photography involves using a long-duration shutter speed to sharply capture the stationary elements of images while blurring, smearing, or obscuring the moving elements. Long-exposure photography captures one element that conventional photography does not: an extended period of time.
How do you do long exposure photography?
Turn the camera's mode dial to Manual mode and use a slow shutter speed (5-30 seconds) for a longer exposure. The longer the exposure, the mistier the water appears. Use your camera's self-timer to take the photo with absolutely no blurring.
What lens is best for long exposure?
Lens: A wide angle lens is the perfect choice. You will use a tripod anyway, so you don't need an image stabilizer. A fast lens is not required, as you'll be shooting almost every photo between f/8 and f/16. My recommended lenses are Zeiss Distagon T* 2,8/21 and Canon EF 16-35 f/2.8L II.
Turn the camera's mode dial to Manual mode and use a slow shutter speed (5-30 seconds) for a longer exposure. The longer the exposure, the mistier the water appears. Use your camera's self-timer to take the photo with absolutely no blurring.
What lens is best for long exposure?
Lens: A wide angle lens is the perfect choice. You will use a tripod anyway, so you don't need an image stabilizer. A fast lens is not required, as you'll be shooting almost every photo between f/8 and f/16. My recommended lenses are Zeiss Distagon T* 2,8/21 and Canon EF 16-35 f/2.8L II.
Doing long exposures is the most fundamental trick up a landscape photographer's sleeve. But for effective use of its visual effects, there are a few essential steps that one must follow.
For a more secure workflow in shooting long exposure landscapes, there are some crucial steps that one should follow for a better outcome. Keeping these five things in mind will help you come up with better output the next time you go shooting.
For a more secure workflow in shooting long exposure landscapes, there are some crucial steps that one should follow for a better outcome. Keeping these five things in mind will help you come up with better output the next time you go shooting.
1. Always Use a Tripod That Will Carry Your Camera With Ease.
This is the most basic for any form of photography that uses long exposures. Any long-exposure image taken with a tripod, especially when there are significant environmental factors such as strong winds, water currents, or vibration of whatever you’re standing on, will be ruined by the slightest shake.
2. Allow the Movement to Fill a Significant Space.
Never shoot long-exposure images if there isn’t anything moving that’s taking a significant space or fraction of your frame. At the very least, a moving element and its path should take about a third of your entire frame for it to have enough emphasis. Unless, of course, you’re shooting with a minimalist visual design, in which case, your moving object might be the only significant object in the frame.
3. Match Your Exposure Time With the Movement of Your Moving Element.
This doesn’t mean, of course, that you know the exact speed at which your element is moving. Instead, match your exposure time to allow for the object to cross the frame within your set exposure time. For instance, if you’re shooting long exposures in the city and you want the cars to outline the road and for the light trails to be significantly solid, you have to estimate the amount of time it would take for that many cars to pass and consequently adjust your exposure settings around that specific exposure time.
4. Infuse Contrast With a Still Visual Element.
Contextual contrast is essential in shooting long exposures. While the movement is your main ingredient for your visual design, this movement should be complemented by a still element to emphasize that movement. Otherwise, it would be easy to assume that the photo was blurred entirely due to a flaw and not artistic intent. However, there are certain instances where that is acceptable and aesthetically appealing, such as in abstract long-exposure landscape photographs.
5. Allow the Motion of Your Moving Element Dictate Your Visual Path.
In working with complex compositions, such as those that deal with many layers, your moving element should lead the eyes of your viewers through those different layers. Think of it as using contrast to emphasize the presence of multiple layers in the frame. As you may already know, much of landscape photography deals with the grandiosity and the use of multiple layers in a frame would support that theme.
This is the most basic for any form of photography that uses long exposures. Any long-exposure image taken with a tripod, especially when there are significant environmental factors such as strong winds, water currents, or vibration of whatever you’re standing on, will be ruined by the slightest shake.
2. Allow the Movement to Fill a Significant Space.
Never shoot long-exposure images if there isn’t anything moving that’s taking a significant space or fraction of your frame. At the very least, a moving element and its path should take about a third of your entire frame for it to have enough emphasis. Unless, of course, you’re shooting with a minimalist visual design, in which case, your moving object might be the only significant object in the frame.
3. Match Your Exposure Time With the Movement of Your Moving Element.
This doesn’t mean, of course, that you know the exact speed at which your element is moving. Instead, match your exposure time to allow for the object to cross the frame within your set exposure time. For instance, if you’re shooting long exposures in the city and you want the cars to outline the road and for the light trails to be significantly solid, you have to estimate the amount of time it would take for that many cars to pass and consequently adjust your exposure settings around that specific exposure time.
4. Infuse Contrast With a Still Visual Element.
Contextual contrast is essential in shooting long exposures. While the movement is your main ingredient for your visual design, this movement should be complemented by a still element to emphasize that movement. Otherwise, it would be easy to assume that the photo was blurred entirely due to a flaw and not artistic intent. However, there are certain instances where that is acceptable and aesthetically appealing, such as in abstract long-exposure landscape photographs.
5. Allow the Motion of Your Moving Element Dictate Your Visual Path.
In working with complex compositions, such as those that deal with many layers, your moving element should lead the eyes of your viewers through those different layers. Think of it as using contrast to emphasize the presence of multiple layers in the frame. As you may already know, much of landscape photography deals with the grandiosity and the use of multiple layers in a frame would support that theme.
