saltlightstudios Loc: Cypress Creek

Good day! I hope I don't have as much trouble during this challenge as in the last. Had a lot of issues uploading imagery.

Anyhoo! I am here to introduce you to long exposure photography. This can be done in low light to photograph stars, Christmas lights, or perhaps a pretty night scene on the river. It can also be done during the day to get that pretty velvet water effect on waterfalls or to just play and have fun with different effects of light and movement.

I have been a photographer for many moons, but I am just starting to play around in this area of the field so I hope we all learn a lot together as we go through this challenge together. Here are a few rough images I took last night in the dark. I just shot the few lights I could see from the house, and I got some neat imagery I thought. Please critique if you have it, I am learning too!

About a quarter of a mile away they were burning some leaves or something. loved the light it put out for me!


Almost straight across the street I have the only close neighbors. In this one I caught a car going by too!


Moon while high in the clear sky


Same moon couple hours later as it got close to the horizon.

lhammer43 Loc: San Antonio, TX

Good start here salt. I saw your link to here on Saturdays challenge. I'll go back and see if it also got to Sunday's page.
I'm looking forward to learning something here.

saltlightstudios Loc: Cypress Creek

Thank you! I had a hard time finding Sunday's Challenge, hope I put the link in the right place :( !

CHuckle's Loc: Lockhart, Texas

I took these back in August, and I have posted the Cathedral before, but thought I would again for this Challenge. The Cathedral was a 5 second exposure and the Natchez was a 30 second exposure at 11 pm. Definitely used a tripod. Both of these were my first and so far only images in long exposure but will try again on other subjects for this challenge.

Jackson Square, New Orleans


Natchez Paddle Wheeler, New Orleans

RE Loc: California

The first two I took in the last month, the last one was taken sometime around September.

Reno night scene towards the mountains.


crescent moon and stars


Circle around the moon (pre rain) and stars.

tbell7D Loc: Houston

I took this one last year, but it definitely fits the requirements of this challenge.

Downtown Houston, 2 sec exposure, ISO 100, with tripod

littlebiddle Loc: Yakima Wa USA

A sample of my long exposure shots! Enjoy!

Upper Sunbeam Creek F 11, ISO 200, 1/3 Sec.


Sunbeam Creek F14, ISO 200, 1/5 Sec.


Below the falls F25, 1.6 Sec ISO 200


Buckingham Fountain F11, ISO 250, 25 Sec.


Seattle F 8, ISO 100, 20 Sec


Cindies Castle F2.8, ISO 800, 1/4 Sec.

laskalass Loc: Land of the Midnight Sun

Thanks for the new topic...however, I know nothing about slow exposure....is there a tutorial we can look at? What do you set the f stop at if it's a night shot? I have a tripod but I dont have a remote which I assume you need?? If you could tell us a bit more about the hows and whys I would appreciate it! Sorry to be so dense here....:-\

Clicker2014 Loc: Canada

Thanks for hosting!! You have started this thread off with fabulous examples for long exposures. I think this is going to get a lot of people out to take interesting night shots, etc. It is a great time of year for this with the Xmas lights. I am posting a few to get me started, but am looking forward to trying new ideas. Have a wonderful day!

F22 ISO 320 18mm .5 sec.


F10 ISO 100 10 sec. Manual


F16 ISO 400 2.8 sec. Manual - 18 mm. Zoom while exposing

Bushido Loc: No Where and Every Where

Did a little early morning shooting along the east coast.

ISO 200, F/32, 1.0 sec.


ISO 200, F/32, 0.4 sec.


ISO 100, F/25, 3.0 sec.

Clicker2014 Loc: Canada

Good Morning Laskalass! What type of camera do you have? In general to get you going this is what I recomment.... Long exposures generally require you to use a tripod. I use manual setting so I have control of everything. Once you have your composition and have focused on the subject make sure you have the lens set to manual so it does not change on you. Set your F stop.The pics I posted were anywhere from f10 - f22. Keep your ISO to a minimum.. i.e. 100 or less if possible. Because you are on a long exposure the camera will let more light in so you don't need high a ISO. Now set the shutter speed to whatever you want... i.e. 1/10, 1 sec. 15 sec... etc. and press the shutter button. For very long exposures you can use Bulb setting, use a remote and keep it open for whatever length of time you wish. Many will recommend you use a remote if you have one to prevent camera shake. If you don't have one, make sure you are on a good tripod or a solid support of some kind. I don't have a remote yet for my new 7D so I use the Bulb setting and hold the shutter button down for whatever length of time I want. It is all a learning process so set up and keep trying different things. And most of all...have fun! Cheers! One more thing...because it is so cold outside...when you are done shooting you might want to wrap your camera in a plastic bag and put in your camera case before you go back inside. Leave it in the bag until you feel it has reached room temperature. This is to prevent condensation in your camera.

Bushido Loc: No Where and Every Where

laskalass, let me expand on Clicker2014 instructions. If you do not have a tripod take a sock and fill it with rice.It can be placed on a post or a rock then position your camera on it. Do insure your camera is stable and will not fall. If you do not have a cable release put your camera on self timer, normally that gives a 5 to 10 second delay which allows time for the any camera movement to stop. Hope this helps. Happy shooting.

PAToGraphy Loc: Portland ME area

p1 You are not dense. Excellent questions, Lass. Am sure Salt will answer, but I can tell you you do not need a remote, but it is helpful. To prevent camera shake on the tripod, use the self timer feature. That way you don't have to push the shutter.

PAToGraphy Loc: Portland ME area

May I suggest that folks include their settings, or approximate ones, for this challenge? It might be really helpful to see the wide range of f stops and exposures used for differing situations. Just an idea.

Roadrunner Loc: Quebec, Canada

http://www.picturecorrect.com/tips/how-to-use-bulb-mode-on-a-camera/

Here's a starter ...LOL.now Lass you should not have a problem with low light this time of the year