A Few Simple Ideas for Enhancing Your Photos With In-Camera Levitation Photography

At one time or another, you have probably dreamt about flying through the air or enjoyed the amazing sensation of taking off a runway when you're traveling by plane. Many people are extremely intrigued and entranced by the idea of levitation or flying, so it is no wonder that levitation photography is so popular these days.

This technique is basically a way of depicting people or objects in photographs as flying or floating around in mid air. If the photos are well-made, they will likely puzzle you, making you wonder how they were created, and children will likely think that they are images of actual flying people.

How Is the Levitation Effect Usually Achieved?

The idea of creating stunning in-camera levitation pictures has taken a step back in recent years, as advancements in technology made it much easier to achieve the effect by simply altering digital photographs using some of the most well-known applications designed for this purpose.

That is, in fact, the main way people create levitation photographs these days. Those who are well-versed and experienced in using advanced photo editing software are able to create some truly realistic levitation effects, mostly by removing the elements that support a person or an object.

Many are more interested, however, in achieving these effects in-camera, without even having to use a computer. The "mystic" value of such photos is greatly increased as a result, especially when you tell someone that they were made without any type of digital tampering.

Despite the fact that these photos seem to be magical and create a large dose of amazement among viewers, you will find that you can achieve the effect simply by jumping, falling or throwing objects, and also by hiding the things that support a person or an object. With the right timing and a carefully calibrated camera, you can create some truly realistic photos.

Getting Rid of Motion Blur

Motion blur is the main reason why falling or moving elements don't appear to stand still in a photograph. There are some great ways to work around this problem, however. The easiest method is to use a tripod, keeping your camera in place, and set a higher shutter speed.

The resulting effect will be that you seem to be almost "frozen" in space while you jump or fall. Because the timing has to be perfect, a wireless remote can also be extremely handy if you try to do this alone.

Adjust Your Pose

To make your pictures look more realistic, as well as unique, you can adjust your pose to achieve a certain kind of impact with them. Depending on the statement you wish to make using these photographs, you can work with 2 types of poses:

The ordinary pose - By trying to pose as nonchalantly as possible during your jumps or falls, you can effectively achieve photographs where levitation seems easy and effortless. Location may be very important here as, for instance, you can make yourself stand out in a crowd by levitating, seemingly without even noticing it.
Unusual poses - These are much more difficult to work with. The goal basically is to look like you can perform complicated moves while you're flying. The best way of doing this is to try and hide the objects that support you instead of jumping. Dancing or gymnastic moves can paint a truly outstanding picture in such cases.

Using Props in a Creative Way

Another way of enhancing your levitation picture is with the help of props that seem to levitate together with you. You can play with clothing, shoes or other common items to make it look like you are gliding through them.

There are several ways of doing this with in-camera techniques. You can either ask someone to throw the props up at the same time you jump, which would require really accurate timing, or you can simply suspend them in midair using some string or a very thin piece of wire.

Practically no Limits

Of course, the best approach to make stunning levitation photos is to practice. Just go and experiment with the techniques presented here, and you may find that original ideas will come to you all the time.

Finding new creative methods will be easy, and by simply playing around with a few ideas, while adding your own unique touch, you can make your levitation photographs stand out as artwork.

I'm an amateur photographer and hobbyist. I was very impressed by the techniques and tricks found in Trick Photography e-book. Read more about it at Trick Photography & Special Effects review page.

View the original article here