Really long exposures

crazytiger · 01-16-2011, 03:10 AM

I would like some tips on doing really long night exposures, like these:

PhotoID: 196975
Photograph © Wade H. Massie

PhotoID: 311237
Photograph © Chase55671

PhotoID: 342992
Photograph © David Honan

Are they as simple as they look or are there other things you have to watch out for?

cblaz · 01-16-2011, 03:58 AM

A good place to start is to find a place that has little or no ambient light. Another big thing is making sure you know exactly what your settings should be. If you're doing a 30-minute exposure, you def. don't want to blow the exposure.

- Chris

nikos1 · 01-16-2011, 04:20 AM

Dont bump your tripod 29 minutes in.

JimThias · 01-16-2011, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crazytiger

Are they as simple as they look or are there other things you have to watch out for?

Watch out for wild animals if you're shooting in remote places at night.

bigbassloyd · 01-16-2011, 02:06 PM

Shooting at night isn't extremely hard, but it requires an ability to perform all steps (correctly focusing in the dark, framing, no movement from the camera, figuring out the proper exposure, predicting issues with flare, etc.) properly to be successful.

Being ok with failure helps too. Sometimes the scene just doesn't play out as you think it will. Take on of my recent shots for example. A 15 minute exposure, with the use of a few blasts from a hand held flash as an attempt to bring out the snowflakes which would otherwise not been visible. It didn't turn out as well as I'd hoped.

It's a tough pill when you discover many minutes after you start the exposure, that it didn't work out.

Loyd L.

nikos1 · 01-16-2011, 02:57 PM

Thats actually pretty cool Lloyd, it looks reasonably sharp, I think it would get a good few views if accepted.

magicman_841 · 01-16-2011, 03:29 PM

You also want to be spectacular enough

http://www.railpictures.net/viewreje...&key=542448298

Greg P · 01-16-2011, 08:18 PM

You might want to invest in a control for your camera so you can use the bulb settings and sit in your car while you do the exposure, especially if it's chilly out

I imagine you also have to do manual focus and set it to infinity?

bigiron · 01-16-2011, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimThias

Watch out for wild animals if you're shooting in remote places at night.

Ummm Jim, is there more to this story as it pertains to you? Have you had nocturnal creatures visit out in the dead of night?

While on this subject, you certainly feel very alone if you are out away from residential parts in the complete darkness and quiet of civilization! I guess winter helps out some in cutting down the number of roaming animals.

Interested in your comments, thanks Rich

troy12n · 01-16-2011, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimThias

Watch out for wild animals if you're shooting in remote places at night.

And vampires.

Also this...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Troy12n

Watch out for thugs if you're shooting in "urban" places at night.

Greg P · 01-17-2011, 12:44 AM

California allows unloaded open carry

All of the other states allow either CCW or loaded open carry for safety.

Chase55671 · 01-17-2011, 01:24 AM

A cable release is obviously a priority for these long exposures. That goes without saying. I have a hard time keeping the camera still even on a Manfrotto tripod when I'm not using a release. Perhaps that's just me.

As Chris said, you're going to have to be somewhere that is literally pitch black. A distant street light will cause problems. You'd be surprised how the littlest sources of light play a big role in the end result.

In my Hawks Nest photo at night, the scene was pitch black to me, but in the 14 minutes the shutter was open, it really lit up the sky. It gave it a sunset appearance, despite the sun setting over an hour before the photo was taken.

When I got the iPhone and back on my computer, I'll type more. You may also want to take a look at my tutorial.

Chase

bigbassloyd · 01-17-2011, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greg P

California allows unloaded open carry

That makes a lot of sense. Might as well just carry a rock.

I've had a few run in's with animal life, but I won.

Anyone who sits in a car during the exposure is a wuss. That's against the unwritten law. You are allowed to bump up the iso to shorten the exposure though

Loyd L.

coborn35 · 01-17-2011, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chase55671

A cable release is obviously a priority for these long exposures. That goes without saying. I have a hard time keeping the camera still even on a Manfrotto tripod when I'm not using a release. Perhaps that's just me.

Chase

Im not sure why that would matter?

Once you press the shutter, whether it be remote release or a timer, its the same thing...

Walter S · 01-17-2011, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coborn35

Im not sure why that would matter?

Once you press the shutter, whether it be remote release or a timer, its the same thing...

Pressing the shutter button can cause slight vibrations. If I don't have my cable release with me and I need to do a short exposure I usually put my camera on 2sec timer.

coborn35 · 01-17-2011, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walter S

Pressing the shutter button can cause slight vibrations. If I don't have my cable release with me and I need to do a short exposure I usually put my camera on 2sec timer.

Right. Hence my question.

Walter S · 01-17-2011, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coborn35

Right. Hence my question.

Ah, I see. Maybe Chase doesn't known that little trick.

trainboysd40 · 01-17-2011, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigbassloyd

That makes a lot of sense. Might as well just carry a rock.

I've had a few run in's with animal life, but I won.

Anyone who sits in a car during the exposure is a wuss. That's against the unwritten law. You are allowed to bump up the iso to shorten the exposure though

Loyd L.

Oh, so when I jumped into the car to avoid frostbite during an hour long exposure at -35, I was a wuss?
Yeah, you're probably right....I should have worn a fourth coat instead.

coborn35 · 01-17-2011, 05:02 PM

Easy Matt, hes from West Virginia. Whats the worst it gets there, -10?

Greg P · 01-17-2011, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigbassloyd

That makes a lot of sense. Might as well just carry a rock.

I've had a few run in's with animal life, but I won.

Anyone who sits in a car during the exposure is a wuss. That's against the unwritten law. You are allowed to bump up the iso to shorten the exposure though

Loyd L.

The Mojave desert gets really cold at night in winter lol.

And with practice, you can go from unloaded to loaded in like 3-5 seconds.

bigbassloyd · 01-17-2011, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greg P

And with practice, you can go from unloaded to loaded in like 3-5 seconds.

Ever try to load it with something running at you full speed?

Quote:

Originally Posted by trainboysd40

Oh, so when I jumped into the car to avoid frostbite during an hour long exposure at -35, I was a wuss?
Yeah, you're probably right....I should have worn a fourth coat instead.

Or a fifth, it's not my fault you weren't properly prepared.

Quote:

Originally Posted by coborn35

Easy Matt, hes from West Virginia. Whats the worst it gets there, -10?

That's cold for us, because negative numbers are hard to understand.

Quote:

Originally Posted by coborn35

Right. Hence my question.

Shutter delay is fine and dandy until you need to shoot say, 31 seconds... you gonna hold the shutter the entire time? pfft.

Loyd L.

coborn35 · 01-17-2011, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigbassloyd

Shutter delay is fine and dandy until you need to shoot say, 31 seconds... you gonna hold the shutter the entire time? pfft.

Loyd L.

My response was to Chase who said his camera shakes when he is not using a shutter release. I said that doesn't make sense. I dont know what you are getting at Lloyd.

bigbassloyd · 01-17-2011, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coborn35

My response was to Chase who said his camera shakes when he is not using a shutter release. I said that doesn't make sense. I dont know what you are getting at Lloyd.

I was merely remarking on how useless shutter time delay is for anything in bulb land, since the title of the thread is really long exposures and all

.

Im not sure why I quoted you on that part.. nevermind.

Loyd L.

coborn35 · 01-17-2011, 06:45 PM

Oh ok I see. Yea anything on BULB without a remote trigger is useless.

Holloran Grade · 01-17-2011, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greg P

California allows unloaded open carry

Perhaps you should not try that if you choose to come here.

Unless you are on private property and either the owner of said property, or have permission from the owner (not trespassing) you can't carry a loaded firearm in public, and the operative term is "in public."

Yes you can carry an unloaded one but you really need to know the laws well since you could still get into trouble if you get near a school or some other place including a State Park.

And yes you can have loaded clips and ammo too as long as the bullets are not in a firing position or the clip is shoved into the gun frame.

California's gun laws are well crafted by our great legislators to assure that the only people who are carrying guns on a daily basis are criminals and cops.

And really, what is the point in carrying a gun if it is unloaded?

They make lousy clubs and you can't throw them very far.

I would rather carry a Katana instead.