New
New
Lesson 5 of 9
  • Year 10

Picture taking: motion

I can capture moving subjects in my photographs.

Lesson 5 of 9
New
New
  • Year 10

Picture taking: motion

I can capture moving subjects in my photographs.

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Motion in photography refers to the way movement is captured or conveyed.
  2. European and American photographers began using motion photography to analyse and capture motion scientifically.
  3. Many visual cultures have long used motion to express meaning.
  4. Motion is no longer just about technique, it’s a form of visual storytelling.

Keywords

  • Motion - movement, specifically of a subject within a photograph

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

Common misconception

Photographers can't control the way movement is depicted in their photographs.

Photographers can freeze action sharply or blur it creatively, depending on the photographer’s intent.


To help you plan your year 10 art and design lesson on: Picture taking: motion, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Encourage students to reflect on how motion can communicate mood or cultural meaning, not just technical skill.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Camera.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

Loading...

Prior knowledge starter quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the words to their meanings.

Correct Answer:depth,how far away a subject is when referring to an image

how far away a subject is when referring to an image

Correct Answer:aperture,the hole that lets light into the camera, controlling depth of field

the hole that lets light into the camera, controlling depth of field

Correct Answer:focus,how sharp or blurred a subject appears

how sharp or blurred a subject appears

Q2.
Which setting on your camera should you use to make sure your subject can be seen clearly and is not blurred?

Correct answer: focus ring
aperture controls
flash

Q3.
Which of these are a way to control depth of field?

a tripod
a phone camera
Correct answer: a telephoto lens

Q4.
For shooting a street scene you should use a lower f-stop.

True
Correct answer: False

Q5.
When taking a photograph, subjects at different distances from the camera appear at different ...

lights.
Correct answer: depths.
angles.

Q6.
Which of the following settings can you use to control the amount of light that enters the camera lens?

Correct answer: shutter speed
flash
lens

Additional material

Download additional material