7 Steps To Long Exposure Photography

Photography can be both a hobby and a passion. With either one, you want to improve your skills and take them to the next step. Like many others, I wanted to get into long exposure photography. So, here is the simple step-by-step process I’ve learned for long exposure photography that you can try as well.

A good camera

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You need to start your journey with a good investment. It doesn’t have to be a Canon 7D Mark III. However, you need a DSLR and you can start with what I have, a Canon T3. Basically, you need a camera that will allow you to control shutter speed, ISO and aperture.

Tripod

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This is where I struggled a lot. I thought I would need to have a professional tripod for the job. As a matter of fact, you can buy a decent tripod from any computer or camera store. For beginners, I would encourage you not to spend too much money yet.

Shutter Speed

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Remember when we spoke about shutter speed? Well, it is important. As the name suggests, you need a long exposure to light to create effects such as creamy flowing water or streaks of light. The best way to start will depend on lighting and your use of filters, which I will talk about later. But what I often do is start with the slowest shutter speed and work my way up.

ISO

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You need to keep your ISO as low as possible. Increased ISO means grain and extra light that you don't need. You shouldn't have to worry about lighting, since the low shutter speed will allow lots of light to come in. Grain and extra light are your worst enemies when it comes to long exposure photography, making high ISO a rookie mistake (which I made).

Aperture

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This is an area where I used to go nuts, but I did some research and it turns out I should be more careful. Aperture can change your depth of field, which can help make your picture look sharper. The best range to use is between 8 and 11.

Filters

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The best filter depends entirely on the situation. If you are taking the picture at night, you don’t need a filter. As a matter of fact, it will produce a low quality picture. If you are taking the photo in a bright environment, make sure you use NDX filters. There are different NDX filters you can buy to accommodate your needs.

Patience

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Yes, patience! There will be people running in front of you and millions of other scenarios. Some pictures will be better than others. Take as many pictures as you can and always have patience.