified. As always, you’re welcome to stay at the level that suits you.

I’ve been a bit tied up getting a new studio space up and running (which has been both exciting and slightly chaotic 😄) But I popped in today and saw a couple of new faces joining us — so a very warm welcome if that’s you. This space has always been about learning photography in a practical, real-world way — noticing light, trying things out, and building confidence with your camera. I’ll be easing back into posting again, but in the meantime… What have you been photographing lately? Anything at all — even if it’s just experimenting.

People tend to walk in one direction and photograph what’s in front of them. But every now and then I’ll turn around and look behind me… …and quite often, the better photo is actually the one you didn’t initially see. Photography isn’t always about moving forward — sometimes it’s just about turning around.

We had just finished a practical session and it had been raining earlier. As we walked along the road, everyone stepped around a large puddle. I called them back. Right in the middle of that puddle was a perfect reflection of a nearby windmill. It’s one of those things photographers learn over time — sometimes the most interesting photograph is right under your feet. Most people walk past puddles. Photographers stop and look into them. What have you noticed lately that most people wouldn't see?