Sometimes blurred images are the best way to portray action. You can create them by using extremely slow shutter speeds, even as slow as one-quarter to one-half of a second. If you're shooting with a tripod, only the objects that are moving will be blurred.

If you handhold the camera, you'll end up with a shot that's blurry all over, as the lens will also capture any slight movement you make as you take the picture. These pictures might be tossers, or they may surprise you and turn out to be beautiful abstract portrayals of time and motion. Film and digital memory are cheap — don't be afraid to experiment with this technique and explore its many possibilities. You may be very pleased with your foray into the more artsy aspects of shooting.

FIGURE 16-2 A car passing by at night offers an opportunity to hone the skill of panning. This long, handheld exposure captures the image but allows it to blur to clearly convey that the car was in motion.