Blurred Tree from the Train, November 14, 2010

Motion blurred tree along the California Zephyr route in Eagle County, Colorado, November 2010. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

While on the California Zephyr en route to western Colorado for some football coverage, I played with photographing objects in motion from the train window. This was one of the more interesting results. The tree had enough contrast against the background to help it stand out, even with the blur. I like the counterbalancing light tan patch on the left and blue patch of water on the right. Along with the shadow base of the tree, these help create an anchoring triangle opposite the feathery branches. This is a tight view, and I wouldn't mind seeing a bit more open space above the branches. But the tension from this tight arrangement has its own draw, too.

Trees in Motion from the Train, November 12, 2010

Scenery in motion along the California Zephyr Route in Roosevelt National Forest, November 2010. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

While on the California Zephyr en route to western Colorado for some football coverage, I played with photographing objects in motion from the train window. This is one of my favorite motion blur photos, years later. The trees against the dark background create wonderful shapes in their own right, and I like the balance of mostly solid forms with the blurred lines. A bit of a longer shutter speed or faster train movement would have created too much blur, so this is an excellent bit of luck helping me out. There is plenty of post-processing contrast, and a blue-tone treatment. It felt right, considering the cold time of year up in the mountains.

Blurred Trees in Chadron, November 2, 2010

Motion-blurred leaves in Chadron, Nebraska, November 2010. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

I like playing with motion blur, whether it's caused by the subject or the camera. Vivid fall colors make a good subject for the technique. This scene had plenty of contrast from the tree branches, which create a jagged set of lines to break up the curves. I also like the overall shift in brightness from dark at the bottom to light at the top, thanks to the bits of sky poking through the leaves. I don't usually include camera settings, but a few notes may be useful here. 200mm and 1/15 second, with my camera movement describing a “C” shape.