Hi!

The question is in the title. What is a long exposure photography?

 

Is an exposure time of 1/250 is a long exposure for a regular shooter to 1/2000 like a sports photographer?

 

What is your definition of long exposure? I'm curious to have your feeling!

Visible motion is long exposure :-) . For more or less still subjects - 1/2 sec or more. VERY roughly.

I like your definition: "Visible motion is long exposure"! I agree with you and it is very interesting to see motion in a photography!

 

But what did you think about this picture:

http://1x.com/photo/157345/all:user:132828

 

I took this photo with an exposure time of 30secondes. And we don't see movement (a little bit if you zoom on stars!). So it's a long exposure in comparison with the photo of Marie-Claude Couillard with an exposure time of 8 secondes (and we see motion on her photo!!): http://1x.com/photo/157206/all:user:139814.

 

I believe there is good elements in your definition, but I think there is more than only motion notion in long exposure... But what ? I believe that if we find a complete definition of long exposure, it can help us to shoot amazing photos!

 

Stars are more or less still within 30 seconds, so the second part of my "definition applies: 1/2 sec or more, so yes, yours is long exposure in my book.

 

I like definitions myself, preferably, not exact ones but "stretchable" but I don't see how a long exposure definition can help to shoot better pictures. The motion is visible or not, you want it to be visible or not, your picture has enough exposure for you or not.

Hi Anna,

 

Thank you for your reply! A complete definition can help me to improve my "long exposure" photographies ;-). For me a long exposure photography have something special that I can't explain...the little thing I missing to make a good photo of long exposure! For these reason I like to have the definition of many photographers for long exposure.

 

If you look this picture : http://1x.com/photo/160471/all:user:132828, it is a long exposure photography if I take your definition because motion is visible, and the time exposure is something like 1/10. And I agree that it is a long exposure photography srticto sensus. But for me (it is a personal feeling), this picture is far from the "Long exposure" spirit...

 

For me a long exposure photography should be peaceful. But I already see a long exposure of a storm! That was amazing but not peaceful at all and a really good long exposure photography.

 

Moreover, when I look at the section "Action" in 1X photos, I can see motion in almost 80% of photographies. But it is not long exposure photographies.

 

Maybe my English is too poor to convey my feelings...

 

Anyway, I am happy to discuss the definition of a long exposure with photographers interested in this kind of photography to understand their feelings! But you are right: maybe I should ask what are your feelings when you think about long-exposure photography? :-)

Hi Romain,

I don't think there is one definition for a long exposure as so many situations...that can fall into this category in different ways....

The details on this photo are...

Lens: 60mm (90mm)

Shutter l.5 seconds

Aper f/32

ISO 100

No flash

Matrix Metering

Bulb mode used.

 

http://1x.com/photo/111603/all:user:21245

I would consider this a long exposure for the following reasons..

 

The shutter itself would not have stayed open if I had not forced it to using bulb mode. This is a relatively short one, most are longer when I use bulb mode as it is generally pretty dark outside...when I take these kinds of shots. This is a photo of the sky, after the sun has set. I used a tripod..but dragged the small tiny light still seen on the horizon in different directions with the camera...to create the effect. There is motion, but the tripod allows also for some of the shot to be in focus. The deep aper , and low ISO allows for less light making it possible to hold the shutter open without over exposure. I hope that made sense. :))

 

So, I believe a long exposure requires that something be done to hold that shutter open longer than it would be possible without your intervention. I also make long exposures in the dark...complete dark..without filters.

 

As for how I feel about them..I like them...when they require experimenting. In particular I love using this feature for panning of different types. I like slow water..and shots that use a filter to block out light...I like them all I guess. But the ones I prefer the most are when I get to interact with the light using the camera and bulb mode.

:) Good question.

 

Phyllis

 

hi, everybody

 

I like also the definition of Anna "Visible motion is long exposure", very poetic and rather fair !

 

But suddenly, many photos fit into this category ...

 

Thanks Romain for asking the question, which is very open and interesting.

 

So I have a questions for my turn, should we accept everything in this group? how to make a homogeneous group and well built with such a diversity of photo? :-)

 

-Victorien-