Radial blur
A blur that streaks pixels outward, inward, or in circles around one center, creating a zoom or spin sensation.
See it
What it is
Radial blur smears pixels around a chosen center. In zoom mode the streaks run inward or outward like a camera zoom during exposure; in spin mode they follow circles around the center like a rotating camera.
Uses include pulling attention toward a subject, turning lights into a speed tunnel, or adding rotational force to a vortex, wheel, or transition. The center point matters as much as the blur amount because it defines what appears fixed.
Gotcha: centering the effect on the canvas instead of the actual subject makes every streak point to the wrong place. Keep the focal area masked and sharp, use a restrained amount, and watch for empty or repeated pixels where the samples reach beyond the image edges.
Ask AI for it
Add a zoom-style radial blur centered exactly on the subject's face: sample pixels along rays moving outward from that point, build to a 24px streak near the frame edges, and mask a 90px area around the face so the focal point stays crisp while the background becomes a speed burst.