How Do You Take Long-Exposure Photographs?
Have you ever seen those night city shots of intense, fiery light trails? How are they made? You do it by using long-exposure photographs. Do you want to learn how to do it? Well, this post is for you. It’ll teach you the basics. Let’s go!
Well, this article isn’t about Tokyo exactly. However, as long exposures feature heavily on this website, you should know how they are done. Is that okay?
Long-exposure photograph gear
- Camera
- Tripod
- Shutter release cable
Why do you need a tripod and shutter release cable? Well, your shutter is going to be open for a long time. If your camera moves, your photos might get blurred. They would be ruined. You don’t want that!
Even pressing the shutter button will move your camera. Of course, handheld long exposures are impossible. Well, they are for me. To avoid it, use a tripod and a cable.
The tripod will give your a solid place to put your camera. Do you have one? Don’t worry if you don’t. Tables and window sills are good substitutes.
Don’t worry about the shutter release cable if you don’t have one. Your camera should have an internal timer to do the job. If you don’t know how to use it, consult the user’s manual. Next, let’s look at camera settings.
A review of camera settings
What are these? They’re shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. Let’s look at them.
- Shutter Speed
The longer you keep the shutter open, there more light hits the sensor. It can also have another effect. Keeping it open can create motion blur and those fabulous light trails. This is very important.
- Aperture
The aperture is the opening in the lens that controls how much light comes into the camera’s sensor. We can make it big (e.g., f/2.0) or small (e.g., f/22). It also influences the depth of field.
A wide aperture (e.g., f/2.0), can make the depth of field shallow. Things behind your subject might be blurred. Close it down to the f/22, and it’ll be deep. That means more will be in focus. Adjust it accordingly.
- ISO
ISO controls the sensitivity of the camera’s sensor. Increasing it will make your image brighter. Decrease it to make it darker. It has a downside, though. The higher it goes, the more noise or grain will appear in your image.
Settings for long-exposure photographs
The shutter needs to be open for the appropriate amount of time. That could be seconds, minutes, or longer. Why? It allows the camera sensor to capture car light trails.
For this lesson, let’s use a shutter speed of five seconds. You can go shorter, but the trails probably won’t be attractive. Of course, you can go longer.
Don’t ignore your aperture and ISO. If they are incorrect, you get an over or underexposed photo. That’s okay because mistakes are a learning experience. It teaches you what doesn’t work!
My go-to aperture setting for light trails ranges from f/8 to f/11. Remember, small aperture numbers mean the lens will be open wider. That will let more light in. We want less light for longer shutter speeds. Use a higher number.
Next, consider your ISO setting. Keep it low. Why? Because your camera’s sensor will be less sensitive, reducing the amount of light. For a five-second exposure, use the lowest possible setting your camera has. That will also reduce noise/grain.
Attach your camera to your tripod and use a shutter release cable. Next, focus your lens on the subject. Now you’re ready.
Using the shutter release cable, take your photo! How does it look? Is it too bright? Maybe it’s too dark? That’s ok. Adjust your settings and try again. Repeat until you get what you want.
Conclusion
Long-exposure photographs aren’t hard. But they need practice. Once you get a successful one, you’ll want to do it again. Trust me. They are great photos.
One day, you might find a part of the city that is very bright, even in the middle of the night. For those, use a filter to reduce the amount of light getting onto your camera’s sensor. They even allow long exposures during the day! That’s for another article. Leave questions and comments below.
Photo gear for this article:
- Camera Body: Fujifilm X-T3
- Lenses: Fujinon XF 16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR
- Cable release
More photography guides:
External related websites:
- Long Exposure Photography: A Step-By-Step Guide (on Digital Photography School)