Technocrat Thursday: Long Exposures and water

Technocrat Thursday (I've moved the day) - Long Exposures and water


Recently, as well as playing studio photographer, I've also been testing some different photography techniques, in particular, long exposure.

What is a long exposure though?

When you press the capture button (or the shutter) you camera lets in the light around it for an amount of time. This can be be as short as 1/2000th of a second (or faster sometimes) to very long exposures that last over minutes and sometimes hours (in the case of Astrophotography)

To aid in setting up a very long exposure, part of the trick as per usual is light. Or in this case, LIMITING the amount of light you use. Late evenings at dusk is normally a good time. Alternatively experiment.

To help the camera along, your lens needs to be set at the maximum aperture (f22 onwards). This will reduce the amount that is being captured, and help with the long exposures.

ISO speed should be set to 100 ISO. This will allow for a very nice image, that doesn't look too pixelated.

How long to set the camera for exposure... its difficult. Again, its that magic trial and error.

Of course a tripod or a very stable surface normally help a lot too.

Here is the EXIF info which will help you see how I did my images.

Subject: "The River" or us locals call it "The Floozie in the Jacuzzi" , Birmingham City Centre,

Image 1: Handheld Shot, ISO100 f2.8, 20mm 1/8 exposure

More luck than not with this shot. Just a handheld reference shot

Image 2: Landscape version - A useful lump of wall holding the camera up. ISO100, f22 10 second exposure

Notice the water has changed. Its a lot more smoother than the first shot. Also the lens is now showing off as it is generating stars out of the lights by itself

Image 3: a different angle - ISO100, f22 8 second exposure

There a lot more action with the water now as you can see by the cascading water. The light reflected in the water is captured with the movement of the water.

Image 4: another angle ISO100, f22 13 second exposure

More detail is captured, as there was less light at this angle.

Like all photos, its a matter of trying and experimenting. So go on... get out and shoot!!!!

(and a minor fess up - I took these on the 20th Feb - I haven't had much time to do processing recently!)