How To Set Manual Settings For Long Exposure Camera Shots

Fine art photographer Leanne Cole has been shooting long exposure photographs for over 25 years and is immensely passionate about sharing her noesis. Hither she offers her professional tips on working with slow shutter speeds, as well as advice on selecting the correct camera gear and settings for the job.

Image by Leanne Cole

"Long exposure photographs are merely magical and testify the world in a completely new and special way. Information technology isn't at all difficult to understand why this is ane of the nigh addictive types of photography out at that place."

Leanne Cole

Whether you're just starting out on your photography journeying, or looking to take your wearisome shutter speed skills to the next level, this is everything you demand to know about long exposure photography.

Why Long Exposure Photography?

Long exposure photography is incredibly versatile, the type of photography you tin can do at whatsoever time of the day or night, regardless of where you are. And at that place'due south just something completely unique about the manner the images come up out, the way they capture the motility of your subjects. Roaring rivers and rolling waves get smooth and soft, while drifting clouds morph and take on on otherworldly forms. People, lights and cars get flashes of colour, or disappear entirely. Whether shooting in a metropolis or in nature, it'southward incredible to meet what you can create with your camera and a expert ND (neutral density) filter.

Image past Leanne Cole

Recommended Camera Gear for Long Exposure Photography

At that place are a few pieces of specialist gear that y'all need for shooting long exposure photographs. Still, it's a relatively affordable area of photography to become into as you don't require any special lenses. Here are the essentials:

Camera

The first and most obvious piece of gear you will need for taking long exposure photos is a camera. Information technology doesn't necessarily have to be a DSLR, as many mirrorless cameras are capable of taking long exposures. Notwithstanding, it's important that your camera gives you full manual command over your ISO, shutter speed and discontinuity settings. Your camera should also have a bulb setting, which volition permit you to utilise shutter speeds longer than xxx seconds.

Lenses

Yous can use whatever lens for taking long exposure photographs, although most photographers generally use wide angles lenses, which allow yous to capture more than of the scene. My favourite lens for long exposure photography is the Canon EF sixteen-35mm f/2.8 II USM Lens. It's a great focal length to capture moving h2o and clouds. Note that you will demand a lens that volition allow you to screw an ND filter to the end of it (more than on ND filters below).

Tripod

One of the most of import pieces of equipment you'll need for shooting long exposure images is a sturdy tripod. There is nothing worse than going out for the day and subsequently discovering that none of them are in focus because your tripod was swaying in the cakewalk. It doesn't take to be a heavy tripod, merely it should be sturdy enough to stay still for minutes at a time.

Epitome by Leanne Cole

Remote Shutter Release

When using the bulb setting you will need to use a remote shutter release. This will permit you to open and shut the shutter for the required time. Using a remote shutter release volition also permit yous to have your shot without touching your photographic camera and introducing camera shake.

Many Canon cameras now have touch screens that permit you to do the same thing in Live View, and so yous should cheque your camera earlier investing in one unnecessarily.

A timer remote control (likewise known as an intervalometer or interval timer) is an alternative option that will give you greater control, allowing y'all to set your required exposure time without having to continuously lookout your photographic camera. It can make creating long exposures a more relaxing experience. A number of Canon cameras besides have built-in intervalometers and so, again, be sure to check your camera earlier buying one.

ND (Neutral Density) Filters

"The most important piece of gear to have for taking long exposure photographs is a neutral density filter (or ND filter)."

ND filters fit on the end of your lens and reduce the corporeality of light that enters your camera. This enables yous to select long shutter speeds—even minutes at a fourth dimension—in even the brightest of daylight without over-exposing your shots.

ND filters are described as being 'neutral' because they practise not have any result over the color of your images. Annotation, however, that inexpensive and/or low quality ND filters sometimes do.

The amount of light that a filter cuts out is gauged in terms of density and measured in 'stops', with 10 stop ND filters typically being the most popular. The darker and denser the filter, the higher the stop number and the longer your exposure fourth dimension will need to be.

Types of ND Filters

As well as ND filters that yous screw into the stop of your lens, there are also other varieties that require an adaptor band, into which the filter is placed. The most pop size for ND filter holders is the 100mm square filter. These are well-nigh always fabricated of glass, so you lot need to be careful when using or transporting them.

The holder system tends to be the most popular option equally they are generally easier and quicker to remove when you want to re-compose your shot or movement to a new location. The spiral on filters are less popular as they take longer to attach and detach.

When to Use ND Filters

There are no set rules as to when you should or shouldn't use an ND filter, but the post-obit are examples of scenes and subjects that look great when shot with long exposure times.

Water

Whether it be a river, lake, bathtub or ocean, photographing h2o with a long exposure of two or iii seconds, or even two or 3 minutes, will smooth out whatsoever ripples and create a truly unique look. Yous tin can also employ ND filters to show exposures of 20 seconds or even a few minutes to capture the movement of the water. Long exposures are perfect for photographing waves crashing onto the beach or rocks, and waterfalls always expect incredible.

Prototype by Leanne Cole

Clouds

Clouds are fantastic subjects for long exposures. You can see them streaking through the sky. They requite your images a timeless feel and add an extra level of drama to compages shots and cityscapes.

Image past Leanne Cole

People

Long exposure photos of big crowds, whether it be on a busy street or a train station, have an almost theatrical aesthetic. Adjusting your exposure time tin result in all sorts of weird and wonderful looks, from ghostly forms to actually creative blurs. A really long exposure will can remove people from your scene altogether. You never quite know what you lot'll get, which makes information technology all the more exciting.

How to Take Long Exposure Photographs

Programme and Gear up

The first thing yous need to practice when planning your long exposure photography shoot is piece of work out what you are going to photograph.

Choose a Scene

When choosing a scene for your long exposure photo shoot, retrieve to expect for motion. Any blazon of water will work well, equally will cloudy skies, busy streets and illuminated cityscapes.

Dial Downward Your ISO

Ever apply the lowest ISO your camera is capable of. For virtually cameras this will be ISO 100. If you increase ISO you will start to introduce noise into your images.

Choose an Discontinuity Between f/8 and f/14

When shooting long exposures your aperture should be between f/viii and f/14, as this volition give you the sharpest images. It'due south easy to call up that yous should employ something like f/22, but this will not give you the sharpest results. You lot can besides play effectually with your aperture from shot to shot if you experience you demand more or less lite.

Slow Down Your Shutter Speed

Ideally your shutter speed should be set to 'Bulb Mode', which is congenital in to select Canon Cameras. If your camera doesn't have a defended Bulb mode then switch your camera to Manual fashion and alter the shutter speed to bulb there. Seedling is the only setting that will permit you to take photos for longer than thirty seconds. Additionally, Bulb Timer mode built in to selected models enables you to accept several images at the length of exposure that you choose.

Every bit your experience grows you will get ameliorate at working it out simply past looking at a scene and knowing roughly how much fourth dimension you'll demand. In that location is always some experimenting at the start of a session, only once y'all accept the time worked out you can usually just leave it there. Most of the time you will be shooting long exposures of around 2 to three minutes.

Position Your Tripod

Set upwards your tripod and brand sure your camera is firmly locked in. If you're using a remote shutter release or intervalometer then remember to connect it to your camera.

Select and Attach Your ND Filter

You'll demand filters of varying densities depending on the time of solar day and how much available light in that location is. A 10 stop ND filter is typically great for early morn and later in the mean solar day, but you normally demand something darker for shooting during the brightest daylight hours. I ordinarily select my filter according to the available lite, regardless of the time of day. My eyes are very sensitive to light, so if I need my sunglasses and then I know I need a darker ND filter.

Compose and Commit

Compose your epitome and arrive focus. Many cameras struggle to focus through ND filters then it's best practise focus manually. Once yous are prepare, put your eyepiece embrace over the viewfinder, as light can come in between information technology and add an unwanted magenta rectangle to your images. You are ready to open the shutter and brand your paradigm!

Review and Rework

Written report each of your images and see if you need to increase or subtract the exposure time, or maybe modify the ND filter. You can besides make your image lighter or darker by adjusting your aperture. If you use f/14, for case, and the prototype is too dark, y'all can try changing it to f/x and trying over again. Play around with your settings after each shot until you detect the perfect balance.

You should also adjust your settings depending on how much movement you want to capture. If, for case, you want to capture flowing water so a 10 stop ND filter in the middle of the day may give you a 2 to iii seconds. The key is to keep experimenting.

Image by Leanne Cole

How to Edit Long Exposure Photographs

Yous can edit your long exposures photos with any post-processing software. Many photographers utilise Catechism's Digital Photo Professional software, Lightroom and/or Photoshop. How yous edit your photos will depend on your personal taste, merely y'all volition by and large want to bump upwardly your contrast, subtract your highlights to go some detail in the whites and add a little noise reduction every bit it's common to end up with noise when shooting long exposures. Again, experiment and run across what you terminate upwards with. Develop your style and attempt to add your own personality to your images.

Image past Leanne Cole

This may all seem like a lot of information to consider, only once you've got a few long exposure shoots nether your chugalug it will naturally all come together. Yous may even find yourself fond! Get yourself some skilful quality ND filters, find some great flowing water, clouds or cityscapes to capture and away you go!

Follow Leanne Cole on Instagram to see more than of her awe-inspiring long exposure photographs.

Source: https://www.canon.com.au/get-inspired/long-exposure-photography-tips-leanne-cole

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