Long Exposure Landscape Photography

Long exposures turn moving water into glass and clouds into streaks. The technique is simple; the craft is choosing the right subject and time.

What works

• Seascapes: waves become mist around rocks and piers.
• Lakes: ripples smooth into mirror-like surfaces.
• Clouds: fast-moving clouds streak across the sky over 1–4 minutes.
• Waterfalls and rivers: 0.5–2 s for silk, longer for mist.
• Busy places: people walking through a scene disappear over several minutes.

Static anchors — a pier, rock, tree or building — give the motion something to contrast with.

Choosing the ND filter

Use the ND filter calculator to convert your metered shutter speed.

Workflow

1. Compose and focus without the filter (strong NDs make the viewfinder dark).
2. Meter and note the shutter speed.
3. Switch to manual focus so the camera doesn't hunt.
4. Attach the filter and set the converted time in bulb mode.
5. Time it with the long exposure timer, which beeps before the end.
6. Cover the viewfinder on DSLRs to stop light leaks.

Problems and fixes

• Color cast (blue or magenta): correct white balance in RAW.
• Vibration: heavy tripod, no strap flapping, remote release.
• Overexposure as light changes: during sunset, re-meter between frames.
• Hot pixels: long exposure noise reduction on, or shoot a dark frame.

No filter? Stack a burst with the image averager to simulate a long exposure.