The London Eye in Motion

The London Eye is one of my favorite subjects to photograph when I’m in London, along with thousands of other Ferris wheel admirers! It’s a fascinating structure, and it barely seems to move even when riding in it. With the use of a 10 stop neutral density filter, the Lee Big Stopper, I was able to create a sense of motion, and convey the passing of time. The extended exposure of 113 seconds gives the photo a bit of a creative edge over many travel pictures, making it more artistic. This type of photograph requires more effort, time and patience, but it’s a lot of fun in the process! I love the surreal look that is created by the long exposure.

To blur the clouds and water, and capture a subject in motion, you’ll need a tripod, and a 10 stop neutral density filter, and additional filters as needed. For this photo I used a Nikon D800, and Nikon 28-300mm lens which is perfect for travel. A sturdy tripod is a must. My tripod is the Feisol 3442 which weighs 2.31 lbs. and inverts to 19 inches, lightweight, compact, and travels with me everywhere. +Nik Software Nik Silver Efex Pro was used for black and white conversion, which gives me creative control over how the image is portrayed. If you want to learn more about making photos like this, please join me for Long Exposure Creativity, or one of my other online courses next month at BetterPhoto.com. Hope to see you there!