Motion Blur is my favorite way to capture emotion and make you feel like witnessing a love sequence from your favorite indie-movie.

Big main character energy.


John's little sister, Lauren, and my sister, Michelle, both of whom are not photographers, took all the below photos.

Anyone can do this, but it takes a few tries and a little bit of patience.


My gear:

  • Camera: Canon EOS R
  • Lens: Sigma Art 35mm 1.4
  • Mount Adapter EF-EOS R


This gear is pricey, but you can use any camera and lens that you can manually change settings on or you can shoot this on an iPhone

  • Download the Lightroom app on your photo.
  • Open up the Camera inside the app
  • Click on "Professional"
  • Where it says "Sec" adjust the settings anywhere from 1/15 1/30 sec.


Camera Settings:

  • Set your camera to Shutter Priority mode. (TV for Canon)
  • Keep your ISO at 100
  • Set your shutter speed to 1/15 -1/30 sec. (You can adjust this to however you like to get the effect that you like the best. The slower the shutter speed, the more the blur)
  • You need to pan your camera at the same speed as your moving subject. This is the most challenging part and will take multiple takes. Don't give up after a few tries, just keep playing!


Editing:

I get most of my inspiration from movies and TV. Editing can be a really easy or frustrating experience. To help myself out, I use reference image while shooting and editing.


I know that most people like very cohesive feeds using one consistent filter. But I really love playing with colors and giving each photo it's one unique editing.


I use light Lightroom to edit and this can be a 10-hour course so I'll just give you the basics.


For "Vintage" or "Looks like film" edits:

  • Crush the black just a little bit on the tone curve
  • Reduce the contrast
  • Add grain
  • Play with color grading by using the Tone Curve, Split-Toning, HSL Sliders.
  • Use black and white
  • Use the Tezza App
  • Buy presets from creators that inspire you. My favorite creators are Tezza, Jessica Janae, & Ty French. They all sell presets.
  • Shoot in lighting that best inspires your editing style. For me, I prefer low-light.


Styling:

One of the most overlooked parts of photography is styling and using colors that help the story. You couldn't make a period piece movie without set and costume design. It's the same for photography. My bike and basket have a natural vintage feel that help me create the look. Props and clothing are your best friend in photography.


Let me know if you have any other questions. Good luck! And please tag me in your images. I would love to see all of your creations.


XOXO

CK