Slow Shutter Speeds And Long Exposure Photography
By Rick Blythe, Fri Dec 9th
Many new will come with built-in shutter speeds of upto 30 seconds or longer, which is enough for most long-exposurephotography. Other will have a B (bulb) setting thatwill keep the shutter open as long as you keep your finger onthe shutter release button or a T (time) exposure setting thatwill keep the shutter open until you press the shutter releasebutton a second time. with bulb settings can also befitted with a locking cable release so that it isn't necessaryto keep your finger on the shutter for long exposures. If yourcamera doesn't have a cable release, you can use the self-timeroption found on most cameras. This will eliminate cameravibration from your hands. A tripod, or something to rest your camera on, is essentialbecause the camera must be completely still during the time thatthe shutter is open. If you want to make a fast-moving car bluras it speeds by you, a relatively fast shutter speed of 1/20 ofa second may give you the results you are after, however, if youwant to make stars in the nighttime sky look like glowing ringsas the earth rotates, your exposure may last all night. The
light meter on your camera may not be able to accuratelyjudge the best aperture setting for longer shutter speeds,especially in low-light situations, so your best bet is probablyto "bracket." This means taking up to six pictures of the samesubject, but doubling the shutter speed each time. This willgive you a variety of effects and exposures and allow you tochoose the best shot. In general, slow shutter speeds will allowa lot of light into the camera, which means that you will wantto use a small aperture (ie. f/22) to avoid over-exposing theshot. In bright daylight it will be necessary to use the lowestISO available and a neutral density filter to cut the light down.
Some great effects and shutter speeds to try are: Moving stars: several hours Moving cars at night: 10 secondsWaterfalls: 4 seconds + Amusement park rides: 1 second About the author:Rick Blythe runs Camera-News.com, a siteabout digital and photography.
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