Kinetic photography
Encyclopedia
Experimental photography
Experimental photography is a phrase that includes alternative process techniques, and broadly refers to any photographic process or product falling outside the realm of straight film or digital photography.-Historical background:...
photographic technique in which the photographer uses movement resulting from physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
to create an image. This typically involves the artist not directly holding the camera
Camera
A camera is a device that records and stores images. These images may be still photographs or moving images such as videos or movies. The term camera comes from the camera obscura , an early mechanism for projecting images...
, but allowing the camera to react to force
Force
In physics, a force is any influence that causes an object to undergo a change in speed, a change in direction, or a change in shape. In other words, a force is that which can cause an object with mass to change its velocity , i.e., to accelerate, or which can cause a flexible object to deform...
s applied to it in order to make a photograph. This can include, but is not limited to; holding and shaking the wrist strap of the camera while taking a picture, dropping the camera off of objects while taking a picture, throwing or spinning the camera up in the air while taking a picture (called a camera toss), or rigorously moving the camera while taking a picture, etc. As the photographer has surrendered control over the camera to physical forces, this technique tends to produce abstract
Abstract art
Abstract art uses a visual language of form, color and line to create a composition which may exist with a degree of independence from visual references in the world. Western art had been, from the Renaissance up to the middle of the 19th century, underpinned by the logic of perspective and an...
, random or blurred-motion photographs.
Camera tossing
Perhaps the most risky field of kinetic photography is that of camera tossing, in which the photographer literally throws their equipment into the air in hopes of producing an artistic looking image. Many camera tosses take place at nightNight
Night or nighttime is the period of time when the sun is below the horizon. This occurs after dusk. The opposite of night is day...
, when the camera is able to capture light with a long exposure, resulting in streaks of hypnotizing light patterns. The pioneer of camera tossing, Ryan Gallagher, hosts a blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
on the subject in which he goes further into detail about the technique involved. The basics include using a timer or slow shutter speed, pressing the shutter button and quickly throwing the camera into the air (during, or just before, the photograph is exposed) and then catching the camera before it hits the ground.