The New Intimacy

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

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Contributor: Vaccinium Vaccinium
Quote:
Originally posted by Ivy Wilde
Sort of like those dancers at raves with the glow sticks, huh?
Yes. Actually, there are craploads of photos like that out there. Some of them are accidental long exposures by P&S cameras that turn out looking really cool.
12/20/2011
Contributor: Ivy Wilde Ivy Wilde
Quote:
Originally posted by Curiouscat
I wish my tripod wasn't shakey piece of crap, my pictures never come out that clean and beautiful
You could ask Santa for a better tripod for Christmas.
12/20/2011
Contributor: Vaccinium Vaccinium
Quote:
Originally posted by Curiouscat
I wish my tripod wasn't shakey piece of crap, my pictures never come out that clean and beautiful
If it is shaky, try and hang something heavy from it. That will really reduce the shaking.
12/20/2011
Contributor: Vaccinium Vaccinium
[I could go on and on about long exposures, but I'll cut it short after I relate one last example of how one could use long exposures.

Although you typically don't want to touch the camera during a long exposure, you can make some seriously cool images by manipulating the camera while the shutter is open. One way it to mess with the focus as the shutter is open.


Photo courtesy Photo Extremist

In this case, the focal ring of the camera was rotated while the camera was moved down slightly, resulting in this lava lamp-like image of city lights. You need not move the camera at the same time as defocusing, but the combo of the two can often result in imagery that just one of them will not provide.

Another way to manipulate the camera while the shutter is open is to play with the zoom. The resulting photos show a recognizable image framed in eye-catching streaks of light:


Photo courtesy Jean-Pierre Fayeulle

The same type of image can be made by hand-holding the camera and either walking towards or away from your subject while hand-holding, but it's less likely that your subject will be recognizable:


Photo courtesy James Bernatowicz
12/20/2011
Contributor: Curiouscat Curiouscat
Quote:
Originally posted by Ivy Wilde
You could ask Santa for a better tripod for Christmas.
Haha yes! Although i did ask for the nook ereader. Aren't tripods usually pricey for the good ones?
12/20/2011
Contributor: Ivy Wilde Ivy Wilde
Quote:
Originally posted by Vaccinium
Yes. Actually, there are craploads of photos like that out there. Some of them are accidental long exposures by P&S cameras that turn out looking really cool.
I once had an accidental double exposure that turned out really cool. One image was of a guy playing guitar and the other was several girls dancing. It was a very serendipitous combination of images.
12/20/2011
Contributor: chasingaisha chasingaisha
Quote:
Originally posted by Vaccinium
I explained it a bit in a nother post, but the shuuter was pressed open, somone turned on some LED lights and moved backwards from the camera. Then that person started twirling the lights. It was probably a 10-20 second exposure is my guess.
Thanks!
12/20/2011
Contributor: Vaccinium Vaccinium
Quote:
Originally posted by Curiouscat
Haha yes! Although i did ask for the nook ereader. Aren't tripods usually pricey for the good ones?
Mine costs about $450, but you can get a pretty good one in the $75 range.
12/20/2011
Contributor: Curiouscat Curiouscat
Quote:
Originally posted by Vaccinium
If it is shaky, try and hang something heavy from it. That will really reduce the shaking.
Oh i'll have to try that. hmmm.

OMG i love that first pic you have there!! Looks like smoke stacks
12/20/2011
Contributor: Vaccinium Vaccinium
Quote:
Originally posted by Ivy Wilde
I once had an accidental double exposure that turned out really cool. One image was of a guy playing guitar and the other was several girls dancing. It was a very serendipitous combination of images.
Indeed. Serendipity sometimes results in the best photos. Planning is usually a better, more reliable way, but random chance plays a big role as well.
12/20/2011
Contributor: Ivy Wilde Ivy Wilde
Quote:
Originally posted by Vaccinium
[I could go on and on about long exposures, but I'll cut it short after I relate one last example of how one could use long exposures.

Although you typically don't want to touch the camera during a long exposure, you can make some ... more
Okay, I can sort of understand the city lights one, and the ferris wheel is obvious, but what on earth is that last one??? It's amazingly cool looking, whatever it is.
12/20/2011
Contributor: Antipova Antipova
Ooooh, I really like the lava lamp city.
12/20/2011
Contributor: Antipova Antipova
Quote:
Originally posted by Ivy Wilde
Okay, I can sort of understand the city lights one, and the ferris wheel is obvious, but what on earth is that last one??? It's amazingly cool looking, whatever it is.
Christmas tree, if you ask me?
12/20/2011
Contributor: Vaccinium Vaccinium
Quote:
Originally posted by Curiouscat
Oh i'll have to try that. hmmm.

OMG i love that first pic you have there!! Looks like smoke stacks
Yeah, that's a really neat one. Honestly, looking at all of these photos has really made me want to try more of these methods. What I photograph now doesn't lend itself to these methods, but I really need to branch out more.
12/20/2011
Contributor: Vaccinium Vaccinium
Quote:
Originally posted by Ivy Wilde
Okay, I can sort of understand the city lights one, and the ferris wheel is obvious, but what on earth is that last one??? It's amazingly cool looking, whatever it is.
It is a Christmas tree. The photographer started walking backwards while the shutter was open for a few seconds.
12/20/2011
Contributor: Curiouscat Curiouscat
Quote:
Originally posted by Vaccinium
Yeah, that's a really neat one. Honestly, looking at all of these photos has really made me want to try more of these methods. What I photograph now doesn't lend itself to these methods, but I really need to branch out more.
Yes i like trying new things. I find youtube has alot of neat useful tutorials.
12/20/2011
Contributor: Ivy Wilde Ivy Wilde
Quote:
Originally posted by Vaccinium
It is a Christmas tree. The photographer started walking backwards while the shutter was open for a few seconds.
Good call, Antipova!
12/20/2011
Contributor: Vaccinium Vaccinium
[So, do all of these photos really make y'all want to go out and try some photos like these? Honestly, if your camera can hold the shutter open, it's not hard to get fascinating photos. It takes trial and error to get them just right, but it really can be a hell of a lot of fun being creative and coming up with ideas.
12/20/2011
Contributor: Vaccinium Vaccinium
[So, that's it for my tutorial on long exposures. I realize I probably didn't get into as great of depth and detail as is possible with this topic, but there were a broad arrays of points I wanteed to make, so hopefully this served as a good introduction. If you do have any questions about it, please feel free to ask.

I'll get another trivia question ready while you formulate any questions you might have.

I'll post the question in 1-2 minutes.
12/20/2011
Contributor: Antipova Antipova
Quote:
Originally posted by Vaccinium
[So, do all of these photos really make y'all want to go out and try some photos like these? Honestly, if your camera can hold the shutter open, it's not hard to get fascinating photos. It takes trial and error to get them just right, but ... more
This does look really fun! I've added this to my spec sheet for my eentual camera.
12/20/2011
Contributor: Jul!a Jul!a
Quote:
Originally posted by Ivy Wilde
I once had an accidental double exposure that turned out really cool. One image was of a guy playing guitar and the other was several girls dancing. It was a very serendipitous combination of images.
I ended up with one once from a dance where there was a picture of me dancing with two separate guys; one on each side of the photo, lol.
12/20/2011
Contributor: Vaccinium Vaccinium
Dammit. Any chance you could fix the formatting on my last post, Sam? Thanks in advance.
12/20/2011
Contributor: Ivy Wilde Ivy Wilde
Quote:
Originally posted by Jul!a
I ended up with one once from a dance where there was a picture of me dancing with two separate guys; one on each side of the photo, lol.
Sounds cool!
12/20/2011
Contributor: dv8 dv8
You can use a flash during a long exposure to freeze people and other subjects amidst all the moving lights.
12/20/2011
Contributor: Vaccinium Vaccinium
So, the first person to answer this question correctly will win a $25 gift card from EdenFantasys.

Just to make sure you were paying attention.....What is the one piece of equipment (other than a camera) that someone needs for most every type of long exposure?
12/20/2011
Contributor: Jul!a Jul!a
Quote:
Originally posted by Vaccinium
Dammit. Any chance you could fix the formatting on my last post, Sam? Thanks in advance. ... more
Done and done!
12/20/2011
Contributor: Curiouscat Curiouscat
Quote:
Originally posted by Vaccinium
So, the first person to answer this question correctly will win a $25 gift card from EdenFantasys.

Just to make sure you were paying attention.....What is the one piece of equipment (other than a camera) that someone needs for most every type ... more
tripoid?!?!
12/20/2011
Contributor: Ivy Wilde Ivy Wilde
Quote:
Originally posted by Vaccinium
So, the first person to answer this question correctly will win a $25 gift card from EdenFantasys.

Just to make sure you were paying attention.....What is the one piece of equipment (other than a camera) that someone needs for most every type ... more
tripod
12/20/2011
Contributor: Jul!a Jul!a
Quote:
Originally posted by Vaccinium
So, the first person to answer this question correctly will win a $25 gift card from EdenFantasys.

Just to make sure you were paying attention.....What is the one piece of equipment (other than a camera) that someone needs for most every type ... more
Ooh! I know I know!

But I can't win, and somebody else will have already typed it before me, lol.
12/20/2011
Contributor: Curiouscat Curiouscat
Quote:
Originally posted by Vaccinium
So, the first person to answer this question correctly will win a $25 gift card from EdenFantasys.

Just to make sure you were paying attention.....What is the one piece of equipment (other than a camera) that someone needs for most every type ... more
tripoid?!?!
12/20/2011