How can I create portraits with motion blur around a sharp subject?
Asked 1/9/2011
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I often see images where there is visible motion blur in the scene, but the subject still appears relatively sharp. These shots are sometimes made at slow shutter speeds, even around 1 second. Is this mainly done in post-processing, or is it created in-camera? I tried it at 24mm, f/2.8, 1/20s, ISO 100, but my result was poor. What technique should I use to improve this effect?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
15y ago
2 Answers
13
To add to what rfusca stated in his answer, you should look into using second-curtain flash. Flash is also a powerful action-stopping tool, but is often overlooked. When using flash, the pulse is only a tiny fraction of a second long, and usually occurs when the front curtain of the shutter opens.
To capture motion blur, but also freeze the subject's motion, second curtain flash sync can be used. Rather than firing the flash pulse when the shutter initially opens, using second-curtain sync will fire the flash pulse a moment before the shutter closes. When combined with "slower" shutter speeds, such as 1/30th of a second (or slower...depends on how much motion blur you want), the flash will freeze your subject clearly at the end of the exposure time.
Second certain flash sync is used to great effect in areas like sports. Most of us have seen those fantastic shots of a baseball player running for base, with a beautiful trail of motion blur behind them. Or of a basketball player flying in for the dunk, motion blur showing their trajectory. An excellent example of this is this cyclist racing around a corner (found via Bing...no reference site):
I would give second curtain flash sync a try. If you are close to your subjects, you will probably want to dial down the flash power (flash exposure compensation). You don't really want the primary lighting to be from the flash...you just want to use it to freeze your subject.
Here are some resources that might help you out:
- Slow Sync Flash
- Digital Photography School article
- Motion Blur & Freezing Movement
- Excellent PDF reference document
- The Importance of Flash Sync Speed
- Ken Rockwell
Originally by user124. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user124
15y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
This effect is usually created in-camera, not in post. Two common techniques are:
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panning: Use a slower shutter speed and smoothly follow the subject with the camera as they move. If your camera motion matches the subject’s motion, the subject can stay relatively sharp while the background blurs. A good starting point is around 1/30s, then adjust from there. It works best when the subject moves clearly across your frame rather than toward or away from you. Continuous AF or pre-focusing can help.
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second-curtain flash: With a slow shutter speed, ambient light records motion blur during the exposure, then the flash fires just before the shutter closes, freezing the subject at the end of the movement. This is a classic way to get blur plus a sharp subject.
Expect a low hit rate at first—this technique often takes many attempts. Smooth camera movement and timing matter a lot. A monopod or tripod may help with consistency, but the key is matching your movement to the subject and experimenting with shutter speed.
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