Move Your Camera to Create Motion Blur
Here is another quick post from the our Breaking Rules of Photography series of posts - this time on moving your camera during exposure.
One of the most common tips that are given in photography tutorials is to ’secure your camera’.
Usually the method is by attaching your camera to a tripod or monopod to avoid camera shake - however purposeful camera shake can actually give an image a sense of movement, excitement and energy. It can also result in shots with a more ‘candid’ or ‘voyeuristic’ feel.
You might want to do this simply by selecting a shutter speed that is slightly slower than normal and moving your camera during the exposure. In fact with even just slightly slower shutter speed than normal just trying to handhold your camera while taking your shot will probably give it the effect that you’re looking for.
In a sense, panning is an example of this - as is camera tossing…. (not for the faint hearted).



12 Responses to “Move Your Camera to Create Motion Blur”
September 4th, 2007 at 10:40 am
Cool technique =)
Just wanted to point out I don’t think that’s a Johnny Blood photo (even those his photos are also amazing!).
September 4th, 2007 at 4:17 pm
Yeah, i use this technique sometimes. Other possibility is to use zoom when taking photo (with slow shutter speed).
September 4th, 2007 at 5:06 pm
Taking pictures from a moving car is also a lot of fun — especially if it’s dark outside and there are lots of lights around.
September 5th, 2007 at 1:03 am
A helpful post, thank you.
Even though it is not digital, I still enjoy using a Lomo to take interesting motion shots.
September 5th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
Nice idea, in fact sometimes make a blur shot create a great image, greater than a sharp one. Unfortunatly, my camera has not manual focus zoom, so i can’t make that kind of photos that i would like to do… :-(
September 6th, 2007 at 12:03 am
Chris Coyier: Yes, it’s not a Johnny Blood photo because of this photo is mine :) I already sent a message to Darren Rowse about this mistake and hope he correct this mistake soon,
Cheers!
Andrey (aka klevo! @ flickr)
September 6th, 2007 at 7:07 am
Please, change the image title. This photo doesn’t belong to Johnny Blood. This shot has been made by my fiend. His name is Andrew. Thank you.
September 6th, 2007 at 7:08 am
Sorry about that Andrey - it’s fixed now!
September 6th, 2007 at 5:25 pm
thanks, Darren! :)
March 6th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
Pl.tell me about how to do blurre photography, & what`s the setting of camera, I am using Nikon D40X
April 17th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
I mostly use my 2 mega pix mobile phone for taking pictures. i tried the above and it worked grate
January 1st, 2009 at 8:51 am
In reference to “Camera Tossing” in the article about moving your camera to create motion… Has anyone tried a more secure and less dangerous method of securing your DSL to a bungie cord and letting it fly? I havent tried it yet but intend to. I’m wondering what the results might look like as compared to the worrysome method of just tossing it up and hoping for a good catch.
Leave a Reply