If you’re like me, you’re always searching for new and interesting ways to create unique landscape photos…
And though long exposure landscape photography might sound like something that’s reserved just for the pros, it’s much easier than you might think. All you need is some essential gear and some know-how to get started. From there, it just takes practice!
So, with that said, let’s take a peek at how you can use long exposures to create unique images!
Table of Contents
- The Case for Long Exposures: Creativity
- Long Exposure Landscape Photography Puts a New Spin on Familiar Subjects
- How to Get More Unique Landscape Photos: Gear Up
- Best Camera Settings for Long Exposure Photography
- How to Eliminate Noise in Long Exposure Shots
The Case for Long Exposures: Creativity
Photo by Sara Winter via Shutterstock
Every photographer goes through it – the ups and downs that coincide with your successes and failures behind the lens. One day, you might be riding a wave of joy as you inspect the photos you take and find that they are every bit as epic as you hoped.
But the next day, you might have absolutely nothing to show for your efforts, and you wonder why you even bother to take photos in the first place.
One way to try to even out the highs and lows of landscape photography is to try new things, like long exposures!
If you take the same photos of the same landscapes every single time you go out to shoot, you’re bound to get bored. What’s more, your photos will become far too repetitive, and you’ll quickly lose interest in what you’re shooting.
But if you vary your techniques – long exposures this time, macro landscape photography next time, sunsets after that, and so on, you’ll be more likely to keep those creative juices flowing. What’s not to like about that?
Long Exposure Landscape Photography Puts a New Spin on Familiar Subjects
Photo by Lifeinviewfinder via Shutterstock
Living in Southern California, I have the luxury of being a short drive from the beach, the mountains, the desert, downtown L.A., and just about any other type of landscape or cityscape one could imagine. But not everyone has that sort of diversity of subject matter just a few minutes from their front door.
That’s why long exposure photography is so great: it allows you to create a completely different-looking shot of a subject that you’ve photographed a million times. However, as you can see in the photo above, when you introduce long exposures to the situation, you get a much different result.
In this case, the indicated movement of the clouds and the waves crashing on the beach gives this image an ethereal, dreamy look. So, not only can extending the shutter speed helps you be more creative, but it can also help you find new ways to photograph the same subject matter you always photograph!
Keep Reading: Techniques for Beautiful Landscapes
How to Get More Unique Landscape Photos: Gear Up
Photo by shutter_o via Shutterstock
The key to getting quality long-exposure photos is in the gear that you use.
There are a number of must-haves that make long exposure landscape photography a possibility.
You need a camera and lens, obviously, as well as a solid tripod to keep your camera as still as possible throughout the long exposure. You also need a remote shutter release so you can trigger the shutter without actually touching the camera. This aids in keeping the camera still.
Regarding a tripod, having a good, solid tripod in your kit is a must for all types of photography, not just long exposures. I’d also argue that having a tripod alternative is a must…
My Tripod Alternative of Choice
I’ve been using the Octopad for many years now, and it’s proven to be worth its weight in gold. This small, weighted disk is the perfect stabilization device for my outings when lugging around a traditional tripod just isn’t in the cards.
At just a few inches wide, the Octopad can easily fit into my backpack for my hiking adventures to find epic scenes for long exposures. Yet, despite its small size, it can easily support my Canon EOS R6 Mark II and an RF lens. And with its adaptable head, Octopad can also support other accessories, like lights, microphones, or serve to stabilize my action cameras or iPhone. Nice!
In other words, Octopad isn’t just functional; it’s versatile. With a product like this that punches way out of its weight class, you can get the tack-sharp photos you want without breaking your budget!
Invest in Quality ND Filters, Too
Photo by PawelKacperek via Shutterstock
When shooting long exposure photography, stabilizing your camera is just part of the battle. Controlling the amount of light entering your lens is crucial, too, especially in bright conditions. This is where a neutral density (ND) filter comes into play.
Essentially, ND filters are like sunglasses for your camera. They reduce the light without altering the color of your scene, allowing you to slow down your shutter speed for that silky smooth effect on moving water, clouds, or light trails.
But not all ND filters are the same, and choosing the right one can make or break your shot. ND filters are categorized by their light-blocking strength, typically measured in stops. A 6-stop ND filter, for example, reduces the amount of light by six stops, meaning you can extend your shutter speed significantly without overexposing your image. This is a great option for slightly overcast or golden hour conditions. On the other hand, a 10-stop ND filter is perfect for bright daylight scenes where you want to achieve an ultra-long exposure, such as smoothing out ocean waves in full sunlight.
Photo by fiz_zero via Shutterstock
It’s also worth considering variable ND filters, which allow you to adjust the strength without swapping filters. However, keep in mind that they can introduce unwanted artifacts like cross-polarization or vignetting if pushed to their limits.
Make sure you invest in quality filters to avoid color casts or image degradation, as lower-end options can negatively impact your final result. Brands like PolarPro, K&F, and Hoya are just three options you might consider.
Best Camera Settings for Long Exposure Photography
Photo by muhammet alan via Shutterstock
Getting the right settings for long exposure photography can seem daunting at first, but once you understand the core elements—shutter speed, aperture, and ISO—you’ll have full control over your shots. Long exposures are all about slow shutter speeds, so start there. Depending on your subject, your shutter speed can range anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes. For example, smoothing out water might require a shutter speed of 10-30 seconds, while capturing star trails could take several minutes.
Aperture plays an important role, too. Since long exposures often involve abundant light, it’s best to use a smaller aperture (higher f-stop number). Shooting at f/8 to f/16 will help keep your image sharp while reducing the amount of light hitting your sensor, which allows for longer exposure times without overexposing. However, don’t close your aperture too much (e.g., f/22) because diffraction can reduce sharpness.
Finally, keep your ISO as low as possible—usually around ISO 100 or 200—to avoid introducing noise into your image. Long exposures tend to generate more noise, especially in darker environments, so the lower the ISO, the cleaner your image will be.
Get more details on long exposure camera settings in the video above by Perea Photography.
How to Eliminate Noise in Long Exposure Shots
Photo by Eshma via Shutterstock
Noise is the bane of long exposure photography, but there are effective ways to minimize it for cleaner, sharper images. One of the main sources of noise in long exposures is high ISO. Always aim to shoot at the lowest possible ISO, typically 100 or 200, to reduce the chances of noise creeping into your image. This ensures that your sensor isn’t artificially amplifying light, which is where much of the noise comes from.
Another method is to use long exposure noise reduction (LENR), which is a built-in feature in most modern cameras. When this is enabled, the camera takes two images: your long exposure shot and a second “dark frame” with the shutter closed. The dark frame captures sensor noise, which the camera then subtracts from the original image. The downside is that it effectively doubles the time for each shot, but the result is often a much cleaner image.
Photo by Prathankarnpap via Shutterstock
Finally, post-processing tools can be a lifesaver when it comes to eliminating noise. Software like Adobe Lightroom or Topaz DeNoise AI can target noisy areas in your image, especially in shadows, and smooth them out while preserving details.
In addition to these methods, always keep your camera cool. Long exposures can heat up your camera’s sensor, which generates more noise. If you’re shooting in warm conditions or taking many long exposures back-to-back, give your camera a break between shots to cool down. With these techniques, you’ll be able to drastically reduce noise and achieve those crisp, clean long exposures you’re aiming for!
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Learn More:
- A Step-by-Step Guide to Shooting Without a Tripod
- Use Artificial Light for Landscape Photography? Yes, You Can!
Hero photo by Yevhenii Chulovskyi via Shutterstock
