Using Motion to Enhance an Image

When photographing with my older point and shoot camera, the effect of motion was never something I gave much thought.  This is probably because capturing or blurring motion wasn't something that was able to be controlled.  With the DSLR, we have the ability to control so many more factors of an image that it can almost be overwhelming.  In addition to the contribution of shutter speed to exposure, through varying the shutter speed it is possible to either freeze motion or introduce blur into an image.  The amount of motion introduced is up to the photographer. 


If motion is introduced into an image, it is important that the introduction is obvious and intentional to enhance the image, not that the image is just out of focus or contains camera shake.  Typically for images photographed without flash, if the shutter speed is faster than 1/(focal length), camera shake will be eliminated.  The motion organic to an image and camera shake are two separate cases.  In this post we are talking about the organic motion only.  Leaving some parts of the image sharp will accomplish the task of guaranteeing the motion was intentional.  The hard part of introducing motion into just a portion of the image can be determining how fast the subject is moving.  In many cases several shots will need to be taken to help determine the rate of motion. 


When I went out for this walk in Georgetown along the canal my intention was not to look for subjects with motion.  The nice thing about not having a specific subject in mind is that you can wander and photograph whatever inspires you.  This experience it happened to be the ducks.  I don't know much about duck patterns but this was really something to watch.  The ducks would stand up out of the water and flap their wings wildly.  In some cases it looked like the ducks were conducting a symphony.  Introducing motion really helps bring out some emotion.

 

 
The amount of motion introduced into an image can, in some cases, detract from an image, and in other cases really improve an image.  Generally, if the subject is in motion, a more interesting image results if some motion is introduced.  In the end it is really just a matter of personal opinion.



So next time you are going to photograph a subject in motion think about adding a little blur to your image, you may just like the result...

Happy Photographing