In photography, the term kinetic refers to anything concerned with, relating to, or expressing movement and motion. It is used to describe both the subject matter of an image - where the primary visual interest lies in the depiction of movement, energy, or dynamic action - and certain photographic techniques specifically employed to capture, suggest, or creatively interpret motion within a still image.
Kinetic photography encompasses a broad range of approaches and subjects. At its most straightforward, it describes action photography where fast shutter speeds are used to freeze movement sharply in a single instant - capturing a sprinter mid-stride, a ball in flight, or a dancer suspended at the peak of a jump. At the other end of the creative spectrum, kinetic photography embraces techniques that deliberately render movement as a visual element in its own right, using long exposures, panning, or intentional camera movement to produce motion blur, light trails, and streaked or abstracted forms that convey a powerful sense of energy, speed, and dynamism that a frozen image cannot.
The concept of kinetic art, which emerged as a significant movement in twentieth century fine art, has also influenced photographic practice, inspiring photographers to explore ways of incorporating real or implied movement into their work as a means of expression. Techniques such as zoom bursting - zooming the lens during a long exposure - intentional camera movement, and multiple exposure photography all fall within a broadly kinetic approach to image making, using the unique ability of the camera and its controls to translate the experience of motion into a compelling and visually engaging still image.