Eden Photographers Club Meeting - Tuesday, December 20th @ 7 pm EST (Topic: Long Exposures}

Contributor: Ivy Wilde Ivy Wilde
Quote:
Originally posted by Ivy Wilde
Very cool photo. Almost looks computer generated.
I like the way it makes my eyes follow the lines across the image. It looks very active in a way.
12/20/2011
Contributor: chasingaisha chasingaisha
Do you remember what your settings were for the image? It's beautiful!
12/20/2011
Contributor: Jul!a Jul!a
Quote:
Originally posted by Vaccinium
So, as I already mentioned, long exposures are photos taken with the shutter open for an extended period of time. There is no set duration for a shutter to be left open for something to be called "long exposure." Really, it depends on ... more
I think that is quite possibly the coolest railroad crossing I have ever seen.
12/20/2011
Contributor: Vaccinium Vaccinium
Quote:
Originally posted by Ivy Wilde
I like the way it makes my eyes follow the lines across the image. It looks very active in a way.
And that is the beauty of long exposures right there. They show motion in a way that a shorter exposure really can't do.
12/20/2011
Contributor: Ivy Wilde Ivy Wilde
Quote:
Originally posted by Vaccinium
Thank you. That is a freight train with a 10 second exposure.
A freight train. I don't think I would have ever figured that out. I hardly ever see trains, even though I live very near some train tracks.
12/20/2011
Contributor: Vaccinium Vaccinium
Quote:
Originally posted by chasingaisha
Do you remember what your settings were for the image? It's beautiful!
f/7.1, 10 sec., color temperature 7500 K, Canon 17-40L lens at 20 mm, night under mostly cloudy conditions, from tripod, optimized vibrance, contrast, and sharpening using Adobe CS5.
12/20/2011
Contributor: Antipova Antipova
Quote:
Originally posted by Vaccinium
Thank you. That is a freight train with a 10 second exposure.
Wow! I would have guessed a car if it wasn't for the non-car-like height.
12/20/2011
Contributor: Ivy Wilde Ivy Wilde
Quote:
Originally posted by Vaccinium
And that is the beauty of long exposures right there. They show motion in a way that a shorter exposure really can't do.
Ah. Very cool.
12/20/2011
Contributor: Vaccinium Vaccinium
Quote:
Originally posted by Ivy Wilde
A freight train. I don't think I would have ever figured that out. I hardly ever see trains, even though I live very near some train tracks.
I had to wait over an hour in the freezing cold for this photo, but patience is needed as a photographer.
12/20/2011
Contributor: Vaccinium Vaccinium
The other requirement to be able to take long exposures is a camera capable of manually setting the shutter speed. Some point-and-shoot cameras can do this, others cannot. Reading your owner's manual should be able to tell you whether this is possible on your camera. If it isn't, take mental notes on all of this so you can use this knowledge when you get your next camera.

If you can control the shutter speed manually, chances are you can at a minimum choose shutter speed priority, meaning you can switch the camera settings to allow you to choose whatever shutter speed you want and the camera will then choose the appropriate aperture (f-stop) to go along with it. The other way to do it is with manual setting, but regardless the procedure is similar except that you, with the help of your camera, have to choose the correct aperture and shutter speed. If you choose a shutter speed in excess of 30 seconds, your camera will need a bulb setting, which allows the shutter to be held open for an indefinite period of time. In this case, you'll need a remote shutter switch that will allow you to open and close the shutter without actually touching the camera. The one I use is all of $7 USD, so it's a relatively cheap addition to your equipment.

So, what should your shutter speed be? Your initial thought might be that the longer it is, the better. There are several problems with that approach, though. For one, bright spots (e.g., lights and reflective surfaces) in your image will be "blown out" if the exposure is too long and become distracting. For another, sometimes objects around your subject are also moving (e.g., stars, animals, plants) and will be too distracting if the shutter speed is too long. Sometimes the shutter speed can even be too slow to capture the image you want. As a result, choosing the appropriate shutter speed will take trial and error, especially when you are first starting out. Chances are you will need to take multiple photos of the same subject with different shutter speeds until you get the photo you want.

Probably the best advice is to match your shutter speed to the subject you are photographing. For instance, if you are photographing a waterfall, a shutter speed of a few seconds may be all you need to blur the water and create a "lace veil" effect. However, if you want to photograph your dog running across the yard, half a second may be most appropriate or you risk photographing an unrecognizable blur. At the other end of the spectrum, if you are trying to create star trails, the shutter speed will be on the order of hours since the relative movement of the stars is inexorably slow.


Photo mine

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Photo courtesy Ben Scheele


Photo courtesy Edy Santosa

12/20/2011
Contributor: Jul!a Jul!a
Quote:
Originally posted by Ivy Wilde
I do have a question about the EF calendar. What is the situation regarding it?
I'm checking on that right now.
12/20/2011
Contributor: Ivy Wilde Ivy Wilde
Quote:
Originally posted by Vaccinium
I had to wait over an hour in the freezing cold for this photo, but patience is needed as a photographer.
That's probably why I'm not really a very good photographer. I am seriously lacking in patience.
12/20/2011
Contributor: chasingaisha chasingaisha
Quote:
Originally posted by Vaccinium
f/7.1, 10 sec., color temperature 7500 K, Canon 17-40L lens at 20 mm, night under mostly cloudy conditions, from tripod, optimized vibrance, contrast, and sharpening using Adobe CS5.
Thanks!!!
12/20/2011
Contributor: Vaccinium Vaccinium
Whew! That was a hell of a long post.
12/20/2011
Contributor: Vaccinium Vaccinium
Quote:
Originally posted by Ivy Wilde
That's probably why I'm not really a very good photographer. I am seriously lacking in patience.
It's difficult for me too. I could never, ever be a wildlife photographer. Those guys (and gals) sometimes have to wait days for the chance to take a photo).
12/20/2011
Contributor: chasingaisha chasingaisha
Quote:
Originally posted by Vaccinium
The other requirement to be able to take long exposures is a camera capable of manually setting the shutter speed. Some point-and-shoot cameras can do this, others cannot. Reading your owner's manual should be able to tell you whether this is ... more
Amazing!!! Your waterfall image is stunning!
12/20/2011
Contributor: Vaccinium Vaccinium
Taking everyone a while to get through that tome I just posted, eh?
12/20/2011
Contributor: Ivy Wilde Ivy Wilde
Ben's picture of his dog is very cool, sort of ghost-like.

I love Edy's pictures of the stars. It looks like something out of a sci fi movie. The setting is gorgeous with the rocks and the water. Just lovely.
12/20/2011
Contributor: Vaccinium Vaccinium
Quote:
Originally posted by chasingaisha
Amazing!!! Your waterfall image is stunning!
Thank you. It's pretty good even though it's pretty soft.
12/20/2011
Contributor: Jul!a Jul!a
Quote:
Originally posted by Vaccinium
Taking everyone a while to get through that tome I just posted, eh?
I get distracted by the wonderful photos you post
12/20/2011
Contributor: Ivy Wilde Ivy Wilde
Quote:
Originally posted by Jul!a
I get distracted by the wonderful photos you post
Vac's photos are always so pretty, aren't they?
12/20/2011
Contributor: Vaccinium Vaccinium
Quote:
Originally posted by Ivy Wilde
Ben's picture of his dog is very cool, sort of ghost-like.

I love Edy's pictures of the stars. It looks like something out of a sci fi movie. The setting is gorgeous with the rocks and the water. Just lovely.
WRT the dog, long exposures can look pretty dreamy and ghostly. It's a hell of a lot of fun to play with things to get the photos looking diffrent. For instance, had the dog paused and held still for a moment, the photo would have looked completely different.
12/20/2011
Contributor: Antipova Antipova
Quote:
Originally posted by Vaccinium
The other requirement to be able to take long exposures is a camera capable of manually setting the shutter speed. Some point-and-shoot cameras can do this, others cannot. Reading your owner's manual should be able to tell you whether this is ... more
Good to know for when I'm choosing a new camera... a shutter bulb setting, and a remote shutter shutt-er.
12/20/2011
Contributor: Jul!a Jul!a
Quote:
Originally posted by Ivy Wilde
Vac's photos are always so pretty, aren't they?
They really are
12/20/2011
Contributor: Vaccinium Vaccinium
Quote:
Originally posted by Jul!a
I get distracted by the wonderful photos you post
Kiss-ass.
12/20/2011
Contributor: Jul!a Jul!a
Quote:
Originally posted by Vaccinium
Kiss-ass.
I learned from the best
12/20/2011
Contributor: Vaccinium Vaccinium
Quote:
Originally posted by Antipova
Good to know for when I'm choosing a new camera... a shutter bulb setting, and a remote shutter shutt-er.
The remote shutter switch is a separate purchase. There just need to be the appropriate slot to plug it into. Mine is corded, but some have a wireless range up to 200 ft.
12/20/2011
Contributor: Vaccinium Vaccinium
Quote:
Originally posted by Ivy Wilde
Vac's photos are always so pretty, aren't they?
You are far too kind.
12/20/2011
Contributor: Vaccinium Vaccinium
I'll give y'all a few minutes to digest all that, and while I'm waiting, I'll give out our first EdenFantasys gift card of the evening.

I'm going to give everyone a minute or two to catch up before posting the trivia question
12/20/2011
Contributor: Curiouscat Curiouscat
I've done the shutter speed stuff before very fun!
12/20/2011