Motion Effect in Photoshop

June 29, 2008 · Print This Article

This Motion Effect in Photoshop Tutorial will explain how to create the below effect.

I rather love this photograph, but I wanted to alter it, to try and make it look like it was taken in the car, a car which was going very fast - so I attempted a motion effect. I also wanted to darken it and deepen the colours, make them brighter. In this tutorial, I hope to explain and show you how you can copy what I’ve attempted to do, not only on the image below but in the future on other images.

This effect works on any type of image, but I find it works best on this type of photograph, one that suits the motion blur. However the deep colours etc can be used on any other image, always very useful.

Feel free to request something similar to this Motion Effect in Photoshop Tutorial.

Before

Photoshop Motion Effect - Before

After

Photoshop Motion Effect - After

Motion Effect in Photoshop - The Steps

First of all, duplicate your image, I love the shortcut, saves a lot of time. CTRL (win) / Command (mac) + J

Then go to Filter -> Blur -> Radial Blur - now change your settings to mine.
Amount: 15
Blur Method: Zoom
Quality: Good
Press OK when you’re done - then go to your layers palette and change the layer mode from “Normal” to “Overlay”

Now download this file then go back to Photoshop and go -> New Adjustment Layer -> Hue/Saturation -> Load -> Locate your file -> press OK

Now go, Layer -> New Adjustment Layer -> Brightness/Contrast and change your settings to mine which are below.
Brightness: 0
Contrast: +15

Now download this file - then go back into Photoshop, then go Layer -> New Adjustment Layer -> Curves -> Load -> Locate your file -> press OK

Now get your eraser tool, select a soft round brush (100 is good). Select your duplicated layer (it is the second layer - not the original, but the other one) and move your eraser brush slightly over the ‘STOP’ sign so that you can read the sign better.

Once all the above steps are done I suggest merging your layers by pressing the following keys on your keyboard. CTRL (win) / Command (mac) + E

Now you need to select the whole image. CTRL (win) / Command (mac) + A
Then go to your tools and find the Rectangular Marquee Tool (or just press M ). Once that’s selected then look at the top and you’ll see a box and before it you’ll see it’s called ‘Feather’ set your feathering to 55 - If you’re confused then look this screen shot.

Now press ALT on your keyboard and select a sort of rectangle in the middle of your image. It can be big or small, depends how much you want to be dark (around the edges that is). Mine looks like this.

Now go -> Layer -> New Layer Fill -> Solid Color - when the first box appears, change the layer mode to “Multiply” and adjust the Opacity to 90% - press OK and then select black, press OK again.

Now duplicate your new black solid layer - CTRL (win) / Command (mac) + J

And that’s it. If you have any questions regarding this Motion Effect in Photoshop Tutorial then just drop me a line in the below comment box. I’ll happily reply.