Using Motion to Elevate Portrait Photography
Add energy, storytelling, and emotion to your images
Motion in portrait photography adds energy, storytelling, and emotion to your images, making them more engaging and dynamic.
While traditional portraits emphasize stillness and formality, incorporating movement can breathe life into your shots, whether it’s subtle gestures or dramatic actions.
To capture motion effectively, plan your approach based on the story you want to tell.
For a natural, candid feel, direct your subject to engage in simple actions like walking, spinning, or interacting with their surroundings.
This adds fluidity and draws out authentic expressions.
If you're aiming for high-energy drama, experiment with jumps, hair flips, or exaggerated gestures.
Technically, freezing motion or showcasing blur depends on your creative intent.
Use a fast shutter speed (1/250s or faster) to capture sharp, suspended movement, ideal for subjects in mid-air or striking poses.
Alternatively, a slower shutter speed (1/30s to 1/60s) introduces intentional blur, emphasizing movement trails that convey speed or emotion.
Lighting plays a crucial role, especially in motion-heavy scenes.
Natural light creates softness and continuity, while artificial lighting like strobes with high-speed sync can freeze dramatic action with precision.
Continuous lighting also allows your subject to move freely while maintaining consistent exposure.
Stroboscopic lighting is another powerful tool for capturing motion.
By firing multiple flashes in quick succession during a single exposure, stroboscopic lighting creates a series of sharp, frozen images within the frame.
This technique works best in darker environments and highlights the path of motion, adding a surreal and artistic dimension to your portraits.
Incorporating motion turns a standard portrait into a storytelling masterpiece.
Whether subtle or bold, movement brings a fresh, modern twist to your images, helping you connect more deeply with viewers and showcasing your subject’s personality in a unique, dynamic way.
I had bad habits.
So I changed them.
This is the formula that helped me do it.
The Carty Method Habit Tracker
Not sure what you should include in your call sheet?
Don't worry, I got you covered.
This goes beyond, email addresses and phone numbers.
This call sheet is incredibly customizable.
The Carty Method Call Sheet
Improving your on-camera skills can positively impact many areas of your professional and personal life.
The Carty Method on Camera Challenge
Discover my photography work and learn more about me here:
Website: Amundphoto.com
Instagram: @amundphoto
LinkedIn: Amund Thompson
Stay tuned for the article next Sunday—you won't want to miss it!