How to Create a Convincing Motion Blur using Photoshop

Are you a Photographic purest, or are you the type of Photographer who likes to challenge the imagination through the medium of Composite Photography?

For the Photographic purest, this video tutorial on how to create a convincing Motion Blur using Photoshop may not be for you.

But for those Photographers looking for Photoshop tips and tricks to sell your Compositing ideas better, creating Motion Blur in Photoshop is a must.

From this video, you should walk away with two main points:

How to create a convincing Motion Blur.
The Reality of Imagination.

Now, let’s speed things up and make some Motion Blurs.

The Reality of Imagination

I’d like to start this tutorial off with a short conversation on the Reality of creating Imaginary worlds.

There are two (2) types of Composite Photographers…

Those who create Realistic Worlds.
Those who create Imaginary Worlds.

The Real World

Photographers who use Composite Photography to create Photo Realistic worlds, where it’s difficult to differentiate between Reality and Imaginary, are hyper-focused on recreating exactly what you see.

editorial portrait of leatherman odin clack by dallas portrait photographer jason ulsrud

This Editorial Portrait was Composited using 3 different images with full attention to realistic details.

The Imaginary World

For those Photographers who use Composite Photography to challenge the imagination and create make-believe worlds, we use Photoshop to help sell our 3-dimensional ideas in a 2-dimensional image.

rick fairless of strokers dallas portrait after it was fixed by dallas portrait photographer, jason ulsrud

This Creative Family Portrait was Composited using 44 different images with many liberties taken to emphasize an idea.

Convincing Motion Blur

In my Composite Photography, I use Motion Blur a lot to help me translate the idea of motion through a static 2D medium, the Photograph.

I create images to be Experienced, not to just be looked at.

A Photographic Composite without the Motion Blur, while still good, reads as a Photograph, failing to engage the viewer in an experience.

Motion Blur symbolizes the idea of motion, which in turn brings the viewer into the frame, allowing them to Experience the story being told.

composite photography using no motion blur

composite photography portrait of manson family by dallas portrait photographer, jason ulsrud

As you can clearly see in these two Composited images, while the image without Motion Blur is good, the image with Motion Blur is far more engaging, leaving you wanting to know more.

My job as a Portrait Photographer who specializes in Composite Photography is to create imaginary worlds that make my clients Happier and Smile.

That’s a Wrap

Every Composited Portrait I create is done with less regard for what’s normal or real, and more regard for what feels good.

If it feels right and makes me happy, I do it.

I hope you walk away from this article and video tutorial with a better understanding of how to create a convincing Motion Blur, and more importantly, do what makes you happy.