Smudgy effect

Hello friends,

Please, see the picture below (Brian Skerry, NatGeo). How can I get this smudgy effect? Low shutter speed? Rear curtain strobe? Both of them? I would be very grateful if you could let me know...

Thank you, from Brazil

Auder Lisboa

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Nikon D80 - Sea&Sea housing - SB105 strobes

Tokina 10-17 fisheye and Nikkor 105 micro

Use the "blur tool" in Photoshop. It looks artificial.

[i would prefer a large aperture, F/2.8 for small depth of field, but you wouldn't get the smudging, just out of focus foreground and background.]

It looks as though it was photoshop. The cyan fringing doesn't even appear to be intended. It certainly looks as though the subject has been sharpened and the background/foreground has been blurred. I'm not sure what the intent is by leaving the fringing in...maybe appealing to the authors artistic side?

This is done in camera. Front curtain synch and long exposure and then the camera jogged downward during the exposure (not necessarily intentionally) creating the blur.

heres one that was done in camera. not intentional but it looks quite good to my untrained eyes.

Here's an example of intentional effect done in camera using rear-curtain synch 1/15 sec, to keep the motion effect behind the direction of motion.

Thank you guys, for the answers.

I'm very happy, Brian quickly replied my e-mail about the photo:

"Hi Auder:

Thanks so much for your kind words! The photo you asked about was made in fairly shallow water, about 6 or 7 meters deep. It was made late in the day with golden light streaming into the exceptionally clear water. I used a slow shutter and rear-curtain synch. Two strobes on low power.

Best,

Brian"

Auder Lisboa

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Nikon D80 - Sea&Sea housing - SB105 strobes

Tokina 10-17 fisheye and Nikkor 105 micro