Gain Exposure

Gain exposure, for when you get it right, paths of bright moving subjects become clearly visible, clouds form broad bands, lights draw bright streaks, waves appear smooth, and stars leave trails. In a world of constantly shrinking time budgets, increasing marketability of convenience, and shorter than ever before attention spans, it’s become increasingly difficult to pause, and gain control of how much energy and time you spend exposing yourself to sources that’d hone your skills. This month, it’s time to touch base with your photography in long-exposure. The Sony Alpha February 2019 Photo Contest ‒ Gain Exposure ‒ is now open for entries. Participate and explore capturing stationary elements sharply while blurring, smearing, or obscuring moving elements using long-duration shutter speed.

A quick note:

Also known as time-exposure, or slow-shutter photography, long-exposure technique captures the subject for an extended period of time showing the effect of passing time, unlike conventional photography. This technique often adds a serene and otherworldly appearance to the shots.

Cheat sheet:

1. It’s easiest to accomplish in low-light conditions.
2. Play with light flashes, or increase the aperture.
3. Try a subject with both, moving and stationary elements, like waterbodies or clouds.