Zoom effect in photographs

Zoom effect in photographs are one of the most fascinating and easiest effects to create. The advantage about this effect is that it can be created easily and faster than creating the same effect with a photo-editing software. The resultant photograph will have a distinct image that it make you feel the photograph comes to life when you keep looking at it rocking your head.

Zoom effects can also be used to super-highlight a subject as well as to separate an individual mood from the theme of a group.

To produce the zoom effect

• Keep the Camera steady- as you will be using a slow shutter speed any movement of the camera will significantly impact your shot. A tripod can be used to eliminate any shake to the camera thereby making the photograph more detailed. A still surface can also be used to stabilize the camera. 
• Use a longer shutter speed- A longer shutter speed allows time to create the zoom effect however problems with using longer shutter speeds is that more light is captured making the photograph over exposed. Using a larger aperture (the larger the number the smaller the hole that lets light in) in bright situations will make it possible to use long shutter speeds without over exposing your image. 
• Zoom out of the subject slowly without de-stabilizing the camera. Always work on smooth zooming to get smooth motion lines in your photograph.
• Pause mid-zoom - another technique to experiment is to pause your zooming either at the start, end or during the procedure (while the shutter is still open). This will mean that what your camera sees at the point when you pause your zoom will be stronger and hopefully clearer in your shot.
• Fire your Flash – This produces a strange effect where in the object is focused at one point, leaving motion lines throughout the image. You can do this with virtually any light. Fire it during your long exposure and you’ll freeze part of the image while still getting movement behind and around it.
• Reverse the Zoom – zooming in on a subject can give a different result than zooming out, especially if your subject is moving and depending upon whether you pause at the beginning and or end of the zoom. Experiment with both.
• Partial Zoom – for zoom lenses with very wide focal lengths zoom effect can be too devastating. So then it is advisable to zoom on smaller ranges. If you have a 18-200mm try zooming from 18-100mm or from 80-200mm or even smaller ranges.