Reply #77: Nah. Here's why. [View All]

[Dora]

THE BLUR:

Bush was writing the note as the picture was taken, so his hand was in motion. The "blurred line" you refer to is, IMO, not a special effect, but an effect of light and motion.

The finger/hand is moving to the right as Bush is scribbling his note. At the same moment, the picture is taken. The text/paper placed on the table behind his hand is masked by his hand, and as his hand moves to the right, more of the text/paper is revealed. In the split second that the camera's shutter is open, Bush's hand continues to move, thereby revealing more of the text/paper and exposing it to the camera's lens. Because this text/paper was not exposed to the film for the same amount of time as the rest of the image (because it was hidden by his hand) it naturally appears more indistinct than the rest of the text, which seems dark and sharp.

It's a natural effect. I imagine that the photographer was not using a flash, and had the camera set on a slightly slower shutter speed to compensate for that. The slower shutter speeds will always blur motion.

THE DARK CORNER:

It's his shoulder, and it's navy blue.