How can I create blurred moving clock hands in Photoshop?
Asked 12/23/2014
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I saw an image of a clock where the hands appear motion-blurred, like a long-exposure photo. How can I recreate that effect in Photoshop? Ideally I want the blur to look like rotating clock hands rather than blurring the whole clock face.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
11y ago
2 Answers
9
It's just the Radial Blur filter. However, if the idea is to replicate a slow shutter speed blurring the motion of the hands, it's poorly executed, because the entire clock face is blurred. Only the hands move, so only the hands should be blurred.
Originally by user3205. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user3205
11y ago
0
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Use a rotational blur rather than a standard directional blur. In Photoshop, the relevant tools are:
- Spin Blur: Filter > Blur Gallery > Spin Blur
- Or a Radial Blur set to a spinning effect
For a realistic result, apply the blur only to the clock hands, because the face and body of the clock do not move. A convincing workflow is:
- Select the clock hands.
- Put them on their own layer or mask them.
- Apply Spin Blur (or Radial Blur) centered on the clock’s pivot point.
- Adjust the blur amount until it looks like a slow shutter exposure.
If you blur the entire clock, it will look incorrect unless the whole clock itself is rotating.
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AI11y ago
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