I’m someone who doesn’t like to be in crowds. If possible, I prefer to avoid the hustle and bustle and observe from afar the masses of people hurrying in all directions.
Although busy places resemble beehives to me, everyone in a crowd is unique and has their own goals, plans, and desires. In my Freed from the Flow project, I aim to liberate that person from the hectic flow of everyday life using motion blur.
When working on my project, I look for people who stand out by not going along with the flow of moving people. Think of a couple in love hugging each other, a commuter checking his itinerary, of an old man reading a book. These people don’t move as much as the crowd surrounding them. By putting my camera in shutter priority mode and selecting a slow shutter speed, my subjects will appear sharp. Still, the crowd will be blurry, and my subject will be freed from the flow!
I typically use a shutter speed of 1/8th of a second. I will adapt my shutter speed depending on what effect I’m looking for and the direction and speed of movement.
As I’m taking pictures candidly, using a tripod is not an option. That’s why I’m using a camera with image stabilization, so I can shoot out of my hand at slow shutter speeds.
I like working on this project, because I started observing the world differently and seeing busy places as streams of moving people.
If you’d like to see more of the photos in my Freed from the Flow Project, please visit the photo gallery on my project page.
What is your pet project? Let me know in the comments below.
arv!
4 Feb 2024Love the idea of this project. In my part of the world, the sheer number of people in the streets is humongous. Finding a good spot is always a challenge. Are you based in Netherlands?
Sander Muller
4 Feb 2024Thanks, Arv!
I can imagine. Yes, I live in the Netherlands.
arv!
4 Feb 2024Great! You live in a great country. It is one of my favorite places for travel. Dutch people are one of the most friendliest people in Europe. Which city in The Netherlands?
Sander Muller
4 Feb 2024I live in a small town called Alphen aan den Rijn. Officially it’s a city, but with approximately 74.000 inhabitants (as of 2021) I personally don’t think of it as a city. It’s a nice place to live, though.
arv!
5 Feb 2024I have never heard of this city even though I have been to a couple of cities in the Netherlands. I see that it is close to Leiden, I have to this region. Every town in he Netherlands and Belgium is so beautiful. They are so peaceful. Thanks for sharing this information.