Wind movement in scenes especially with large format photography

[MartyNL]

You see and hear photographers waiting hours until the wind has died down to just about non-existent before pressing the shutter release. So much so, that you'd think it has become an endurance sport!

And I even catch myself doing it, from time to time! But is it really necessary?

I'm wondering where this aesthetic has come from or if it's just a vestige of a time and era when materials were much slower than today?

Personally, I really don't mind some photographic blur and often find a completely static scene too contrived and stilted. And by the same token, I recognise that there are always exceptions such as water reflections or a detail study etc.
But generally speaking, with this practice, are we not doing ourselves and our scenes a disservice by abandoning a sense of motion and naturalness?
Is it not time for LF photographers to embrace the elements, stop faffing and use their time more wisely, like, take more pictures!

[j.e.simmons]

When I shot 8x10 with a shutterless lens and everything at f64 and 1 second or more, I included the word wind in my titles, i.e., Live Oaks and Wind, Little Talbot Island.

[jnantz]

When I shot 8x10 with a shutterless lens and everything at f64 and 1 second or more, I included the word wind in my titles, i.e., Live Oaks and Wind, Little Talbot Island.

that's perfect !

I shoot very slow shutter speeds all the time too. these days about 15-30 seconds an exposure
I don't include the wind in my titles though, that's a great idea! I figure the wind is there might as well accept it move on ..

[j.e.simmons]

that's perfect !

I figure the wind is there might as well accept it move on ..

That's my thinking, too.

[sanking]

That's my thinking, too.

Movement in nature can work for you as well as against you.

Dick Arentz made a photo once with a 12X20 camera inside a large building where chickens were raised, printed as palladium print. The long exposure of several seconds shows the white chickens as a blur as they run around in front of the camera. I wanted to make the same type of image but those type of buildings where chickens were raised that were at one time common in the south have pretty much disappeared.

Sandy

[SergeyT]

Movement in nature can work for you as well as against you.

Dick Arentz made a photo once with a 12X20 camera inside a large building where chickens were raised, printed as palladium print. The long exposure of several seconds shows the white chickens as a blur as they run around in front of the camera. I wanted to make the same type of image but those type of buildings where chickens were raised that were at one time common in the south have pretty much disappeared.

Sandy

Once I took a couple of photos of ocean cliffs and many-many seagulls taking off and landing onto those cliffs in a close proximity to my camera during dawn. Shutter speed measured in many seconds. Moving and flying seagulls created all sorts of interesting effects in the images, probably very similar to what was described above .

[Richard Wasserman]

I've always liked the effects of wind in landscape photos and have often used the slowest possible shutter speed to that end

[Alan9940]

I don't mind the look of wind in my photos, but I choose a shutter speed long enough to make the movement obvious in the final print. A little bit of blurriness just makes it look like you didn't focus properly, etc. IMO, anyway.

[Dugan]

I don't mind the look of wind in my photos, but I choose a shutter speed long enough to make the movement obvious in the final print. A little bit of blurriness just makes it look like you didn't focus properly, etc. IMO, anyway.

I agree.
Wind motion in a photo is sorta like water motion...
Not enough, it looks like you didn't focus properly.
Too much, it looks 'overblown'...
It's a Goldilocks predicament.

[Jody_S]

A little bit of blurriness just makes it look like you didn't focus properly.

Agreed. 1/30 or above, or 1s or more. In between, only on perfectly still days or sheltered in deep woods.