HOW TO Take long exposures
How steady are you?
The stability indicator is very useful,
although it doesn’t negate our earlier advice
about using a tripod. If Spectre thinks you’re
holding your phone steady enough to shoot a
sharp exposure, it displays a “stable” message.
A trick of the light
If you turn on Light Trails (top–left icon),
objects in motion will streak across the frame
(think car lights on a motorway). Turn it off and
Spectre averages frames together: anything
that moves between frames will simply vanish.
In combination
Poor results don’t just happen when the
top–centre icon is like above. It’s possible to see
the stable indication and still get blurry pics.
If shooting handheld, set a shorter duration
by swiping through the options in step two.Live preview
Spectre shows you the progression of
your image while it shoots. If you think your
frame looks finished before the timed exposure
finishes, simply tap the shutter button again to
stop the exposure and save the image how it is.JARGON BUSTERExposure is terminology
carried over from
traditional DSLRs.
The camera’s sensor
is covered by a shutter
that moves to expose the
sensor. Long exposures
are blurrier, but can be
more dramatic.Steady as you go
Spectre makes much of its ability to
shoot long exposures handheld, but take it
from us: step one is a tripod or suitable mount
(as iPhones don’t weigh much). Without one
you’re definitely not going to get the best photo.
Get the duration right
The dial on the right lets you choose
a duration of three, five, or nine seconds for
how long the sensor is exposed to light. Use
a longer time to exaggerate movement, or
for slower–moving subjects, and vice versa.GENIUS TIPUsing a tripod doesn’t
need loads of extra
kit — the GorillaPod
GripTight One costs
under $20, holds your
iPhone securely, and
can be mounted to
virtually anything.How to do anything on your Mac, iPhone & iPad
Image rights from left: Chroma Noir, Vitec Imaging Solutions. maclife.com SEP 2019 93