What is Long Exposure in Photography?

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What is long exposure in photography? Discover tips for impressive long exposure image ideas to make the most of your DSLR camera or smartphone. Long exposure can create beautiful and imaginative scenes like misty-like flows in waterfalls, silky streams, smeared skies, and milky seas. Despite the headache this technical play with light may cause beginners, it is worth trying.

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What is Long Exposure in Photography

According to photographer Dieter Appelt, “a snapshot steals life that it cannot return, but long-exposure creates forms that never existed“. Long exposure photography is a technique where the camera’s shutter is left open for a longer time to capture stationary elements sharply while blurring, smearing, or obscuring moving elements. It creates dreamy effects like smooth water, light trails, or motion blur.

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“A snapshot steals life that it cannot return.

Long-exposure creates forms that never existed“.

photographer Dieter Appelt

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To achieve these time exposure results of a silky continuity of the moving elements, shutter speed should be less than 1/4 of a second, ISO should stay lower than 200, and the aperture should be more than f/5. As the number of the f-stop increases, it gives more clarity on the captured movements but also leaves the stationary things sharp and clear with all their details. 

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Light Conditions for Long Exposure Photography

Due to the nature of this technique, over-exposed scenes would look white and ‘burnt’ on a sunny day. That’s why long exposure is usually accomplished in low light conditions, like night, low light hours of dawn and sunset, cloudy and rainy weather, etc. In the daytime, you should use neutral density filters and a tripod to minimize noise, as the long exposure increases sensitivity by capturing even the tiniest shakiness. 

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How to Take Long Exposure Photos with a DSLR

Here are some useful tips for taking long exposure photos with your DSLR camera:

• Use a Tripod: Tripods are essential in long exposure photography to avoid camera shake.
• Set Camera to Manual (M) or Shutter Priority (Tv/S): Adjust shutter speed to several seconds or more (e.g., 5s, 10s, 30s), lower ISO (100–200) to reduce noise, and use a small aperture (f/8–f/16) for deeper focus and to prevent overexposure.
• Remote Shutter or Timer: Prevent shake from pressing the button by using a remote shutter or timer.
• ND Filters (Optional): For daylight shots, neutral density filters reduce light so you can shoot longer exposures without overexposure.
• Manual Focus: Set a manual focus because autofocus may struggle in low light.

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How to Take Long Exposure Photos with iPhone

• Built-in Live Photo Mode: Take a photo with “Live Photo” on. Go to the Photos app, swipe up on the image, and choose “Long Exposure” effect.
• Opt for a tripod or a stable surface to minimize noise.
• Third-Party Apps (Optional): Alternatively, you can use apps like Slow Shutter Cam allow manual control over shutter speed, ISO, and motion blur.

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How to Take Long Exposure Photos with Android

• Pro Mode (if available): Set shutter speed (typically up to 30 seconds). Adjust ISO and focus manually.
• Dont’ forget to use a tripod or a stable surface.
• Long Exposure Apps: You can try apps like Camera FV-5, ProCam X, or Manual Camera.
• Some phones (Pixel, Samsung, OnePlus) have built-in Night or Light Painting modes.

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Creative Long Exposure Images

1

Light Trails

Cars at night, city streets are captured as light trails with long exposure.

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2

Water

Capturing waterfalls, rivers, oceans with long exposure adjustments creates a beautiful misty or glassy effect.

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3

Starry Night Sky

To capture the starry night sky, shoot in raw, use manual focus, and set:

• aperture f/2.8 – f/4,
• ISO 800 – 3200, and
• shutter speed 20 – 30s.

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4

Fireworks or Sparklers

Trace light patterns.

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5

Cloud Movement

Especially dramatic with long exposure on windy days.

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6

Crowds or Urban Scenes

Make people disappear or blur in busy settings.

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7

Ferris Wheels or Carnival Rides

Create circular motion effects.

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8

Steel Wool Photography

For fiery spinning effects.

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