Motion blur is a photo editing effect sometimes used to make a photo subject standout.
Motion blur is a streaking effect that sometimes occurs when a snapshot is taken of a rapidly moving object. This effect can be fabricated in a photo, for stylistic reasons, using photo editing software. There are several free photo editing applications on the market that can easily simulate the motion blur effect. Photoscape and Paint.NET, for example, are both free desktop applications that must be installed on your computer. Picnik, on the other hand, is a cloud-based photo editing program that can easily perform this task.
Instructions
Using Picnik
1. Go to the Picnik home page. Click "Get Started Now." Select "Upload a photo." Browse to the directory where the photo you want to edit is located. Click on the photo to select it. Click "Open" to upload it to the Picnik editor.
2. Click on the "Edit" tab. Select "Effects."
3. Scroll down to the "Area" section in the left-side menu. Select "Focal Soften."
4. Click on the region of the photo that you want to stay in focus. To expand or reduce this region, adjust the "Focal Size" slider.
5. Adjust the "Edge Hardness" and "Fade" parameters to suit your preference. Click "Apply."
Using Paint.NET
6. Launch Paint.NET. Select "Open" from the file menu. Browse to the directory where the photo you want to edit is located. Click on the photo to select it. Click "Open."
7. Click on the selector tool in the "Tools" box (looks like a square drawn with dashed lines).
8. Click and drag your mouse over the region you want to stay in focus. The select box will appear around that region. Type "Ctrl-I" to activate the "Invert Selection" option.
9. Go to the "Effects" menu. Point to "Blur." Select "Motion Blur." A setting options box will open.
10. Adjust the setting options to suit your preference. Click "OK."
Using Photoscape
11. Launch Photoscape. Select "Editor" in the menu. Use the console tree in the left-side panel to browse to the directory where the photo you want to edit is located. Click on the photo to select it. It will appear in the edit window.
12. Open the "Filter" drop-down menu located on the "Home" tab. Point to "Distorts." Select "Motion blur." A setting options box will open.
13. Check the box next to "Preview." Adjust the settings options to suit your preference. Click "OK."
