By Vailancio Rodrigues and Smashing Editorial Team

A digital camera, some fast-moving subject, and a bit of knowledge about how to take the best pictures of moving subjects will launch you on the road to some of the most interesting photographs you’ve ever taken. Although some blurring can be effective in communicating a sense of high-speed motion, some photographers want the subject to be frozen in time to get some pretty special photographic effects.

Below we present over 35 beautiful examples of high-speed photography, which are supposed to provide you with some inspiration of what can be done with high-speed photography. We also showcase some truly stunning slow-motion videos. All the examples are linked to their sources. You can also explore further works of the photographers we’ve featured below.

35 Beautiful Examples of High-Speed Photography

Heart Breaker
The photo is taken by Jeroen Rouwkema.

Marbles
The photo is taken by fotoopa.

A Splash

Sound-triggered high-speed flash photography
These experiments were performed as part of the 2008 Astro-Science Workshop of the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, IL.

The Red And The Blue
The photo is taken by Paul Hocksenar.

Cherry Drop
Photo by Brian Davies.

KevLewis

Ghirlanda Colore
The photo is taken by Antonino Dattola.

25 Awesome Light Trails

Water Sphere

Popping Balloons
The photo is taken by Rob Hilken.

Allesblinkt

kalimistuk

Apple Water Splash
Photo by linden.g.

Speedy burst water balloon
“Awesome and interesting shot of a water balloon being popped. I’ve never seen a planet blow up, but this is how I imagine it would look.”

Water Sound Figures
Photo by linden.g.

Inapond

Smashed (and burning) bulb
The photo is taken by Peter Wienerroither from the University of Wien, Austria.

Rising Up
Photo by James Neeley.

Strange Brew
Photo by Ray Edgar.

Shattered Glass
“This photo perfectly freezes the moment between the breaking of the bulb and the tungsten filaments (thereby breaking the source of light), it’s a sort of limbo captured.”

Unknown (?)

High Speed Milk Drop

Shower Cap

H0S

3 Waterbaloons

Milk and Coffee
The photo is taken by Andreas Stridsberg.

Bullet Pictures

Red Light Bulb
Photo by spyzter.

Pabst + Hollow Point

Water Dart
Photo by Adam Connah.

Nebarnix High-speed photography set

Flame

Ain’t No Reason

Minutes of fun
Photo by cavern.