This photograph employs a sophisticated technique known as 'shutter drag' or 'motion blur with flash', masterfully combining a long exposure with precise flash timing to capture both dynamic movement and sharp detail. The entire scene was captured using a 'bulb' mode long exposure, lasting approximately 6 seconds.
During this extended exposure, two Vietnamese martial arts practitioners moved across the stage. Crucially, they paused briefly every two seconds under reduced ambient light, allowing their forms to be partially captured as subtle, ghostly blurs. Then, at the culmination of the pose, a full-power flash fired, freezing their final, decisive movements with absolute clarity. This dual approach creates a powerful visual narrative, showcasing the fluidity of their art while simultaneously highlighting peak action.
Achieving this effect requires meticulous pre-planning, specialized lighting, and a suitable environment, such as the theater in Vietnam where this shot was taken. My Sony A7R5 played a crucial role in the precision of this shot; I pre-focused manually on the two practitioners at the center of the stage, ensuring critical sharpness. Once focus was set, they then moved to their starting positions at the extremities of the darkened stage, ready for the sequence.