Oct 28, 20226 min read

October: Artist Spotlight - Michelle

This month, for the movement theme we are spotlighting the incredibly talented Michelle Wright. You can actually find her in two places on Instagram - @michellewrightphotography and @shellbellephotos, where she splits her work up by genre. You're in for a real treat here today, it's like a spotlight and a lesson all in one! After telling us about her journey, gear and inspiration Michelle shares with us all her fantastic tips for capturing movement in a variety of different creative ways, complete with stunning examples! Read on and enjoy!

Abi xx

Tell us about your photography journey...

Since I was first given a 110 cassette camera at around the age of seven I have loved taking photos. One of my favourite photos of those early days was of my grandma sitting in her (English) garden. As a child and teenager I would mostly take photos of family and friends, going through rolls and rolls of film. My dad would pay for the developing without any grumbling and I would throw out 95% of them, only keeping the in-focus, ‘nice’ ones.

At college I took a photography and film developing class which was fun but then got absorbed in work. In 1996 I found myself in the United Arab Emirates. It was a wild time as an expat with sand dunes, wadis, camels, souks, rugby 7’s, mountain biking and scuba diving – and I sporadically used my Canon Rebel during my six years out there.

A move to Australia via the UK led to many more adventures, again with my on-off interest in photography. In 2015 when my son was two years old I felt that I had put so much effort into looking after him that I had lost my identity; I felt I really wanted to do something for me. I got the urge to start taking photos again, so picked up my Canon 7D which had been languishing in a box for a few years, put it in Manual and basically haven’t put a camera down or stopped reading about photography since…

The tide - Sony 35mm f/16 1/6 sec ISO 100

Tell us a bit about your style...

I love capturing underwater images, landscapes, macro, wildlife and nature. When I travel, I try to take advantage of the local sights. I also take photos of my son whenever possible (read: whenever he lets me), which is usually during a fun activity so I have to think and react quickly as it almost always involves movement.

I am a huge fan of the Intentional Camera Movement technique and also creating multiple exposures – these can be found right through my work.

Sunflower - Sony 90mm f/2.8 1/125 sec ISO 800

A while ago I had to write my artist statement so I thought I would share:

Creating unique and memorable images, Michelle ‘goes with the flow’ with her camera. Her art escapes to a world of serenity, with freeing movement and an unmistakable glow.

A shorter version:

Happy, wild, free, wide angles and often ‘just add water’!

I’m blissfully happy taking photographs and being creative. With a camera in hand I become very relaxed and often lose track of time. Photography is also my therapy if I’m feeling unhappy about something. Photographing nature reaches into my soul and takes me off to a place of wonder and refuge.

Tropical Island - Sony 35mm f/16 1/20 sec ISO 50

What gear do you use?

I’ve been shooting with a Sony A7RIII for the past five years and love it (although I do wish it had in-camera multiple exposure capabilities). I have a fair few Sony lenses spanning from a 12-24mm all the way through to a 200-600mm which I use for my wildlife shots. I also have a variety of LensBaby lenses.

What's your go to lens and why?

I have two!

My Sony 35mm FE 1.4 GM – it’s utterly tack sharp and extremely adaptable. I love wide angles but I’m using it for everything right now – landscape, portraits and close up.

Sunset ripples - Sony 35mm f/2.2 1/400 sec ISO 200

My LensBaby Sol 45mm is my other favourite. Again it’s tack sharp in the centre but has magical flare and blur and is very adaptable. (Yes I am a LensBaby Ambassador but I’ve had this lens for many years and it truly is my favourite.)

Who and what inspires you?

I regularly come across photographers who inspire me and love seeing their work. I tend not to dwell on their photographs too long though. I want to be inspired but don’t want to copy so I learn what I feel I need to then move on to keep my mind agile and my creativity moving. Photographers of all genre can inspire me – ICM, black and white, landscape, portrait, creative.

One exception to that is a female artist that I actively seek out on IG from time to time – Ardelle Neubert. She constantly surprises and delights with her ingenuity and POV and I love seeing what she creates!

As for what inspires me – that would be ‘light’ and ‘exploration’.

If I see amazing light I have a deal with myself that I have to shoot – anything goes. I just make sure I use the light – even if it’s only for a few shots. Awesome light makes my heart sing!

Anywhere I go to explore makes me happy, whether it’s the coastline, a national park, or the mountains, I’m not too fussy. I just want to get outside and breathe. I look for leading lines, texture, little details and check out what the sky is doing. It can be anywhere but preferably somewhere in nature.

What tips do you have for shooting movement?

So many ideas for this theme spring to mind. Movement is just the BEST theme! Read on to discover straight forward to more creative ways to incorporate movement into your images.

Capture that specific moment in time with a fast shutter speed. Be ready, as kids, wildlife and waves can be fast. Freeze that moment with a shutter speed from 1/500 sec to 1/2500 sec.

A dive with a prism - Sony 35mm f/1.4 1/2500 sec ISO 100

That floaty scarf - LensBaby Spark with Sweet 50mm 1/1000 sec ISO 100

Follow the action with some panning shots. Try around 1/30 sec for moving people but slightly faster for vehicles. Pan with the action moving from one side to another, not coming towards or going away from you. I measure my success if my subject is in focus, or the primary part of my subject (which I want to highlight) is in focus. There are a lot of misses – don’t be discouraged!

Run Tigger run! - Sony 35mm f/22 1/30 sec ISO 100

Stay still and use the movement to show texture, light and speed of motion. You might have an interesting background which will be in focus whilst your movement blurs through it, or the whole image might be the movement.

Lamington National Park, Queensland, Australia - Sony 200-600mm 553mm f/7.1 1/40 sec ISO 200

Try playing with your zoom lens and creating a zoom blur image. Use a slower shutter speed. Make sure your subject is in focus then twist your zoom and press the shutter at the same time.

Yacht at sunset, off K’gari (Fraser Island), Queensland, Australia - Sony 24-105mm 70mm f/20 1/6 sec ISO 100

Create the illusion of movement by using a number of exposures and blending them together.

The snorkellers, Southern Great Barrier Reef, Australia - Sony 12-24mm 16mm f/6.3 1/500 sec ISO 640

Creating images using intentional camera movement. Any camera, any lens. Use a narrower aperture and slower shutter speed, then move your camera. Movements to try: up and down, side to side, a wave motion, and diagonally. So much potential depending upon your camera settings! You can also vary the speed of your movement – go quickly or more slowly. Many different effects can be created by using this technique.

Sunset across the creek - Sony 12-24mm 24mm f/22 0.8 sec ISO 100

Final thoughts and ideas for you: Change the lens. Explore different angles. Slow/speed up the shutter. Increase/decrease the depth of field. Use shade, shadows and full sun. Use golden hour. Vary the background (light, dark, different colours). When you feel that you’ve nailed a particular shot, move on to the next subject/composition; don’t overshoot too much. You will come home with more variety that way.

What movement image are you most proud of and/or love the most and why?

Ooooh I have so many images that I love! I think I love this one the most though. The way the wave comes up the side of the frame with the bokeh overlay balancing out the clouds. It’s not perfect – far from it. But I love the energy, I love where I was at the time (snorkelling on the Southern Great Barrier Reef), and I was with my son (who features in the photo) and my husband, so it has huge personal meaning to me. It’s also challenging to shoot whilst bobbing around in the ocean (for all sorts of reasons 😉) so I’m proud that I got something I could use.

Thanks for reading! I would love to see what you create. Feel free to tag me in your images 😊