Photography is an old practice that has been honed and developed over the years. As an art form that relies on technology, photography tricks and techniques change as camera technology improves.
One of the most impressive photography techniques is called long-exposure photography. This can produce truly incredible results and can be used in a variety of settings. In this guide, we take a closer look at what long-exposure photography is and discuss how you can do it yourself. Read on to learn more.
What is Long-Exposure Photography?
Long-exposure photography is the name given to a technique through which moving elements in a photograph are blurred or smeared while stationary elements remain sharp and in focus.
For example, if you were to take a photograph of a city street using the long-exposure technique, the movement of cars and pedestrians would smear into distinctive coloured lines, while the buildings and other stationary objects would remain unchanged. This contrast is striking and is the key characteristic of long-exposure photography.
How Does It Work?
If you want to start taking some long-exposure shots for yourself, and maybe compiling them into a photo book from mysocialbook.com, you need to understand how the process works. Some people rely on modern photo editors that can indeed help you adjust exposure, shift focus on the image or blend photos. However, you cannot reach the same effect by post processing only.
To do this, you need to understand the basic photography principle of shutter speed. The shutter speed setting is used to tell the shutter how long to stay open, and therefore determines how long light hits the sensor for. For long-exposure photography, you need a long shutter speed of several seconds. In some cases, long-exposure photography can use a shutter speed of up to an hour.
The result is that moving elements merge and blur together in the final shot, while still elements are in focus. Water has long been a popular choice for long-exposure photography, particularly when stationary elements like rocks and cliffs are in the scene. Using this technique, the movement of the water will make it look like a beautiful haze in the final picture, contrasting wonderfully with the stationary elements.
Getting Started
So, now that we know what long-exposure photography is, how can you get started taking these incredible shots for yourself?
First and foremost, you’re going to need the right kind of camera. While we all have cameras in our pockets these days, in the form of our smartphones, these are not particularly suitable for long-exposure photography. What you need is a camera that allows you to manually set the shutter speed. A DSLR camera is your best bet, these offer complete control and will let you get the settings you need.
Next, you’re going to need to find a scene to photograph. This could be a city street or a landscape. However, remember that the technique works better in low light. If you’re shooting in bright daylight, use a neutral density filter to prevent your photograph from being overexposed.
Finally, one of the most important tools you need is a tripod. With such a long shutter speed, any movement to the camera will ruin your picture. A tripod will keep your camera steady and ensure your shot comes out perfectly.
Conclusion
Long-exposure photography can produce some amazing results. Use this guide to learn about the technique and start experimenting with it!
