SUPER-LONG EXPOSURES
The
Mission
- Shoot a 15-minute
exposure at sunset
for blurred cloud
motion
Time
- One hour
Skill level
- Intermediate
Kit needed
- Tripod
- Cable release
- Three-stop ND filter
Take your time at twilight
James Paterson shows you how to shoot super-long
exposures at the end of the day for beautiful blurred clouds
Neutral density filters are often
used during daylight hours to
block the flow of light and allow
for blurring of water or clouds
in landscapes. Less often do we
see them employed at the very
start or end of the day, when the
light levels are usually low
enough to allow for long
exposures without the need for
a filter. But what if we want a
really, really long exposure? By
stretching out our exposure to
several minutes or more, the
clouds slowly pass through the
frame and any sense of shape isdiminished. What we’re left with
is a painterly landscape that is
short on cloud detail, but big
on atmosphere.
The main challenge here is
that we only have one or two
bites of the cherry... Our
exposure times can run into tens
of minutes, so the atmospheric
twilight colours in the sky can
only really be captured once or
twice, especially if – like the
windmill here – the aim is to
balance the fading light in the
sky with the spotlit foreground.
But this brings a welcomecalmness upon the shoot.
Sunset can often feel like a
frantic time for a landscape
photographer, as we try out
different compositions and test
shots while striving for the ideal
image. With this technique, all
those decisions are made
beforehand, so all that’s left to
do when the moment comes is
engage the bulb shutter, then sit
back and enjoy the scenery for
the next quarter of an hour.
It brings a calmness to the
moment that’s reflected in
the serene results.Projec t^ Seven:^ The^ big^ pro
jec t
TAP TO VIEW YOUR
VIRTUAL DISC