A moment with Stephen Orlando from MotionExposure

The work of Stephen Orlando, founder of www.motionexposure.com is one of the motivating elements that got the ball rolling on our festival. 

His work inspired us to see what we can achieve together in a different landscape with playfulness, light, water and motion (with a few tech skills + elements). We use some of his photos as part of our Inspirations gallery to give you an idea of what's possible and to seed ideas, but he's got a whole lot more on his site that's well worth checking out or purchasing.

We recently asked him a few questions about the origins, motivations and detail of his works.

Stephen Orlando, from www.motionexposure.com

1. What inspired you to explore some of the forms and places you've featured at www.motionexposure.com ?
"I'm an avid kayaker and canoeist so it was a natural for me to photograph two of my favourite activities. I have a background in aerodynamics which has also inspired me to create these photos. I see a lot of similarities between the streamlines of fluid flow and the lights trails in my photos."

2. What's in your Motion Exposure toolkit that's helped to give the great results you've achieved?
"I'm using an Arduino to drive a strip of led lights. This allows me almost infinite control over the lights patterns. I'm using a full frame dslr in manual mode, however any camera with full manual settings can be used. Also, very important is a tripod so the camera doesn't move during the shot. I've also found that a remote for the camera really makes the process easier so you can perfectly time the shot. "

3. How can the subject of the photo work best with the photographer to achieve a memorable result?
"The canoeing and kayaking photos I take are difficult to achieve because I cannot easily mark a line in the water where I want the paddlers to move so the photos require many takes. An experienced and patient paddler is key to making these photos great. It is very important for the photographer to plan out the shoot with the subject beforehand so the subject has an idea of what the photo is going to look like."

4. What tips can you share with local photographers about your setup for getting the best result?
"My number one recommendation would be to familiarize yourself with how the main settings of the camera work (ISO, aperture and shutter speed) so that you know how to compensate for different lighting conditions. You have to use these settings in combination to properly expose the led lights and the background. I would also strongly recommend getting a remote for your camera so you can easily use bulb mode."

5. Do you have a personal favourite in your gallery that stands out in terms of the result achieved compared to the amount of effort taken to get the shot? What is it and why?
"So far my whitewater kayaking photos have been my favourite. They look great and I was particularly proud of all the effort I put into planning the shoot so the lights and batteries were well waterproofed."

6. What's coming up next for you?
"I have some shoots planned with some Olympic athletes which I'm really excited about. I also have some new light patterns that I think will look great. I'm planning on taking more music themed photos as well."