Playing around with long exposure and light is a great way to experiment with a new type of photography if you’re stuck inside on a rainy day or just feeling curious. There are so many things you can do from drawing images, creating abstract shapes, “cloning” your subject, and more. Here are some basic tips for long exposure shots…
Into the Dark
First things first. You’ll need a tripod and a room or space that is completely dark to get the most dramatic effect. Camera’s are super sensitive to light, so the more pitch black you can make your room (closing the blinds, putting towels under the doors, etc.), the better your photo will come out. If you’re outside you’ll need to shoot at night and try to avoid areas with a lot of artificial lighting.
Gather Your Light Sources
Small light sources are the best for writing since they produce light traces that are thinner and more condensed, allowing for cleaner lines. I would suggest a small flashlight, laser pointer or lighter. Larger light sources are great to illuminate an object or a person, allowing you to isolate that particular subject in your photo. I would suggest light bulbs, larger flashlights or a candle.
Writing a Message
Getting a brightly lit message against a stark black background can have a very imposing effect, and although the setup is generally easy, it takes a lot of patience and trial and error to get the results you desire.
On the Samsung NX mini I suggest the following settings if you want a solid black background with bright letters:
Shutter Speed: 8
Aperture: f13
ISO: 160
However each setup is different, so definitely play around with your shutter speed and aperture to get the best effects for you.
The shutter speed is the amount of time that the camera shutter is open and “taking the photo.” It basically acts as a timer for you to create the image you want. I used shutter speeds from 3 seconds all the way to 10 seconds depending on how long the word was I wanted to spell.
The aperture refers to the opening of the camera that allows light in. By changing the aperture you can increase or decrease the opening of this gap, allowing more or less light to come into the camera at one time.
Creating a Clone or Ghost Image
One of the most entertaining things you can to do with long exposure is to create a clone image of a person. This can be done with many different people or on your own. By shining a light on yourself for a few seconds, turning your light source off, then moving and re-illuminating yourself, you can create a clone of yourself in the shot.
Depending on your shutter speed you can allow yourself more or less time to do this, making it easier for you to have even more clones. The longer you keep yourself illuminated; the clearer that part of the image will be in the final shot. However, be sure to try to keep as still as possible so that you don’t end up blurry. This can be a fun exercise to play around with your positioning, facial expressions, and poses.
This can be a great effect for Halloween, because you can create some really creepy images that seem almost ghostlike, like the one below
Going Abstract
There is something inherently beautiful about light itself, so why not take some time to play around with your different light sources and movements to see what types of shapes and colors you can capture? This is the time to go crazy–spin, dance, jump, or use different light sources at the same time!
Tip: When using a lighter you can make sparks fly by reigniting the lighter a couple of times.
Comments are closed.
