Flash Back of Panam City by Tanmoy Saha

Captured in the historic Panam City, Bangladesh, this image utilizes a deliberate zoom blur technique to bridge the gap between the present and the past. By manipulating the zoom lens during a long exposure, the photographer creates a dynamic sense of motion that draws the viewer deep into the narrow, ancient alleys. The architectural remnants lining the path appear to stretch and reach toward the observer, effectively visualizing the city's glorious history. This creative approach transforms a static landscape into an immersive experience, earning recognition for its evocative storytelling and technical ingenuity in the field of motion photography.

Flash Back of Panam City by Tanmoy Saha
Canon EOS 60D with EF-S 15-85mm
Exposure 1/10sec @ f/14 | ISO 100 | Focal Length 15mm
Copyright Β© Tanmoy Saha
Light & Composition Photo of the Day

Tanmoy Saha

REGISTERED PHOTOGRAPHER

Based in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Tanmoy Saha Turja is a dedicated photographer who began his creative journey in 2007. An Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering graduate, he balances his professional work in the audio-visual sector with a deep passion for portrait, landscape, and wildlife photography. Having honed his craft through foundational courses at the Dhaka University Photography Society and Pathshala, his work has been showcased at the National Art Gallery in Bangladesh. His artistic practice is defined by a commitment to technical exploration and a keen eye for the cultural narratives embedded within his home country.

Profile View Full Profile
11.9/20
RESONANCE
SCORE
110/500
SHARE
SUBMISSION
Award Reach | Reviews
13,858 views | 16 Reviews
Award Winner Photo of the Day
Award Date April 8, 2015
67.0
AWARD SCORE
Value 13.0
Clarity 12.0
Composition 18.0
Style 12.0
Skill 12.0
Photograph Location
Panam City, Sonargaon, Bangladesh

AWARD SEGMENT | TAGS

Motion Photography
Tanmoy Saha Photography

Resonance Score Breakdown

Transparency in Award Scoring

Transparency Note: The resonance score (11.6/20) is calculated based on social engagement metrics collected before the award announcement.

Social Shares
5.0/5 points
1,650/1,000 Social Share
Page Views
5.0/5 points
13,858/2,500 Page View
Reviews
0.5/5 points
10/100 Review
Submissions
1.1/5 points
110/500 Submission
Jury Score: 67.0/80
Resonance Score: 11.6/20
Total Award Score: 78.6/100

Expert Photography Reviews · 6

Eleanor Voss Composition & Visual Structure Expert Review
The zoom blur creates a radial collapse, forcing the eye toward a vanishing point that doesn't quite resolve. It’s a violent distortion of the architectural frame. The vertical lines of Panam City lose their integrity, surrendered to the motion. While the technique threatens to dissolve the structure, the weight of the masonry holds. I’ve rarely seen such aggressive geometry survive a shutter speed this slow. It’s a precarious balance, but the architecture wins.
Sophie Delacroix Emotional Narrative, Viewer Response & Psychological Impact Expert Review
Before the eye identifies the crumbling brick of Panam City, a sudden vertigo pulls at the gut. The zoom blur doesn't just suggest motion; it forces a physiological recoil, a held-breath moment where the architecture seems to collapse inward. I’ve felt this exact disorientation in dreams, that frantic stretching of time. Returning to it a year later, the blur feels less like a technique and more like a ghost, haunting the space between then and now.
Marcus Trent Human Truth, Documentary & The Decisive Moment Expert Review
You’ve turned these crumbling walls into a ghost story. I’ve walked through Panam City, and it’s usually a quiet, heavy place. By blurring the zoom, you’ve captured that dizzying feeling of time slipping away. It’s not just a technical trick; it’s a heartbeat. I felt a sudden, sharp ache for the people who once lived behind those facades. You didn't just photograph a building. You caught the way history refuses to stay still. That’s honest work.
Clara Whitfield Award Criteria, Legacy & What Makes an Image Endure Expert Review
Most motion blur attempts are just messy distractions, but here, the zoom technique forces the crumbling brickwork of Panam City to physically reach for the viewer. It’s an aggressive, tactile choice that makes history feel claustrophobic rather than distant. I’ve seen thousands of architectural shots, yet this one actually makes me feel the weight of those walls closing in. It’s a rare, visceral piece that will still feel urgent when these ruins have long since vanished.
Yusuf Al-Hamdan Landscape, Light as Presence & the Spiritual Dimension Expert Review
Panam City doesn't yield its secrets to the hurried. Here, Tanmoy has listened to the ghosts of brick and mortar, pulling the lens through a long, deliberate breath. It’s a dizzying, beautiful ache. I’ve stood in those narrow alleys, and the way the light stretches into the past makes my chest tighten with a sudden, sharp longing. He didn't just capture a street; he caught the city exhaling its own long-forgotten history.
Thomas Hargreaves Earned Photographs, Craft Discipline & the Long Wait Expert Review
Zooming during a long exposure is a parlor trick that usually leaves me cold. It’s a shortcut, a way to manufacture drama when the light isn't doing the heavy lifting. Yet, looking at these crumbling facades in Panam City, I’m struck by a rare, uneasy stillness beneath the blur. It’s as if the photographer actually stood there, shivering in the humidity, waiting for the ghosts to align. It’s a decent gamble, and for once, it paid off.
Reflections on this Photograph
By Tom Bretherton

The Architecture of Memory

I remember walking through the old quarter of a city I hadn’t visited in a decade. The streets were narrower than I recalled, the stone walls worn smooth by the friction of a thousand passing lives.

Read the reflection →
By Margaret Holt

The Architecture of Memory

We often speak of history as if it were a solid thing, a stone wall we can touch or a book we can pull from a shelf. But memory is rarely so cooperative.

Read the reflection →

Reviews & Comments

Share your thoughts about this award-winning photograph. Your reviews contribute to the community engagement score.

16 replies
    • Tanmoy Saha says:

      Thanks for you interest on the technique behind my photograph. To apply this technique, firstly, a zoom lens is required, I have used Canon EF-S 15-85mm lens here. Secondly, need to select the subject, where nothing but that will be in focus. Need to zoom in at a certain level and focus the selected subject. Thirdly, while setting the exposure, need to set a low shutter speed. I chose 1/10 sec for this photograph. Finally, Need to zoom out while releasing the shutter.
      Using a tripod can come up with better photograph while applying this technique.

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

The Art of WaitingHide and Seek, by Sanjoy Sengupta - Wildlife Photography, Photo of the Day, Photography Award, Nature Photography, EgretsThe Eyes of Innocence, by Satyam Roy Chowdhury - Portrait Photography, Photojournalism, Photography Awards, Art Photography, Online Photography CoursesThe Unspoken Language of Being