Weddings


Intentional Photo Blur and Why My Clients Love It

May 5, 2022

By Julie Blin

When it comes to photography, my approach is simple: to transcribe instinctively the beauty of each moment, each feeling. Life is not fixed and precise, neither are our memories. As such, my photographic approach is a blending of moments with movement and feeling that I incorporate into my wedding shoots as intentional photo blur.

bride and groom walk away with blur effect for movement
© Julie Blin

This type of imagery incorporates all the sensations and feelings about the world to create an inner magic to be able to capture what you feel, beyond what you see. The intentional blur in my photography represents all of this: the time that passes; the vaporous, ethereal effect of a fleeting memory; a sensation; an emotion that arises as quickly as it leaves and is imperceptible and elusive.

[Read: Creative Photo Editing: How a Funky Style Emerged During Lockdown]

When I sit down with a client, it’s very important to me to talk about the creative side of my work with them above the more practical and professional points. Often when a client thinks about what they want for their wedding photos, they might think of tack sharp images but my clients come to me for this “unconventional gaze” that is my signature look. That said, during the wedding day, I do always make sure to secure the important moments with more “classic” shots as well.

wedding dress blur
© Julie Blin

The bonus of imagery with intentional motion blur is that it draws the viewer in and gives a sense of movement or hurriedness that you can’t glean from a still portrait. It can connect the viewer and subject in new and exciting ways. When it comes to achieving this look, I always try to capture the movement of a fabric, a light or a shadow, people walking or dancing, and immortalize in this moment the emotion and the atmosphere which emerges from it. It’s very instinctive, and that’s where I think it’s essential to know your equipment and how it responds, before making these kind of photos on important moments where everything already moves fast.

[Read: The Rule of Thirds: How to Use It and When to Break It]

I always advise photographers to practice this look before their scheduled weddings, on shoots where you can take your time—like in couple sessions or at home or on a walk—to see the result of different settings according to the intensity of the light and the movement.

It is also necessary to be curious about what you can find to aid you in your look, not hesitate to test different filters, settings (slower or faster speed, move yourself or move the subject), and see what you already have on hand to create the effects you want to obtain. Be open-minded and creative!

I draw inspiration for the intentional blur in my images in the movies I watch, the books I read, the art I view. I am particularly drawn to watercolor because of its diluted and ethereal nature. “To feel with the heart, what you cannot see with the eyes” is what ultimately inspires my work—a diffuse and soft atmosphere that captures a fleeting memory.

GO-TO GEAR:

  • Nikon Z6 (2)
  • Sigma Art 35mm 1.4 (the one I use the most)
  • Nikkor 85mm 1.8
  • Nikkor 50mm 1.2
  • Filters and prisms
Blurred portrait of Julie Blin



Julie Blin is a a self-proclaimed curious empath, and describes her style as the meeting between the human and the aesthetic. She aims to instinctively transcribe the beauty and feeling of each moment into her work, through an intentional blur of emotions. In 2021, she was named aa Rangefinder 30 Rising Stars of Wedding Photography.