05 Edit in motion
Use the Motion Blur tool in Photoshop to create a dream-like atmosphere.
Motion blur in all its forms can be used to make an image more dynamic. Here, photographer Trace Hudson wanted to draw the eye towards certain elements, using some editing tricks rather than creating the effect in-camera. “The easiest way to get this blur effect is using the Motion Blur tool in Photoshop, using a mask to keep the train and the man in focus.” @tracehudson_
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“While waiting for a train, I watched as someone started walking towards the track with an umbrella. I immediately had the idea to create a composite with the man and the train in different areas of the composition, to create a more compelling image.”
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Trace waited to catch an image of the next train. “It was… dark so I had to shoot at wide aperture and high ISO to capture details. I also had to shoot with a high shutter speed to ensure there was no blurring.” He used a 1/500sec, f/2.8 and ISO 5000.
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Trace then stacked the two images together and used Layer Masks to brush the train into the image. “I knew the details did not have to be perfect as I would be adding the motion blur to a majority of the image.”
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“I then applied a vertical Motion Blur to the entire image. I applied a Layer Mask and brushed in the train and the man so the motion blur would not apply to them. After adding the blur I made adjustments to the colour, contrast, and split toning to make the image cooler while keeping the highlights bright – specifically street lights and the train headlights.”