45+ surreal Long Exposure Photography Inspirations
06. Jan, 2010
140 Comments
Long exposure photography is one of the coolest ways of taking pictures. It requires a longer shutter speed, anywhere from 1/2 sec up to several minutes or even a hour.
The ability to take long exposures requires a user to use a tripod for optimum results (of course, some people prefer the hand shake look). The use of a tripod is essential because the inability for the human hand to stay still is truly remarkable. No matter how good you get, it will be very hard to hand hold a 1 second shutter release without very noticeable blur. As well as a tripod (or monopod in some cases could work), a photographer should make use of the timed shutter release. This will allow the user to set the shot up, and set a timer to release the shutter. Most cameras have the option of one or more timed shutter releases, for example my Canon 40D has a 2 second and 10 second wait. I usually use the 2 second release as this gives you just enough time to get your hands off the camera to not bump the shot. This is even more important on longer shutter times.
Having a longer shutter speed of a few seconds allows the camera to take in more light to the sensor (or film for the film buffs). This means that the camera can read more “data” from the scene and gather more detail in a low light condition, creating some truly remarkable results as you will see below.
As well as low light conditions, a slow shutter speed allows for creative uses of motion in photographs. Some very cool portraits can be taken using a slower shutter speed, for example someone riding by on a bike creates a blur of the background and the bike, but could create a detailed portrait of the rider’s face if you follow the action. The same goes for a moving car, a fast shutter will catch a car in the exact instance, it could look like it’s not even moving (even at 200 mph with a fast lense). But using a slower shutter and following the path of the car could create a remarkable sense of speed that is tough to mimic and master.
Enjoy the great examples below and get out their and experiment with your camera taking long exposures.
Reader suggested Long exposure Photographs
I would like to add some of the best long exposure photographs suggested by my readers here. So that this post will remain alive for a long time. Will update this post regularly !
Absolutely incredible. Some of the most awe-inspiring photography I’ve seen in a long time. Would love to know what model of camera was used.
Superb photos.Were they done on a DSLR or a film SLR.
Thanks 4 these nice pictures
Well obviously they would have to use a film :] theres a special setting where you can keep the film going until you decide to stop
You don’t have to use film for long exposure shots. For dSLR’s you just need to keep the aperture open longer. Its even easier to do in dSLR than it is on film.
abby,
dslrs can also be set to long exposures.
“Well obviously they would have to use a film :] theres a special setting where you can keep the film going until you decide to stop”
All of these will have been done on a DSLR digital camera. You can set it to keep the shutter open for up to 30 seconds on its own or use the bulb setting where you hold the button down for as long as you want.
Abby – Yeah, it sucks that digital cameras dont have an adjustable shutter speed special setting like film cameras do, it is the biggest drawback of the digital format, however minor it is, that you can only take pictures at a single shutter speed all the time. One of these days the DSLRs worth thousands of dollars will be able to keep the shutter open for a variable amount of time, allowing the light sensor to record until you decide to stop. Somebody get on that, pronto!
I have a Nikon D40, an entry level DSLR camera. I frequently take night shots. I shoot in manual mode, that way I can control the aperature and shutter to any setting I feel like. Not sure where you people are shopping, but I’d find another camera store!
Actually, almost every digital camera on the market has adjustable shutter time, even my little canon point-and-shoot that came bundled with a printer has at least 15 different shutter speeds.
nice, looks like some form of HDR is involved here too
You can do it with both digital and film. With digital you need to set your shutter to bulb and use a shutter release cable to keep the exposure open…
Absolutely beautiful!!!
it’s not so obvious… you can take pictures like that with a DSLR..
you’re not making a very valid point there, Abby.
These can be done with with either film or digital. Many of the digital single lens reflex cameras have a bulb setting, which is used to take shots longer than a minute. There are some digital cameras that are not SLRs that have the appropriate setting. I also believe that some of the above photos were done using a High Dynamic Range technique in an application like Photoshop.
[...] http://www.smashingtips.com/long-exposure-photography-shots Gaaaanz viele Beispiele für wunderschöne Fotografie mit langer Belichtungszeit. [...]
Scott, can you give some non-SLR digital cameras that have a bulb setting? I’m interested in buying one, that’s why.
I like this picture very well.
greetings Ben
Well I have a Canon 40D and in Manual mode I can set the shutter to bulb and like that keep it open as long as I want/need or the batteries give up I guess. I think that every decent DSLR does have this feature. To achieve a long exposure in conditions with a lot of light (during day time) you can use ND filters to “lower” the light coming through your lens and so be able to set a longer exposure time. There is a neat little iPhone app to calculate the correct exposure time with ND filters called NDcalc (I’m not involved with this app, I’m just recommending it). Also, if you don’t want to use your cameras self timer, get a remote shutter release which you can get for little money and makes (photographers) life so much easier
[...] surreal Long Exposure Photography Inspirations @Smashingtips Jump to Comments 45+ surreal Long Exposure Photography Inspirations @Smashingtips. Check these out. [...]
Love the pics amazing….
I loved the diversaty that these photos showed and the creativeity of the many artists in this photo line up thank you for showing and shairing it with everyone photographer everywhere will be greatful like I am.Amazing works!
I tried using my dslr to do long exposures for night shots and found that it adjusted the exposure somehow so it looks like day! That is NOT what i was attempting. So you must have to do more than leave the shutter open?
Great photography. Very inspiring. I’ve done a number of time shots with my 20D that are quite good. I even licensed one a couple of years ago for a good chunk of change.
I ought to go out there and shoot some more. It’s been a while since I’ve done slow exposures.
I have taken a few long exposures i think my longest has been probably 50 mins.
I used 400iso film in an Olympus OM10.
If you would like to see them http://www.flickr.com/photos/dazzylbrush/
And to the person who set this page up I’d love for them to be on here…