Zoom Burst
Changing focal length during an exposure so the scene appears to explode outward from the centre.
Measured in
seconds
In depth
The effect works best with an exposure of around half a second, a smooth zoom action and a subject with strong radial structure — lights, foliage, a building facade. Holding the zoom still for part of the exposure leaves a recognisable core with streaks radiating from it, which usually reads better than pure streaking.
Examples in practice
A half-second exposure zoomed from 70 mm to 24 mm turns a lit fairground into radiating streaks of colour.