Long duration photography is one of the most fascinating genres and it will forever hook you on photography.
Imagine if you could hold your eyes open for a set period of time and obtain everything you are seeing in just one image – wouldn`t that be useful? That`s precisely how long exposure photography functions; rather than “freezing” time, the concept is to record everything that takes place while the shutter is open.
Did you know that long duration photography is also an extremely flexible technique? From incredible daytime long duration photos to dreamlike long exposure night skies, it’ll help you generate the magical and ethereal photos you’ve always envisioned.
However, mastering the technique of long exposure photography can be complex and difficult. Do you have the necessary camera equipment to conduct long exposure photography? Are you aware of the basic settings to start with? If unsure? Let’s explore this topic!
In this ultimate guide on long exposure photography, we’ll discuss:
- What is photography using long exposures?
- How to Take Long Exposure Photos
- Long exposure photography at night
- Daylight long exposure photography
- Camera equipment, lenses, and accessories suited for long exposures
- Long timescale photography models
Table of Contents
What is long exposure photography?
Long exposure photography involves maintaining the camera shutter open for a set time period and can be defined as a technique based on this principle.
If you’re shooting without a tripod, your shutter speed should be somewhere between 1/5000 and 1/40 of a second to acquire sharp images.However, using a slow shutter speed, starting from half of a second and upwards, and securing your camera on a stable tripod, you’ll be able to capture movement in clouds, water, vehicles, animals, etc. Wherever there’s change, there’s an opportunity to be innovative using the long exposure technique.
Keep in mind that when capturing daylight long exposures, if too much light hits the sensor, a Neutral Density filter may be needed to reduce some exposure stops and acquire a well-lit image.
Prolonged exposure at night allows us to record more information from the sky than what we can see with our naked eyes. By keeping the shutter open for an extended time, we’ll capture details of the Milky Way or hues of the Northern Lights that we wouldn’t be able to see with the naked eye.
The ultimate result of either nighttime or daytime lengthy exposure photos is magical because it cannot be perceived by your eyes. In fact, if they’re unfamiliar with the ultimate image, many individuals think that lengthy exposure photographs have been “Photoshopped”. However, to take long-exposure photographs, all you need is your camera and a tripod (and ND filters sometimes) .
How to take long exposure shots
Long exposure photography has many technical aspects that should be known beforehand. The most important one is the optimal long exposure camera settings.
Let’s dive into how to conduct long exposure photography with your camera and how to create the unbelievable long exposure photos you dream of producing.
Step-By-Step Guide to Long exposure photography
There isn’t a single rule of thumb for carrying out long exposure photography. With practice and time, you will develop your own workflow. However, it’s good to have some references
Essentially, here is generally viewed as the most suitable approach to execute delayed exposure photography step-by-step:
- Scout and open your vision: It appears rather evident, but this step is at the heart of long exposure photography. Try to arrive at minimum one hour before the time you want to shoot, so you can pick your spot and, simultaneously, analyze the direction of the clouds, see if the tide is rising, if there’ll be people walking in front of your camera, etc.
- Position the camera on a tripod in a safe area: Secure your camera on a stable tripod; bear in mind that no photograph is worth risking your equipment or your own safety.
- Design your composition: Once you’ve evaluated and anticipated all the surrounding components, it’s time to structure your photo. You can review here the preferred photography arrangement techniques.
- Alter the camera settings: Turn your camera to the Manual or Bulb mode and change the configurations according to the explanation below. Also, deactivate the image stabilization ( IS).
- Focus: Make sure you have the proper focal point to take crisp and clean photos.
- Meter: Adjust the shutter speed, aperture, and ISO to get an exposure value equal to zero by using the light meter of your camera. Use a prolonged shutter speed to capture the motion you want.
- Conduct a test capture and assess the Histogram and focus: Once you’ve taken your initial photo, double-check the exposure, via the histogram, and the focus to ensure everything is satisfactory.
- If ND filters are required, calculate the shutter speed: Adjust the exposure time depending on the filter being used by referencing the help available below regarding apps that can facilitate this calculation.
- Carefully attach the filter/s: If using lens filters, fix them in a careful manner. Do not touch the focus ring or camera body.
- Cover the viewfinder to avoid any light leaking into your sensor: To prevent any light leaks, shield the viewfinder and your filter holder if necessary.
- Seize the moment: Use the shutter release or delay function to avoid any unwanted vibrations in your camera. Don’t forget to recheck your histogram and focus as well.
- Start again!
One technique for learning photography that involves testing your creativity is long exposure. Let’s look at the best settings to use for this approach.
Long exposure photography settings and techniques
Comprehending the extended exposure photography settings and changing them according to the conditions you’re shooting in is essential for obtaining the photographs you want.
Before engaging in extended exposure photography, there are a couple recommended settings you must take into account:
- The basic setting is adjusting your camera to the Manual setting (“M”) or Bulb setting (“B”). Please be aware that some cameras will automatically change from Manual to Bulb mode when the shutter speed goes over 30 seconds.
Some smartphones regularly feature this option; it`s called Pro Mode, where you can experiment with the basic settings and then take long exposure photos on your iPhone.
- Capture in RAW format: To obtain the highest quality files and edit your photo after the session.
- Lighting mode: The Matrix mode (Evaluative mode in Canon) represents the most common lighting mode, as it refers to the entire scene with an emphasis on where the camera is focusing.
- Turn off the image stabilization (IS) function. Otherwise, your lens will try to compensate for any movement and consequently add blur to your photos.
Now let’s get into the fundamental settings for long exposure photography and how you should modify them.
Focus for long exposure
Focus is one of the basics while performing long exposure photography. There is no way to fix a photo that lacks focus in post-production; it’s a common mistake.
Although obtaining sharp images may seem straightforward, some aspects require consideration when capturing photographs with high resolution:
- Focus on acquiring the proper perspective before implementing any filtering methods. When utilizing ND Filters, bear in mind that they block inbound luminosity, so most image-capture devices struggle to concentrate when a lens adaptor is fastened. The initial step is to center without any filtering, take a test recording, and double-check the focus prior to establishing any filters. This is one of the most useful pointers for concentrating in photography.
- Focusing at night can be challenging. Check the focus section of this article to successfully photograph the Milky Way.
- Regardless of the focus mode chosen, either manually or utilizing the autofocus, employ the zoom in Live View Mode to detect the sharpest point.
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- Once you’ve focused correctly, switch to Manual Focus. Otherwise, your camera will try to focus again.
Long exposure and shutter speed
shutter rate is one of the essentials of long exposure photography, and it will have a dramatic impact on your final photos.
So what exposure time best suits capturing long exposures? The exposure time that harmonizes with the ambient lighting conditions and your photographic goals is most suitable. Discerning the differing outcomes of shorter versus longer exposure times holds the key to achieving the desired image:
- Ultra-long exposure photography creates dreamy, abstract atmospheres because you’re softening all movement in your photo. The exposure time will be over 5 minutes, and to capture this extended exposure, you have to use the Bulb mode. (Most cameras don’t allow shots longer than 30 second long exposure photos without employing this mode.)
- A shortened exposure period maintains the details of the components that are moving in your photo, creating a lively and dynamic impression while capturing the motion. The shutter speed will be around 1 minute or less.
These exposure periods are merely an approximation and will fluctuate contingent on your circumstances and surroundings. Numerous factors can impact the exposure time, so we’ve developed the ultimate key for lengthy exposure photography so you can compute your shutter speed!
| Category of extended exposure | Shutter Speed |
|---|---|
|
Bright stars & Milky Way |
12 – 25 sec. |
|
Star trails |
From 30 sec. – |
|
Meteors |
3 – 25 sec. |
|
Motionless Northern Lights |
8 – 25 sec |
|
Dynamic Northern Lights |
0.5 – 8 sec. |
|
City Lights |
15 – 60 sec. |
|
Car trails |
30 – 120 sec. |
|
Fireworks |
5 – 30 sec. |
|
Lightpainting |
From 5 sec. – |
|
Water with texture |
0.5 – 3 sec. |
|
Smooth water-Silky feeling |
From 5 sec. – |
|
Slow-moving vapors |
From 120 sec. – |
|
Rapidly shifting clouds |
From 15 sec. – |
|
Eliminating individuals |
30 – 180 sec. |
|
Best shutter speed for Long open-air photography |
|
You can also obtain more thorough details within our guide regarding shutter speed in photography!
Long exposure and aperture
When shooting during daylight hours, you should configure the camera aperture for long exposure photography around the optimal setting of your lens to capture the highest quality images. Wait, let me clarify: the optimal setting refers to the aperturethat yields the clearest and most finely detailed photos, not an actual sweet spot on the lens itself.
The optimum aperture for receiving the sharpest focus throughout an image varies by lens type but generally falls between f/8 and f/11 for wide-angle lenses. More information regarding calculating a lens`s sharpest aperture can be found in our guide covering the role of aperture in photography.
This basic guideline for daytime lengthy exposure can make getting a suitably lit photograph somewhat difficult. If so, you’ll need to employ ND filters to decrease a couple of exposure increments in your image.
If you don’t have any options to manipulate, you can opt for a smaller aperture like f22 to conduct long exposure photography. However, the smaller the aperture you adjust, the more “optical diffraction” you will encounter, which lessens the overall clarity and quality of the photo.
For long exposure photography at night, choosing your aperture is more straightforward. Simply pick a wider aperture on your lens, such as f/1.4 or f/2.8, to gather more light.
Long exposure and ISO
What is the ideal light sensitivity setting to minimize noise in long-period photography? Let’s cut right to the point. To achieve the best quality when taking extended exposures, utilize the native base light sensitivity of your camera whenever feasible. In other words, exploit the lowest inherent light sensitivity on your camera when shooting in daylight. Straightforward and simple.
Why? Utilizing the base ISO on your camera, around ISO 100, will decrease digital noise and heighten the quality of your images. However, for nighttime long exposure photography, you’ll need to use a higher ISO.
Another consideration when taking long exposures is the heat of the sensor, which increases potential for certain artifacts like hot pixels and color noise.
There is often some leeway when taking pictures. Increasing the ISO setting a couple of stops usually does not drastically affect the final image in many cameras, so being aware of your equipment`s limitations is key. More in-depth information can be found in our guide on understanding ISO in photography.
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Long exposure Calculator in a long exposure app
Utilizing applications to calculate the shutter speed required is one of the most useful tips for extended exposure photography. These apps are specially designed for long exposure photography and will assist you in determining the proper time exposure/shutter speed based on the Neutral Density Filters you are employing.
There are hundreds of applications designed to help calculate your long exposure photograph, but probably the most utilized are Photopills and Exposure Calculator. Let’s examine how to use them:
- Take a test shoot and set your light meter in 0.
- Examine the histogram to be sure everything is properly exposed.
- Input your test parameters within your application.
- Change the aperture or ISOif you want.
- Choose the filter you wish to use.
- It`s complete! The long exposure application has automatically determined the shutter speed required for you.
Last but not least, before utilizing any long exposure calculator application, be sure that you comprehend how exposure functions in photography and how to strike a balance utilizing the exposure triangle.
Now you have all the information needed to take long exposure photographs. If unsure where to begin, here are the main types of long exposure photography .
Nighttime long exposure photography
Most of the time when photographing at night, you’re taking long exposures. The lack of light requires leaving the shutter open longer so the camera’s sensor can collect more light. Therefore, you’ll use long exposures to capture the Milky Way, Northern Lights,and star trails.
Long exposure star photography
Taking a prolonged exposure of stars permits numerous innovative possibilities. In this style, the shutter speed will be contingent on the scene. Applying a prolonged exposure to photograph star pathways will take at any time from 15 minutes to several hours, but it’ll allow you to seize mesmerizing imagery,
However, if you capture a extended exposure for the Milky Way because you aim to photograph the stars as we perceive them with the naked eye, you shouldn’t use a shutter speed longer than 20 seconds as I explain in my Milky Way photography guide.
Whatever your aim is while using long exposure at night, I recommend checking my night-long exposure photography guide to get more ideas.
Long exposure and Urban photography
There is something unique and delightful about when a city shifts to its nighttime personality. The diversity of lights, the tall buildings, and the everlasting movement of the metropolis can cultivate the most enchanting environment.
The employment of long exposure in a city or town will dramatically transform the view of it. If there’s some light, there’s always an opportunity to do something amazing. Looking at, analyzing, and experimenting with the surroundings (cars, ferries, wheels, boats, etc.) will broaden your imagination and the way you approach photography at nighttime.
Long exposure car light trails
Sometimes, even the quietest streets can drastically change when utilizing a extended photographic exposure. In this case, you can leverage the light emitted from automobiles during an extended exposure to generate a bright and colorful stream of light trails that can act as guiding lines across the photograph.
Search for busy intersections and roadways so you can incorporate the light trails into your lengthy exposure photographs and enhance your composition.
Long exposure and light painting
Light crafting is probably the most pleasurable and creative way to utilize long exposure in low-light states. It contains employing lights as brushes and crafting around your picture to illuminate and generate light designs.
Daytime long exposure photography
Utilizing a prolonged exposure during the day can seem rather challenging due to the tall quantity of light, which can result in overexposed imagery. However, there are some approaches to do this type of photography during the day. The employment of neutral density filters for prolonged exposure has increased rapidly in the last few years, making them a must-have accessory in your bag.
Mastering your skills in long exposure photography in daylight will allow you to create interesting perspectives and effects even if it’s a sunny day.
Long Exposure water shots and silky effect
Utilizing prolonged exposure in landscape photography has a noticeable impact, yet including water to the formula, the mix is astonishing. The ways water fluctuates depending on your shutter speed are boundless, and it can either be advantageous or unfavorable to your outcomes.
Suppose you employ a prolonged exposure on a waterfall, using a shutter speed between half of a second and one second; this will preserve the details of the streams while also capturing the movement of the water, rendering your photograph more appealing. However, using a longer shutter speed can result in the loss of detail on the water, which may make your photo less intriguing.
Long exposure in lakes is a bit different, since most of the time one wants longer exposures to get reflections.
If, on the other hand, you’re shooting a small river or creek, it might be improved to take a shorter lengthy exposure to capture more detail in the water.
There are also different techniques for capturing long exposure pictures while shooting at the shore. You may wish to depict the movement of a wave with shutter speeds around one second or develop a more restrained scene with longer shutter speeds as explained in our guide on coastal photography.
Long exposure and clouds
Without question, if there’s an aspect that varies drastically with an extended time exposure, it’s the sky. Clouds are extremely significant in my photography, and the extended time exposure technique allows me to capture their motion.
Selecting the proper conditions is crucial, as well as anticipating cloud movements. Stormy and breezy days, preferably at sunrise or sunset, what to look for. If minimal movement occupies the sky but clouds persist, achieve ultra-long exposure photography using ND Filters.
With prolonged exposure times over 5 minutes, you will be able to make the most out of the slow-moving clouds.
long exposure black and white photography
Discussing black and white photography equates to discussing light in its purest form. By combining B&W with long exposure photography, you can obtain images that are beyond ordinary description.
Utilizing a 10-stop ND Filter for long exposures in black and white photography will allow you to create a minimalist and abstract scene that will draw the viewer’s eye to your photo.
Long exposure cameras, lenses, and accessories
We have covered all the settings and steps for long exposure photography, but do you have the proper equipment to capture the photos you envisioned?
Presently, most cameras and even the latest smartphones will permit you to execute this technique, and truthfully, you can achieve excellent outcomes merely with basic long exposure photographic equipment.
Generally, your budget and your photographic aims will determine the equipment that you ought to apply. Even so, having an idea of your necessities will save you priceless time and some money. Allow me to give you an idea of the ideal gear for long exposure photography.
cameras for long exposure photography
If you’re considering buying a quality camera to shoot long exposure photography, make sure that it meets these basic requirements:
- It allows for manual or bulb mode operation: This is essential to regulate the suitable shutter speed for long exposure photography.
- It helps limit Digital Noise: Full-frame cameras are best suited to reducing digital noise. You can check our articles on optimal cameras for astrophotography and ideal cameras for photographing auroras.
- Capture in RAW: As discussed earlier, taking photos in Raw will allow you to collect much more data in your image and to achieve the best final quality.
Lenses for long exposure photography
The lens best suited to capturing long exposure shots depends on one`s needs and photographic goals:
That being said, there is very little light pollution around Kakslauttanen, so there’s still a good chance of seeing an aurora display from there.
- Mid-range lenses: Good for light painting and focusing on details of the subject you’re capturing.
- Telephoto lenses: Best for capturing details like mountain peaks and rocks
I highly recommend reading this article about the best lenses for capturing the Milky Way and the best lenses for photographing Northern lights if you’re looking for a lens to do long exposure photography at night.
Filters for long exposure photography
Utilizing neutral density filters in long-term photography exposures is advantageous and sometimes entirely necessary. To simplify, these filters allow you to control the light that impacts your sensor. This will help you, for instance, to take extended exposures during the day without getting overexposed images.
Depending on the lighting and goals, different opacities can select the needed shutter speed. There are many types of photographic lenses` coverings. The most common ND filters for long exposure photography are:
- 3-stop ND filter (ND 0.9): It decreases 3 exposures. It’s commonly used when a shorter exposure is needed, such as for shooting waterfalls or seascapes.
- A filter that cuts 6 stops of light (ND 1.8): The best filter when the light isn’t too intense. It’s commonly used for sunrises and sunsets.
- 10-stop ND filter (ND 3): This type of filter is ideal for tackling intense light, especially when doing daytime long exposure photography.
Extended exposure of 0.4 sec. f/11, ISO 100 (Left), and 30 sec. f/11, ISO 100 and ND filter 6 stops (Right)
One advantage of using a Neutral Density Filter is removing people in long exposure photography. This is a good tip when shooting in crowded and popular spots, so the longer your exposure time, the fewer the people in your photo.
Long exposure used to remove people from the image at 1/250 sec. f/2.8, ISO 2000 (Left) 30 sec. f/22, ISO 100 and 10-stop ND filter (Right)
Long exposure photography accessories
A tough tripod is likely the most vital piece among long exposure photography equipment. Investing in a quality, stable tripod is essential and will help obtain sharp long exposure photos. If wanting to know the different types of tripods available, check our article on the best travel photography gear.
An added feature that may prove of use is a remote shutter activator. They are very affordable and will let you remotely trigger your camera, with the goal of avoiding any vibration. An interval controller is an evolution of the basic shutter release, and it allows you to establish the shutter speed as well as additional handy settings for long exposure photography. Please note that some of the latest cameras have an built-in interval controller, so perhaps you won’t require one.
Occasionally, even when employing a stable tripod and timer, our camera could experience vibrations due to aspects like wind, waves, or wet sand at the beach, or snapping images in a urban area with subway infrastructure or from a bridge. In these scenarios, it will prove difficult for you to acquire sharp photographs, but luckily, there exists plenty of software to fix blurred visuals. I implement Topaz Sharpen AI.
Long exposure photography examples
Achieving success with long exposure photography is all about altering your perspective and envisioning the photo you want to capture. Being inventive and experimenting will aid you in developing an outstanding portfolio of long exposure images.
However, remember that exploring numerous examples of other photographers` work is one of the ideal techniques to enhance one`s photography abilities regarding prolonged exposures. Allow me to demonstrate some lenghthened exposure photography concepts to provide inspiration.
Long Exposure photography idea: capturing the movement of the elements
With this long exposure photography idea, you can capture the movement not only of the water but also of other elements, such as lava or sand.
Long exposure photography example: Capturing a sea of clouds
One of the most stimulating long exposure examples is photographing a sea of clouds. The longer the exposure time, the dreamier the atmosphere will feel.
Long Exposure original idea: photographing the movement of the fish
An innovative long exposure photography concept is photographing the movement of colorful fish in a pond.
Long Exposure photography example: Shooting city light shows
Urban centers like Sydney, New York, Singapore, Paris, and London stage impressive light shows ideal for capturing with long exposure photography.
long Exposure photography idea: photographing fireworks
Capturing fireworks for an extended time period is another long exposure concept that involves keeping the shutter open longer.
Long Exposure photography example: capture drama on the cliffs
When photographing dramatic rocky cliffs with swiftly moving overcast and crashing waves, a good example of long exposure is to capture the movement of the clouds and water to create added drama and visual interest within the image.
Long exposure photography example: Star Trails
A stunning extended exposure example is to capture the movement of the stars using an extremely long exposure time.
You can learn more about how to generate these images in our guide about star trails photography.
Long Exposure photography idea: create a minimalist scene
One of the most well-liked concepts for long exposure photography involves capturing an extremely lengthy exposure to generate a minimalistic scene.
Long exposure FAQ
What is thought of as an extended photographic exposure?
In photography, it’s generally considered extended exposure when the shutter speed is slower than 1/60th of a second.
Is long revealing the same as slow shutter velocity?
Prolonged exposure time is viewed as equivalent to utilizing a slow shutter speed.
What is the process for taking a long exposure photograph?
To capture movement over time or low-light details invisible to the naked eye, it is necessary to adjust the shutter speed to an adequately slow rate.
Is there a way to perform daytime long exposure photography without filters?
Yes, however you will need to set a small aperture like f22 to utilize slower shutter speeds. Though, this is not advised, since you will lose quality in your photos due to “optical diffraction.” To capture good daytime long exposure photographs, you will need to employ filters.
What is the purpose of long exposure noise reduction in photography?
It is an inherent automated noise reduction system incorporated into modern digital cameras. Through this internal noise reduction process, the camera doubles the exposure time to diminish noise automatically.
Is a tripod necessary for long exposure photography?
Yes, a tripod is an essential tool for long exposure photography.
Can long exposure shooting harm your camera`s sensor?
No, however avoid directing your camera lens straight towards the sun for extended periods, and exercise caution when lasers point towards the device.
Is it possible to capture long-exposure photographs using an iPhone?
Yes, all that is needed is a mini tripod or comparable item to prevent any vibration on your phone. Also, you will need to adjust your camera mode to “Pro” or “Manual” and capture in RAW if possible.
Conclusion
Understanding long exposure photography is a mix of learning the hypothesis and essentials and putting into hone each viewpoint that you’ve seen in this manual.
Remember that long exposure photography is also about “learning to see” things differently. It’s a genre that takes some time and practice to master, but long exposure photography opens a new world of possibilities.
I genuinely hope this tutorial on long exposure photography increases your interest in this beautiful and creative type of photography and demonstrates how to capture the long exposure photos you’ve dreamed of.
Please let us know in the comments below if you have any questions related to long-term photography techniques!
