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Star Glam Gazette

What is photo-finish?

Author

David Osborn

Updated on May 25, 2026

Definition of photo finish 1 : a race or finish in which contestants are so close that a photograph of them as they cross the finish line has to be examined to determine the winner.

Why is it called photo-finish?

Single-exposure photo-finish images were made by a camera that was positioned at the finish line and initially applied to horse racing. The camera’s shutter which captured 136 images each second was triggered as a horse broke a thin thread on the race track.

When was photo-finish invented?

The first documented use of a photo finish at a horse race was in 1881. The photo was taken by official racing association photographer Ernest Marks at a track in Plainfield, N.J. Cameras continued to be used in the early 20th century, along with new motion picture technology.

Why is photo-finish distorted?

The curving of the spokes in a photo-finish image is due to the fact that the camera is catching a single image, not a bunch of images taken at high shutter speed, when each rider crosses the line. The assumption people make when looking at a photo finish is that it is a normal photo, which has distorted images.

What is another word for photo-finish?

In this page you can discover 11 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for photo-finish, like: close finish, close race, almost a tie, a close one, end, race, Garison finish, blanket finish, dead heat, even-money and neck-and-neck race.

Is photo-finish one word?

noun Sports. a finish of a race in which two or more contestants are so close to the finish line that reference to a photograph of the finish is necessary to determine the winner.

Who won the photo-finish?

Longshot Bourbonic wins Wood Memorial in photo finish at Aqueduct Racetrack | NBC Sports.

What is another word for photo finish?

How do finish line photos work?

The camera in a photo finish equipment continuously takes very narrow (often only 1 pixel wide) images of the finish line. These image slices are then placed beside each other and blended to create the photo finish.

How do you spell photo finish?

Who is responsible for the functioning of the photo finish camera?

2.3 The International Photo Finish Judge is the Chief Judge and decides the finishing order of the Track Events. The IPFJ supervises the system and its operation including the timing service provider and the National Photo Finish Judge(s). 2.4 The National Photo Finish Judge assists the IPFJ in many ways.