Take Photos with Motion Blur

Keen photographers are aware of the impact of blurring upon their photos. Motion blur has both good and bad qualities, so photographers may be keen to exclude it from photos, or even take photographs which have some motion blur impact.

Motion blur can appear in two ways: either as blurry, out-of-focus pictures that look as though the photographer's hands were shaking (which is the kind most likely to be disappointing), or long 'action' shots that appear to track an object moving in time. Many sports photographers enjoy using the latter effect, as it gives sports photos a feeling of motion that would not be seen on ordinary 'still life' photos.

Avoiding Motion Blur

Photographers of special occasions and scenery often feel disappointed by seeing some of their photos showing motion blur. There are a number of reasons why motion blur appears in stationary shots: slight movement of the subject; slow shutter speed causing the camera to shake; a dirty lens.

If you have a slow shutter speed, then you should apply the rule that the speed of the shutter should be equal to the distance of the lens in millimeters. Of course, this only applies to those with a large zoom lens, but it is worth considering. You may also consider buying a tripod, or resting the hand holding the camera on one of your legs.

Keep your lenses clean. Dust and dirt on a camera lens can cause the appearance of blurring. Grease and other substances on the front can also make the camera have trouble with focusing. Use a lens cleaning solution regularly, wiping from the middle of the camera lens to the outside several times.

Creating Motion Blur

Motion blur can really help to bring a camera to life: consider using it when taking photos of things that are associated with speed, such as cars (even when they are motionless, this can give a great appearance).

Slow shutter speed can play a big role in creating the motion blur. You should be able to set your camera to 'shutter priority', and then set the shutter speed to something like 1/100 (of a second). Slowing of the shutter speed can lead to over-exposure, so try and limit how much light you let into the camera: try using a smaller aperture value, for example. Lowering the ISO setting will also help you to limit the light, while using a slow shutter speed.

You will get a much better motion blur if you take your photos from the side window of a car, bus or train. Be aware that when you are moving, obstacles can suddenly appear in front of the camera, blocking your view.

As shaking of the camera can make motion blur, you may also consider vibrating the camera in the direction of movement. This will add a sense of motion to the photos.

You can also add motion blur to photos after they have been taking using basic photoshop tools. While this is of course not as good as taking motion pictures, this digital method is fairly simple and can be done in a few minutes.