Frozen Motion Photography

Photo by Matthew M. CC BY 2.0

Frozen motion photography is a basic technique that suspends movement completely and keeps the moving subject in complete, or near complete, focus. This film photography technique requires a fast shutter speed to freeze the motion without blur. The faster the subject moves, the faster the shutter speed will need to be in order to suspend it completely.

Frozen motion photography is the simplest technique to capture motion as a fast shutter speed will not require use of a tripod and the photographer can simply hold the camera without much worry for camera shake. Because a fast shutter speed is required, it would be advised to take photographs in a well-lit environment or outdoors on a sunny day.

Indoor Frozen Motion Photography

Frozen motion photography indoors can pose a slight problem due to the inability to achieve a fast shutter speed in low light conditions. However, this can be corrected using a faster ISO film speed. This will results in additional grain on the film and the photographs will not print large without noticeable grain. However, many sports photographers and journalists use fast speed film and are likely using the prints for magazines or newspapers where the print is smaller.

Between fast shutter speeds and fast ISO film speed when needed, frozen motion photography is a simple technique. For another way to capture motion in film photography, see the blur motion photography page. With blur motion, instead of using fast shutters to capture motion, you use a slow shutter speed to allow the subject to be in movement. For more advanced photographers, see the panning motion technique that allows the moving subject to be in focus with the background blurred in motion.