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45 Beautiful Motion Blur Photos
Photos taken with a camera do not represent a single moment of time. Due to technological constraints these shots stand for some scene over a brief period of time. This time frame depends on the camera’s shutter speed. In motion blur, any object moving with respect to the camera will look blurred or smeared along the direction of relative motion.
Motion blur is frequently used to show a sense of speed. You can artificially achieve this effect in a usual scene using cameras with a slow shutter speed. Also Adobe Photoshop can be used for this purpose, though sometimes images may look unnatural and unprofessional. You may want to take a look at resources provided in the end of the article — they show how one can add the motion blur effect in photos.
This article presents 45 beautiful examples of motion blur in photography. This showcase isn’t supposed to be the ultimate and complete selection of motion blur images — it is supposed to provide you with some inspiration of what can be done with motion blur. All pictures are linked to the author’s pages. You may want to explore further works of the photographers we’ve featured below.
Related posts:
- Beautiful Black and White Photography
- 35 Fantastic HDR Pictures
- (Really) Stunning Pictures and Photos
- Let There Be Light: Light Painting and Sculptures
[Offtopic: by the way, do you know the Smashing Network has its own Smashing Network RSS Feed? Only excerpts are displayed in the feed.]
Beauty of Motion Blur
Last Click
The picture presented below is not motion blur, yet it somehow fits to the post. The picture is titled “Meaning of Life”.
Further Resources
Area for further articles and related resources.
- How to create a fast car in Adobe Photoshop using Motion Blur
- How to Capture Motion Blur in Photography
The natural way to create motion blur using cameras - How to create Motion Blur
An Adobe Photoshop tutorial. - Top Best 55 Photoshop Tutorials For Professional Photographers
- Adobe Photoshop Tutorials – Best Of
- 35 Fantastic HDR Pictures
- How to Capture Motion Blur in Photography
- Glow Flickr Pool
- Blurred Flickr Pool
- Motion Blur Flickr Pool
Related articles
You may also want to take a look at the related articles which we have published earlier:
Vailancio Rodrigues, born and currently living in scenic beauty of Goa, spent most of his childhood in art and creativity. At present a College student who likes to try and do different things at every moment. Also an webmaster and web designer – Tiny Goa and Pixel Art.
(3 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
Loading ...- 133 Comments
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August 24th, 2008 2:15 pmYep, boy with tands and dog are very expressive.
- 3August 24th, 2008 2:16 pm
Very nice collection! I particularly like the rocket launch and the ones involving traffic.
- 4August 24th, 2008 2:18 pm
Very nice post, love the rocket launch one
- 5August 24th, 2008 2:18 pm
Some excellent photos…..especially Ghost Train and Bisecting the Moonrise.
- motionblur. ;)
- 6August 24th, 2008 2:19 pm
yay, nice one
- 7August 24th, 2008 2:21 pm
Excellent collection :D
Mali - 8
- 9August 24th, 2008 3:40 pm
just what i needed on a rainy sunday. thanks!
- 10August 24th, 2008 7:05 pm
nice post !
shows you how much can really be done by using motion blur… keep up the great articles !!
- 11
- 12August 24th, 2008 7:25 pm
sorry i have write bad the code :-)
- 13August 24th, 2008 7:45 pm
Good post
Some of them are really inspirational,hmm… I dint see any motion blur in the last one
- 14August 24th, 2008 8:32 pm
Didn’t really see anything here up to the usual Smashing mag standard. This is all very predictable stuff. Found this Photographer tho who sems to really get motion blur ;
- 15August 24th, 2008 8:50 pm
The last one is depth of field, not motion blur.
- 16August 24th, 2008 8:56 pm
honestly, i did expect to be impressed or even moved by the pictures….but wow…these are just brilliant…much respect to the original artists…and of course you for sharing this great find.
- 17August 24th, 2008 9:13 pm
Nice… hows about a posting about Government web design standards? Lot of people would love something on that.
- 18August 24th, 2008 9:27 pm
beautiful,, very immpresive..
- 19August 24th, 2008 9:33 pm
The guy on the dirt bike photo was lame. Looks like a 14 year old went to town with Photoshop.
- 20August 24th, 2008 9:44 pm
No motion blur to speak of on the shark image.
- 21August 24th, 2008 9:52 pm
lovely :)
- 22August 24th, 2008 10:26 pm
A great list and some beautiful and creative photos. Thanks!
- 23August 24th, 2008 10:39 pm
@Brian: “The guy on the dirt bike photo was lame. Looks like a 14 year old went to town with Photoshop.”
-That effect is achieved by manually zooming the lens while taking a lengthy exposure; the technique has been around long before Photoshop. Sorry the 14 year olds ruined it for you.
- 24August 24th, 2008 10:50 pm
okokokok
- 25August 24th, 2008 11:04 pm
@jack: “-That effect is achieved by manually zooming the lens while taking a lengthy exposure; the technique has been around long before Photoshop. Sorry the 14 year olds ruined it for you.”
I’d say the rather hard line between blurry/non-blurry parts of the image, combined with the fact that the clear portion is oval-shaped, is a good indicator of the shot’s shoppedness. Verdict: Brian wins.
- 26August 24th, 2008 11:14 pm
beautiful…i like the one involves water and light effects…
- 27August 24th, 2008 11:26 pm
thats awsome…. good work!
- 28
- 29August 25th, 2008 12:20 am
Impressive pictures. Nice!
- 30August 25th, 2008 12:20 am
insane :-) I love them !
- 31
- 32August 25th, 2008 12:44 am
awesome collection
- 33August 25th, 2008 1:04 am
Simply Impressive ! Normally I comment on a particular thing that I like / don’t like but this time I am literally stuck for words. The only words that come to mind are : amazing, wonderful, brilliant ! A truly inspirational post indeed !
- 34August 25th, 2008 2:23 am
That dog is hilarious. :D
- 35August 25th, 2008 2:37 am
Most of the photos aren’t technically “motion blur” but time-lapse captures. Two different things.
- 36August 25th, 2008 2:47 am
Gr8 Collection of pics really inspiring!!
- 37August 25th, 2008 3:02 am
Such amazing and varied subjects this is one of the best collections I have seen in a while.
Reccomended
- 38August 25th, 2008 3:06 am
Gomi – Time-lapse photography is when many pictures of a scene are taken at regular intervals, usually over an extended period of time. Think pictures of a plant growing, and the shots composited into a movie showing the plant’s growth over several days/weeks.
But some of the material here is low quality/irrelevant/photoshopped – the author of the post has opted for quantity over quality.
The picture of the shark and fish has no motion blur, and the motorbike & gun photos look very photoshopped.
All but about 3 of the photos are from flickr – must have been such hard work to go to flickr and search for “motion blur”. Sorry, but this is a very low quality & lazy ‘article’.
- 39August 25th, 2008 3:15 am
Good Work. Reuters is the best
- 40August 25th, 2008 3:29 am
Wow! The one with the kid being spun around is an waward winner for sure! Beautiful.
- 41August 25th, 2008 4:41 am
I can feel the smashing,
- 42August 25th, 2008 4:53 am
Amazing motions, would been great if it was in a large size! it wont fit my 24″ iMac screen.
- 43August 25th, 2008 5:23 am
way cool!
- 44August 25th, 2008 6:48 am
I loved the rocket one. =3
- 45August 25th, 2008 7:40 am
Pretty weak post.
- 46August 25th, 2008 7:53 am
That swing ride picture reminds me of the cover of DMB – “Under the Table and Dreaming”
DMB CD Cover - 47August 25th, 2008 9:11 am
beautiful pictures! yea the dog’s awesome
- 48August 25th, 2008 9:12 am
Nice article. Good way to start a Monday.
- 49August 25th, 2008 9:39 am
Many of these photographs are copyrighted and do not allow you to reproduce them here, particularly when SM is heavily pushing advertising and generating revenue from this type of content. Unless SM is rewarding the artists who spent time creating these works…which I’m sure it’s not.
Eye candy is money, you’re all hooked on eye candy, SM is filling its pockets thanks to you :)
- 50August 25th, 2008 2:48 pm
wow!
- 51August 25th, 2008 4:21 pm
Aww really nice!
I’d buy a photocamera only to go around and play with these amazing effects… If only i weren’t so lazy. :) - 52August 25th, 2008 4:49 pm
I should put up a pic of what a dog’s eye looks like after it’s been hit with a pebble at 50mph. Gross and badbadbad.
One word- Doggles!
- 53August 25th, 2008 6:43 pm
reminds me of slow motion cameras
- 54August 25th, 2008 8:36 pm
“http://media.smashingmagazine.com/cdn_smash/images/motion-blur/Blurred%20vision.jpg”
No motionblur.
- 55August 25th, 2008 10:29 pm
@ Jason R.
It IS the swing ride pictured on the cover of DMB’s CD.uh..oh crap. Now the song Ants Marching just got lodged in my head. Great..
Nice post. That crazy photo above the first guy on the bike is rock. It’s just abstract enough to be right up my alley.
- 56August 26th, 2008 2:31 am
I loved the one with the rocks!
/Swede
- 57August 26th, 2008 3:31 am
Thanks SmashingMagazine … I m glad that my website is been a part of SM Content !
- 58August 26th, 2008 6:05 am
Wirklich tolle Bilder mit Langzeitbelichtung.
Grüße
Andreas - 59August 26th, 2008 8:15 am
wow… amazing
- 60August 26th, 2008 10:12 am
re motorcycle pic: interesting how you can see the knobs on the tires but the back ground is blurred – that would have to be one very fast zoom to blur the background and capture the tire.
Agreed: photoshop
- 61
- 62August 26th, 2008 6:07 pm
漂亮！
- 63
- 64August 27th, 2008 12:36 am
thanks!
- 65August 27th, 2008 4:52 am
epic
- 66August 27th, 2008 6:16 am
Really enjoyed them. Awesome.
- 67August 27th, 2008 7:32 am
one word “COOL”
i really liked the picture of the dog and cityscapes
- 68August 27th, 2008 7:33 am
cool pics
i really liked the picture of the dog and cityscape
- 69August 27th, 2008 9:50 am
Wow! A lot of these pictures are Really incredible!!
- 70August 27th, 2008 11:01 am
As the copyright owner of the third picture in your collection, I would have appreciated your asking permission to use it and an attribution to it and these other photographs as to them being the property (and used by permission of) the various photographers AND NOT works of the authors of this article.
Please REMOVE my picture from this collection as you DO NOT have my permission to use it.
Thank you!
Rick Post
- 71August 27th, 2008 1:22 pm
none are as good as my humanoid ghostbat: http://missionmission.wordpress.com/2008/03/10/humanoid-ghostbat-sighted/
- 72August 27th, 2008 2:29 pm
If your looking for a good photography tutorial or photography training site, http://www.hobopublishing.com is a really good one. They offer training on portraits, nudes, weddings, and alot more. They also have some stuff on lighting setups and posing guides. Check em’ out. The programs they have are real easy to use and very interactive. Hope that helps some.
- 73August 28th, 2008 10:25 am
nice! reminds me of this shot I took a while back with my younger brother and a beer bottle Breath of Fire. Thanks for sharing this set. Inspirational as always :)MakeDesign,NotWar
- 74August 28th, 2008 2:06 pm
There is no motion blur on 13th photo
- 75August 28th, 2008 3:45 pm
He`s got madskills, what software did he use and camera ?
- 76August 28th, 2008 8:33 pm
I enjoy the photos. I do agree with one photographer that you should ask before using OUR photos. I only found out because the “Meaning of Life” spiked in views. That being said. Thanks. And Wow! There are some nasty people in this world. Makes me at times want to be surrounded by barbwire to protect me from them. Breathtakingphotos…..Sean Gloster
- 77August 29th, 2008 2:29 am
I really enjoy this collection, anybody can post some other categories which has excellent collection.
- 78August 29th, 2008 5:29 am
thats gr8 !!
i really liked them !!
- 79August 30th, 2008 4:28 am
Great work, except the ones ‘photoshoped’ pic, THE MOTORBIKE.
Filters > Blur > Radial Blur > Zoom
—————————————————————
Gran trabajo, a excepción de la foto ‘photoshopeada’, LA MOTO.
Filtros > Desenfoque > Radial > Zoom - 80August 30th, 2008 3:22 pm
Very impressive! Thank you for sharing!
- 81August 31st, 2008 3:55 am
Simply Wow
- 82September 1st, 2008 10:50 am
Inspiring collection indeed. Great works!
Can I humbly link some shots of mine? :)
lightStreams - 83September 2nd, 2008 8:50 am
Nice sets of collections, if it is ok with you can I link my photoblog? PinoyClicks
- 84September 3rd, 2008 7:58 am
Excellent post. Excellent magazine. Please please please never go away. Thanks.
- 85September 5th, 2008 6:46 pm
wft?!
how teh fack, did that guy take the picture holding on to that kid WHEN
he was holding on to it with two hands?i say third hand-itus.
- 86September 9th, 2008 7:55 am
really re its a proven fact tat ure genious……………………………..
- 87September 9th, 2008 8:39 pm
( O.o)y-~~To much good photographers. I’m jalous!
- 88September 11th, 2008 12:38 pm
Im working on it :)
- 89September 16th, 2008 6:59 pm
While I appreciate that one of my photos was blogged here; however, many of those photos above picked from various Flickr photostreams are copyright photos. For those copyright photos, I do agree that the editor(s) should have the courtesy to ask the original photographer(s) for permission before republishing their content else where. I was never asked, but if I was, I would have said yes. It’s just common courtesy.
- 90September 17th, 2008 2:36 am
Really amazing!
- 91September 25th, 2008 7:17 am
smashingmagazine you are the best.
i send this page to more than 1000 people.
thanks.
and this is my site: Beautiful Pictures - 92
- 93October 8th, 2008 2:23 am
pls send buautiful phos & links
- 94October 8th, 2008 10:41 pm
Can somebody kindly explain to me how the mud slide picture was taken? Is this panning? How do I create such an effect?
- 95October 11th, 2008 5:09 pm
Hi, wow!
I love these shots. I want to learn how to take that sort of thing with my new camera. Thanks for posting these photos. - 96October 12th, 2008 10:17 pm
amazing
- 97October 24th, 2008 3:01 am
interesting picture it very niceeeeeeeeee…
- 98November 11th, 2008 9:29 pm
nice
- 99November 15th, 2008 5:51 am
very-very prestigious, thanks
- 100November 17th, 2008 9:07 am
nice selection of photos!!! I am very excited to go out and play a bit with my camera now!! :D
- 101November 17th, 2008 7:25 pm
very very good stuff, this.
- 102November 18th, 2008 12:30 am
I have to agree that there are a few obviously PS’d images. The Motorbike image is a classic beginner PS attempt. The zoom lines lead into the helmet and all into the bike period. A zoomed exposure (in or out) would not look like this when the bike is moving at the rate it is.
How would you get the shutter speed to be so long in the light conditions and zoom for that length effect? I also completely agree with others regarding usage. Please ask permission.
Lastly on a light note: Where do you draw the line on shutter speed when you call it Motion Blur or Timed Exposure? Responses? - 103November 18th, 2008 4:30 am
Regarding use of Rick Post’s (aka CapturedLight on Flickr) image. Technically SM hasn’t seemed to have copied your image, merely embedded a link to your publicly displayed image.
It’s a great image and I understand your disappointment, but if you don’t want to risk others exploiting your prized images, you shouldn’t have them on Flickr in the first place.
Rather, a Flash based online gallery is your safest bet.
On the other hand, you are receiving kudos just by your image being here, so maybe that’s not a bad trade off.
I came to this link via a newsletter from http://www.photojojo.com, which a has a pretty huge following, so expect more clicks coming your way. Good Luck.
- 104November 18th, 2008 4:27 pm
Nice Posting on Motion Blur . !!!
- 105November 23rd, 2008 8:03 am
so cool these pics r so cute :)
like me
lol - 106November 27th, 2008 9:05 pm
wonderful images..I like..
- 107December 3rd, 2008 4:37 pm
wow this pictures are amazing!
would you mind making a little time and maybe telling the names of the people who toke those motion blurs? - 108December 9th, 2008 4:24 am
Extraordinary
- 109December 12th, 2008 8:48 am
Incredible… yea, I don’t see any motion blur on the last one. I’m a rookie photographer and I can’t wait til I manage to know how to do those things.
Great Job!
- 110
- 111January 4th, 2009 10:47 am
Es increible lo que se puede lograr con una camara fotografica, (bueno no solo con la camara) tambien con la creatividad. Exelente muy inspiradoras
- 112January 12th, 2009 12:21 am
Awsome selection!
- 113January 12th, 2009 5:51 am
Amazing Homi u got my Heart
- 114January 13th, 2009 6:49 am
Nice! I’ve played around with blur photo myself…a little less representational than most of what is here.
Blurstrations:
http://www.photo-genesis.net/gallery.php?galleryid=9155 - 115January 14th, 2009 5:34 am
holy crap!
- 116January 16th, 2009 2:36 am
wow………totally beautiful………..
- 117January 23rd, 2009 9:24 pm
Fantastic images!!!!!!!! cool effects !!!!!!!!!! inspirational
- 118February 5th, 2009 5:58 pm
I really falled in love with your fhotos!!!
Congratulations.
Saludos desde México. - 119February 22nd, 2009 5:14 pm
ASSCLOWN
- 120February 24th, 2009 9:43 pm
Cool
Willy Yanto Wijaya
- 121March 8th, 2009 8:20 am
These scenes are very much inspired me .
- 122April 7th, 2009 8:54 pm
wow nice pics
- 123April 17th, 2009 11:09 am
i like blur…
- 124April 19th, 2009 7:39 pm
wow!……what a wonderful amazing pictures!
- 125April 21st, 2009 2:01 am
Love the dice. Awesome shot
- 126April 30th, 2009 12:25 pm
very nice ;;;;;cool effect ;;; i love the effect of 1st,14st and 16
- 127May 12th, 2009 6:57 am
these all suck nastay bawlz.
- 128July 9th, 2009 5:51 am
Some great photos!
but what would be even more useful is to know what cameras were used to take these photos and what settings were used? So that we can actually learn how to take shots like this.
Thanks smashing mag as always. Keep up the good work!
- 129July 15th, 2009 11:46 am
Newbie question: How were these pictures created? Is it a matter of shutter speed?
- 130August 4th, 2009 11:32 am
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Nike Air Force 1is fit for
all index!The Neon 95 AF1is Unique.The Low AF1and the Mid AF1 are popular!You can get more informations here:http://www.weblog88.com - 131August 4th, 2009 1:13 pm
the pics are amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- 132August 15th, 2009 7:28 pm
they where soooooooooo koooool!………………the best best best eva
- 133October 13th, 2009 10:28 pm
nice. i love those ones
- 00
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Nice post, very inspirational!