What do the timeframes of the camera actually look like? If you have a manual film camera, open the camera back (make sure there’s no film in the camera first!) and look through the shutter as you press the shutter release. What is the shortest duration in which your eyes can perceive a recognisable image in bright daylight? Describe the experiment in your learning log.
I set the shutter speed of my old camera to 1/1000th. When I pressed the shutter release I couldn’t see any shutter movement at all, and certainly couldn’t see any sort of shape through it as it was so fast. I experimented with different shutter speeds. It wasn’t until I got down to 1/150th that I could actually see some light through the shutter, but I couldn’t really make out the shapes. I found the shortest duration in which my eyes could perceive a recognisable image was around 1/25th. I was surprised at how slow I had to set the shutter speed to be able to see a clear defined image through it.
Find a good viewpoint, perhaps fairly high up (an upstairs window might do) where you can see a wide view or panorama. Start by looking at the things closest to you in the foreground. Then pay attention to the details in the middle distance and, finally, the things towards the horizon. Now try and see the whole landscape together, from the foreground to horizon (you can move your eyes). Include the sky in your observation and try to see the whole visual field together, all in movement (there is always some movement). When you’ve got it, raise your camera and take a picture. Add the picture and a description of the process to your learning log.
The image was taken with a Canon EOS 5D mark IV full frame camera with a 24-70mm lens, it was set to shutter priority.
For this exercise I decided to take a picture of my garden, although its not high up it served the purpose. I stood at the top of the garden and started looking at the things immediately in front me, the outline of the pergola with the grape vine growing over it, then I looked at the middle distance, the bird bath and plants and finally the horizon, the rooftops and the treetops. There was movement in the trees as I was taking the photo.
With your eye it is easy focusing on each dimension in turn, however when you try to look at the whole scene as one it is difficult to do. The camera was able to capture the foreground, middle distance and horizon all together. But your eye is capable of seeing far more on the peripheral than the camera.
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