Tutorial: Long Exposures and Slow Shutter Speeds
When you’re first starting out with Photography, the concept of long exposures and slow shutter speeds seems like a strange myth that you are determined to uncover the answers to. You may see other Photographers work while scrolling through your various news feeds, of winding light trails, crystal clear reflections, or that smooth, silky effect achieved when slowing down the flow from bodies of water. These photos are usually always visually pleasing, and you ask yourself:
HOW DO I DO THAT WITH MY PHOTOS?
That’s where my advice will come in handy. If you want to expand your skill set and learn how to achieve the various effects that come along with long exposures, then you’ve come to the right place! let’s get started!
WHAT YOU WILL NEED
Before we start discussing the range of techniques used to achieve long exposure shots, we will need to ensure that you have the correct equipment to start shooting. For most long exposure photographs, you will need:
- a DSLR or modern equivalent (preferably with the option of a timer delay setting)
- a Tripod
- a remote trigger (not essential if your camera has a timer delay setting)
- Neutral Density Filters and adapters
The Neutral Density Filters are not essential for every form of long exposure photography, but we will come to that later in the post! Now that you have the equipment that you need to tackle slow shutter speeds, we first need to discuss:
WHAT DOES A SLOWER SHUTTER SPEED ACTUALLY DO?
The first concept that you need to fully understand, is that your shutter speed (along with your ISO and aperture) lets LIGHT into the camera, effecting the overall exposure of your image. Take a look at the “Exposure Triangle” below:
If you are unfamiliar with this triangle, this is what the base of photography techniques are built on. This is one of the first things you should be learning when aiming to shoot professional images. I will soon be releasing a blog post that will cover this triangle and the basic concepts of photo exposure. But for now, let’s focus on the triangles bottom edge titled “Shutter Speed”.
As you can see, the slower the shutter speed (1/4 being slow, 1/8000 being a fast shutter speed) the MORE LIGHT the camera lets in. In case you were wondering, 1/4 is equal to a quarter of a second, while 1/8000 is an 8000th of a second, both relating to how long the shutter stays open for.
This leads us to the second effect that a longer exposure will have on your image. If you take a photo at 1/4, without using your tripod, it is most likely that your image will be blurry. If you take a photo at 1/8000, everything in the shot will be sharp and will almost look frozen. This is why settings such as 1/1000sec and above are used by wildlife or sports photographers for example; to capture that brief moment that involves quick movement from the subject.
So essentially, the longer our shutter speed, the MORE LIGHT we let in and the more blur we create from subjects that are moving in our image. Therefore, if we want to blur the movement of water, people, or any other moving subject, we need a SLOWER SHUTTER SPEED. If we have very low lighting and don’t want to sacrifice quality by increasing the ISO, we need to let in more light with a SLOWER SHUTTER SPEED
Below is a very useful Infographic, that explains the different effects achieved with various shutter speeds:
We could look at all of these settings individually, but for now, we are only going to focus on the settings that achieve a long exposure and create beautiful blur in our images. So, before we look at when and where you might apply these techniques, we need to discuss:
YOUR CAMERA SETTINGS
Shoot in Manual or “S” – On your DSLR there will be an option (or dial) for you to select what mode to shoot in.
The “M” is Manual is mode. Some people may find this mode a little too advanced for them to begin with, as it requires to change the ISO, aperture and shutter speed manually to balance your exposure. If you think this a little too much for you to tackle at the moment, you can shoot in “S”, which is “Shutter Speed Priority” mode. This means that you alter the shutter speed yourself, but the camera will automatically alter the ISO and aperture to balance the exposure for you. I would personally learn to shoot in Manual mode for more control over your photos, but “S” mode is a good place to start.
Focus – For long exposures, we will be setting the focus point with Auto Focus, then locking that focus point in by switching to manual focus. Essentially, you pick the spot you want to focus on, half press the shutter button to focus, then once the camera has fully focused, flick the switch on your lens to manual. This means that point will stay in focus while you take your long exposure shots.
Quality – ALWAYS SHOOT IN RAW. RAW files are bigger and consume more memory, but this is the case because they hold more data. There are always debates about what file type to shoot in, but RAW is king. If you shoot in JPEG, you are only limiting what you can do with that photo in post. ALWAYS SHOOT IN RAW.
White Balance – This always differs on the lighting of the shot you are taking. It can also be easily corrected in post with the correct editing software, so is not always hugely essential. However, there is nothing better than getting the shot right the first time around. I usually set my White Balance to Auto, except for certain situations, which we will discuss later.
Timer Mode (or Remote mode) – To ensure that you do not blur your image by pressing the shutter button, you need to either use a timer delay on your camera, or a shutter remote if you have one. There will be an option or dial on your DSLR to change to a timer mode:
Or, if you are using a remote, there should be an option in your cameras menu for remote delay options:
I normally use the “remote mirror up” option. This means when you click your remote, the mirror will flick up in the camera. The second time you press your remote, it will take the photo. The mirror opening also creates a very small vibration in the camera, so using this option reduces camera shake even further, ensuring that your image is sharp.
FINALE NOTE: The last setting to get right before you start shooting, only applies if you are using a VR lens (Vibration Reduction). These lenses with have a small switch on the side for “VR on or off”. You want to turn to VR OFF. This is because the lens then thinks you need assistance with reducing vibration, but since your camera will be on a tripod, you do not need that assistance! It will only interfere with your settings and try to do something that is not necessary.
So, with all your basic settings sorted, you are now ready to START SHOOTING!
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO CAPTURE?
Long exposure photography can be applied to many different situations for stunning photos, but there are a few areas in which you will use these techniques the most. Let’s take a look at some of the different areas of long exposure photography, so that you can apply these techniques to what you are trying to achieve!
1.) NIGHTSCAPES AND LOW LIGHT (15secs – BULB)
(Amsterdam street shot) – ISO100 f/16 15secs
Whether you’re taking a picture in an indoor space with minimal light, or capturing a city late at night, you are left with very little light to create an image with. Using a slow shutter speed in this situation will let more light in the camera, making the overall image brighter and sharper.
HOW TO
- Set up your camera on your tripod and compose your shot.
- Make sure all of your settings are correct (either Manual or S mode, shoot in RAW, timer mode or remote mode active)
- Set your White Balance. Use Auto if you’re not sure, but for nightscapes and low light, Tungsten is a good option to go with
- Set your focus. Use your cameras auto focus to set the focal point, then once it is locked in, switch your lens’ focus switch to manual. (if your lens has VR, ensure it is turned off)
Now its time to set your SHUTTER SPEED. Using the dial on your DSLR, cycle down to at least a 15 second exposure. Most nightscape and low light images can be shot at shutter speeds of between 15 and 30 and seconds. If your image is still very dark, you may need to go for a longer exposure.
To do this, most DSLRs will have a “Bulb” setting on their shutter speed dial. This essentially means that the shutter will open when you press the shutter button, and will close when you let go, meaning you can have it open for as long as you want! This will definitely require the use of a remote control though, as holding down the shutter button on your camera will create vibration and blur the image.
Press the remote shutter button to open the lens, then press it again to close it and finish taking the shot. You should also time how long you are keeping the shutter open for, so that you can keep experimenting with different exposure times.
2.) LIGHT TRAILS (30secs – BULB)
This is a great example of when using BULB mode can come in handy. Whether there are moving subjects with a light source in your image, or if you’re creating the trails yourself by painting with light (a really cool technique I will cover in another post), a slower shutter speed can lead to light trails in your photo.
The image above was taking over a canal in Venice, Italy. The light trails on the water came from a boat slowly floating down the river towards me. The long exposure of 119 seconds not only let in enough light to correctly expose the image, it also captured the light trails of the boat perfectly as it floated underneath the bridge I was taking photos from. These lights can also be created by bikes, cars or any other moving light source.
HOW TO
- Set up your camera on your tripod and compose your shot.
- Make sure all of your settings are correct (either Manual or S mode, shoot in RAW, timer mode or remote mode active)
- Set your White Balance. Use Auto if you’re not sure, but for light trails and low light, Tungsten is a good option to go with
- Set your focus. Use your cameras auto focus to set the focal point, then once it is locked in, switch your lens focus switch to manual. (if your lens has VR, ensure it is turned off)
SHUTTER SPEED: With light trails, your shutter speed should be at least 30 seconds. This will allow enough time for your camera to blur the subject, while creating the trail of light from your moving subject. Again, keep experimenting! If you need to, go into Bulb mode and time your exposure to see what timing suits the shot best.
For this shot outside the colosseum, I used a shutter speed of 61 seconds to capture the light trails of the passing traffic on the roads in front of me.
3.) BLURRING PEOPLE (1/6sec – 2secs)
Blurring people in your image can be a nifty trick if your shot is overwhelmed with crowds of people. Blurring their movement can make your shot more interesting, particularly for landscape or cityscape shots. The shot above was taken at the summit of Mt. Snowdon in Wales, where I used a slower shutter speed of 1/6sec to create a blur in the hikers walking through my shot.
The image below was taken in the Piazza San Marco in Venice, Italy. The blur at the bottom of the image was created by a person walking through my shot as I was taking the photo. I used a shutter speed of 1.6 seconds here to create this effect.
HOW TO
- Set up your camera on your tripod and compose your shot.
- Make sure all of your settings are correct (either Manual or S mode, shoot in RAW, timer mode or remote mode active)
- Set your White Balance to Auto
- Set your focus. Use your cameras auto focus to set the focal point, then once it is locked in, switch your lens focus switch to manual. (if your lens has VR, ensure it is turned off)
If you are shooting in middle of the day or an area where there is a lot of light, you may need to use a Neutral Density filter. Attaching this filter to the end of your lens will make the image darker, meaning you can use a slower shutter speed without over exposing your image by letting in too much light.
Another technique to achieve this (if you’re using Manual Mode) is to set your ISO as low as possible (usually 100) and your aperture higher (14 and above). This lets less light into the camera, allowing you to use a slower shutter speed.
SHUTTER SPEED: Set your shutter speed to anywhere between 1/6sec and 2 seconds. This will create enough blur in the moving people in you shot for an interesting composition.
4.) BLURRING CLOUDS (20-30secs)
Another effect you can achieve with a long exposure is the blurring of clouds, in a dramatic landscape shot for example. I took the above shot while on a day trip to Swanage, UK. I managed to capture the clouds slowly moving over the town just as the sun was setting.
HOW TO
- Set up your camera on your tripod and compose your shot.
- Make sure all of your settings are correct (either Manual or S mode, shoot in RAW, timer mode or remote mode active)
- Set your White Balance to Auto (Tungsten if shooting at night)
- Set your focus. Use your cameras auto focus to set the focal point, then once it is locked in, switch your lens focus switch to manual. (if your lens has VR, ensure it is turned off)
Again, if you are shooting in daylight, use an ND FILTER. It will allow you use a slower shutter speed to create better motion blur in the clouds.
SHUTTER SPEED: Any speed between 20 and 30 seconds is going to create a lovely blur for the clouds in your shot. You could even experiment and go into Bulb Mode, seeing if longer exposures (e.g. 45 seconds) can create an interesting motion blur in your sky.
5.) FIREWORKS (2 -8 seconds)
If you are looking to take photos of Fireworks at an upcoming special event, getting your settings right is essential for excellent photos.
HOW TO
- Set up your camera on your tripod and compose your shot.
- Make sure all of your settings are correct (either Manual or S mode, shoot in RAW, timer mode or remote mode active)
- Set your White Balance to Tungsten
- Set your focus. Use your cameras auto focus to set the focal point, then once it is locked in, switch your lens focus switch to manual. (if your lens has VR, ensure it is turned off)
SHUTTER SPEED: Anywhere between 2 seconds and 8 seconds is a good place to start for Firework photography. Again, it will require some experimenting to get your shots perfect!
6.) BLURRING THE MOVEMENT OF WATER (0.5secs – 5secs)
This technique can be applied to either create the smooth, silky effect of moving water, or to capture beautiful still reflections on the water too! These shutter speed settings will be subject to change, depending on the effect you are trying to achieve. The shot above was taken in a National Trust Park in Cumbria, UK. I used a shutter speed of 1 second to create the silky water effect.
The image below was also taken in Cumbria, but this time I used a shutter speed of 5 seconds to create a mirror-like effect on the water.
Essentially, the LONGER the shutter speed, the MORE BLURRED the moving water will be.
HOW TO
- Set up your camera on your tripod and compose your shot.
- Make sure all of your settings are correct (either Manual or S mode, shoot in RAW, timer mode or remote mode active)
- Set your White Balance to Auto
- Set your focus. Use your cameras auto focus to set the focal point, then once it is locked in, switch your lens focus switch to manual. (if your lens has VR, ensure it is turned off)
- Again, you may want to use a ND filter if you are shooting in daylight
SHUTTER SPEED: Out of all the different long exposure techniques, this area requires the most experimenting for the desired effect. Begin with 0.5 seconds to 5 seconds and see what effects you end up with! From there, play around with the shutter speed until you reach your goal for the image.
SUMMARY
Hopefully by now you have a good idea of how long exposures and shutter speeds can be used in your photography techniques to create a variety of awesome effects. The next step is PRACTICE. Take these tips and techniques away and learn on your own! Visit waterfalls; take nightscape shots; go to crowded areas, all to try out these different methods of long exposure photography.
The one area of long exposure photography we haven’t covered here is ASTRO PHOTOGRAPHY. However, this is a much more complicated process and requires a wider range of settings and techniques to get right. Because of this, I will be covering this in a separate blog post.
In the meantime, THANK YOU FOR READING! Now get out there and get snapping away!