Play with traffic

James Paterson explains how to capture images that transform passing vehicles into glorious streaks of colour.

- James Paterson

We photographers have a bit of a love/hate relationship with movement. Sometimes it’s a real pain and we strive to keep it to a minimum. At other times, we want to celebrate it in all its blurry glory. The motion of traffic at night definitely falls into the latter category. By using a long exposure in the low evening light, the smooth motion of their lights creates wonderful streaks of colour through the frame.

This is one of those camera skills that reveals the magic of photography – and the best part is, it’s easy! Anyone with a DSLR and tripod can do it. As such, it’s a great way to get started with long-exposure photography as there’s no need for extra filters or even a cable release.