Lesson video

Hello, my name is Mrs. Tipping and I'm really looking forward to learning with you today about exploring motion in picture taking.

We're going to do lots of thinking, talking and exploring together in this lesson.

So shall we get started? Let's go.

By the end of today's lesson, you will be able to capture moving subjects in your photographs.

Before we start, I would like to introduce you to some keywords we'll be using today.

Motion is the movement, specifically of a subject within a photograph.

Blur is the effect caused by moving either the camera or the subject whilst a photo is being taken.

Pause the video here to make a note of these keywords, and when you're ready to continue, press play.

These are the learning cycles that we'll be working through together in today's lesson: what is motion in photography? and exploring blur and freeze.

In this first learning cycle, we're going to take a look at what motion is in photography.

What do these photographs have in common? Pause the video here and have a discussion with your partner and press play when you're ready to continue.

What can you see that they have in common? Well, we can see that there is motion in these photographs, both in the cars on the road, and these children dancing In photography, motion refers to the way movement is made by the subject, the camera, or both, and how it is captured in the image.

A photographer can freeze action sharply or blur it creatively, depending on the intent and camera settings.

Let's take a moment to pause and check our understanding.

Motion in photography refers to the way movement is made by the subject.

Is this statement true or false? Pause the video here and give yourself a moment to think, and press play when you are ready to continue.

If you said that's false, you are absolutely right, but why is that false? Pause the video here and explain why the statement is false to your partner, and press play when you are ready to continue.

How did you explain it? Well, perhaps you said something like: Motion in photography refers to the way movement is captured or conveyed.

It's not the way the movement is made by the subject.

In the 19th century, as photography developed alongside the Industrial Revolution, European and American photographers began using it to analyse and capture motion scientifically.

Edward Muybridge, originally from England, but working in the United States, became famous for his photographic sequences of humans and animals in motion, such as the groundbreaking "The Horse in Motion," 1878.

Around the same time, Etienne-Jules Marey in France developed chronophotography, which layered multiple phases of movement into a single image.

Capturing movement in dance is one aspect of interest to photographers, such as Barbara Morgan, who captured motion in her images by photographing dancers with precise timing and dramatic lighting, preserving the peak of movement while conveying its rhythm and flow.

Lois Greenfield captures motion by photographing dancers midair, using split-second timing and lighting to freeze moments that reveal movement's energy.

Benji Reid captures motion in his images by choreographing dynamic poses and actions, then freezing them at their most expressive point to blur the line between movement and stillness.

Sofia says, "I captured my friend practising breakdancing.

He held the movement for a moment, but I wonder if I could also capture him in the middle of the motion." So we can see her friend practising the breakdancing here.

So how could you capture a form of dance? Pause the video here and have a discussion with your partner and press play when you are ready to continue.

How could you capture it? Well, you could freeze them at a particular moment so that you could blur the lines between that stillness and movement, or maybe even use that split-second timing to capture that interesting point in the dance.

Capturing movement in sport is another aspect of interest to photographers, including Samo Vidic, who uses motion and motion blur in sports photography to capture the speed and intensity of athletes, emphasising movement and energy while creating dynamic, visually striking images.

Hy Money, the UK's first female sports photographer captured the energy and motion of early women's football while breaking barriers in a male dominated field.

And Carol Newsom was the first woman photographer accredited on Wimbledon's Centre Court, capturing the sport's energy and emotion.

Aisha says, "I captured some sporting movements at the ice rink.

The blades left lines on the surface, which helps to show that there is movement." Which sporting moments could you capture? Pause the video here and have a discussion with your peers and press play when you are ready to continue.

Let's take a moment to pause and check our understanding.

Chronophotography is.

layered multiple phases of movement into a single image, layered a single movement into one image, or layered multiple phases of movement into multiple images? Pause the video here and give yourself a moment to think about the answer to this question, and press play when you are ready to continue.

If you said that chronophotography is layered multiple phases of movement into a single image, you are absolutely right.

Well done.

In Japan, the concept of motion in visual culture existed long before photography arrived in the mid-19th century.

In the 20th century, photographers like Hiroshi Sugimoto used long exposure techniques to blur the boundaries between time and stillness.

His work reflects a zen-inspired approach to motion, not dramatic or fast, but continuous and meditative.

Let's take a moment to pause and check our understanding.

Ukiyo-e prints are.

often depicted actual motion, often depicted implied motion, or often depicted dramatic motion? Pause the video here and give yourself a moment to think about how you'd finish this sentence, and press play when you are ready to continue.

If you said Ukiyo-e prints are often depicted implied motion, you are right.

Well done.

In India, the representation of motion has long been central to visual storytelling, as seen in temple carvings, classical dance, and religious festivals.

Early Indian photographers such as Homai Vyarawalla, used photography in the mid-20th century to freeze powerful political and cultural moments during India's independence movement.

Her candid portraits of crowds, protests, and public figures captured motion at a pivotal historical time.

Whereas Manobina Roy and Debalina Mazumdar captured candid moments of everyday street life.

Later, photojournalists like Raghu Rai used expressive motion blur in crowded street scenes, train stations, and religious processions to reflect the energy of Indian life.

Let's take a moment to pause and check our understanding.

Homai Vyarawalla used photography in the mid-20th century to.

promote powerful political and cultural divisions during India's independence movement, freeze powerful political and cultural moments during India's colonial history, freeze powerful political and cultural moments during India's independence movement? Pause the video here and discuss with your peers how you would finish this sentence and press play when you're ready to continue.

If you said to freeze powerful political and cultural moments during India's independence movement, you're right, well done.

In South America, photography has often served as cultural expression and resistance with motion playing a key role.

Sebastiao Salgado, one of Brazil's most influential photographers used carefully timed exposures to document human movement in migration, labour, and protest.

While many of his images are sharply frozen, the implied motion of people pushing against hardship adds emotional power.

Contemporary photographers from Brazil, Columbia, and Argentina use motion blur and street photography to express the rhythm of everyday life, such as samba dancers, street performers, or carnival celebrations.

Motion here becomes a language of identity, resilience and celebration.

Photographers across the globe use motion not just to document life, but to express emotion and challenge perception.

Techniques like long exposure, intentional blur, or panning are used in both fine art and commercial photography.

In cultures as diverse as South Korea, Ghana, Iran, and Canada, artists use motion to reflect themes of migration, spirituality, trauma and joy.

This now brings us to our first learning task.

I'd like you to choose one country and research, one photographer from that country who uses motion in their work.

You could answer the following questions in your sketchbook or research page: Who is the photographer? What kind of motion technique do they use? For example, long exposure, blur or panning.

What story or emotion are they trying to express? And how does their culture or environment influence their style? So pause the video here and give yourself enough time to have a go at this learning task, and press play when you're ready to continue.

How did you find that? Well, let's take a look at an example here.

"There are many possible outcomes, but I looked into Indian photographer Raghu Rai, known for his powerful photojournalism and street photography in India.

In his 1995 photo 'Local Commuters at Churchgate Railway Station, Mumbai,' he uses a long exposure to keep three men sitting still reading a newspaper sharp, while the rushing commuters around them appear as motion blur.

This shows the busy chaos of the station, but also creates a calm space in the middle.

Similarly in 'At a Bus Stop, Ahmedabad,' 1994, Rai captures people standing still while a truck and motorcycle blur past.

The motion blur adds energy and makes the photos more interesting than if everything were frozen.

I like his expressive style because it feels like you're inside the scene amongst the hustle and bustle." So well done for researching a photographer from a country that you chose that uses motion in their work.

This brings us to the second parts of our lesson.

We're going to explore blur and freeze.

This first image here shows freezing motion, and this second image here shows motion blur.

Take a look at those.

What differences can you see? Well, freezing motion: to capture a moving subject in crisp detail.

How do we do that? Well, by using a fast shutter speed.

And freezing motion is common in sports, wildlife, and action shots.

For example, a dancer might be caught mid-leap with every detail sharply defined.

Can you think of any other examples where freezing motion is used? Pause the video here and have a discussion with your peers, and press play when you're ready to continue.

What could you think of? Well, perhaps maybe a bird taking off in flight.

Now, motion blur emphasises the feeling of movement.

How to achieve that is to use a slower shutter speed and sometimes move the camera with the subject.

This is called panning.

It's common in creative photography, street scenes, light trails, and waterfalls.

For example, you might see a cyclist with a blurred background suggesting speed.

What other examples could you think of? Pause the video here and have a discussion with your partner and press play when you're ready to continue.

Let's take a moment to pause and check our understanding.

Which photo shows motion blur? Is it A, B, or C? Pause the video here and give yourself a moment to think and press play when you are ready to continue.

What did you think? If you said it's B, you are absolutely right.

Well done.

Now, key settings that affect motion capture are the shutter speed and the effect on the motion is the slower the shutter speed, the more blur, and the faster, more freeze.

Another setting is aperture and the effect on the motion can be an indirect role.

It helps control light when adjusting shutter speed.

And the ISO, the higher ISO can compensate for faster shutter in low light.

Let's take a moment to pause and check our understanding here.

Key settings that affect motion capture include.

shutter speed, aperture and ISO; shutter mode, brightness, contrast; focus, colour balance, zoom? Pause the video here and give yourself a moment to think about how you would finish this sentence and press play when you are ready to continue.

If you said shutter speed, aperture and ISO, you are absolutely right.

Well done.

This now brings us to our final learning task.

I'd like you to take photographs that explore freezing motion and motion blur.

You could take a photograph that freezes fast movement.

For example, jumping, running, dancing, or a falling object, and you could take a photograph that shows motion blur, for example, flowing water, traffic lights at night or spinning.

So pause the video here and give yourself enough time to have a go at this learning task, and press play when you're ready to continue.

How did you find that? Did you prefer freezing motion or motion blur? Well, let's have a look at an example here.

Jacob says, "I used a slow shutter speed to capture the spin movement on a fidget spinner.

I like the way it changes the way the texture of the spinner looks." And here Sofia says, "I captured my friend doing hurdles using a fast shutter speed and a high ISO." So well done for having a go at taking some photographs, exploring freezing motion and motion blur.

Before we finish this lesson, let's summarise what we've learned about picture taking through motion.

Motion in photography refers to the way movement is captured or conveyed.

It can freeze action sharply or blur.

European and American photographers began using motion photography to analyse and capture motion scientifically.

Many visual cultures have long used motion to express meaning.

Motion is no longer just about technique, it's a form of visual storytelling.

Thank for joining me in this lesson today.

I hope to see you in the next one.

See you next time.