Blurry For The Better

One of the great skills to have as a photographer is the ability to compose an image so that the "story is told".

As you may know, there are a number of theories that can be useful in regard to photographic composition: the rule of thirds, use of leading lines, harmony, anchor points, perspective, the rule of odds, and so on.

With these theories in mind, one of the ways of achieving an effective composition is by careful 'placement' of subjects within the image by aiming the lens at a certain spot, or by sometimes physically moving the subjects (or in the case of people, asking them to move) in a particular way.

Composition can also be aided by using some of the 'trickery' available by the camera itself, for instance by 'manipulation' of shutter speed and aperture to achieve such effects as light trails, bokeh or motion blur.

I recently saw a photo of young athlete, Sanya Richards, in one of the NYT slideshows. It is an excellent example of composition by use of motion blur. It's a fairly simple photo, with what appears to be just the right amount of motion blur on the athlete's body and the background.

Your attention is immediately drawn to Sanya's intense facial expression and her fluttering hair, which is the only part of the photo that is in such sharp focus - no mean feat! The blur on her body, particularly her arms and legs, conveys a real sense of speed. Just beautiful.

Kudos to the photographer: Fabrice Coffrini !