How do you create a portrait with blurred background light overlaying the subject?

Question

In a portrait like this, the blue background light seems to smear across the model’s hair and the back of the chair, while the subject still looks sharp. What lighting and camera technique could create that effect, and how could it be reproduced?

user7079 · Accepted Answer

Probably, the effect might be achieved with the help of slow sync flash method (a combination of slow shutter speed and firing flash). Not much lighting involved other than the on-camera flash.
As the subject is crisp when the flash is fired and the blur caused with the long shutter speed. The reflections on the lips confirm that the flash is fired.

Reproduction: Being more accurate the effect might have used rear curtain Sync. In this the model might have moved slightly front after the shutter is pressed (probably with chair, as overlays are on chair also) and then flash that is fired at the end of the capture would have frozen the subject sharply. This effect can be reproduced on an moving subject, with motion effect by the same time freezing the subject.

A lot more images can be found here: http://www.flickr.com/groups/slowsynch/pool/

How do you create a portrait with blurred background light overlaying the subject?

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