Long Exposure Photography: A Simple Guide to Creative Shutter Speeds
One of the things I enjoy most about teaching photography is seeing the moment when someone realises that a camera does not always have to record the world exactly as it appears.
Over the past couple of weeks, I have been out with clients who were particularly taken by one simple technique: using a slower shutter speed to smooth moving water. It is an approach that can turn an ordinary coastal scene, river or waterfall into something calmer, more atmospheric and more personal.
Long exposure photography is often made to sound complicated. It is not. Once you understand the basic idea — and have a tripod and, sometimes, a filter — it becomes one of the most straightforward creative tools available to a landscape photographer.
In this blog, I’ll explain why I enjoy using longer shutter speeds, the different effects they can create, and some useful starting points for photographing water, waves and moving clouds.
What is long exposure photography?
A long exposure simply means leaving the shutter open for longer than usual. A faster shutter speed freezes movement. A slower one records movement over time. The camera is not just capturing a single instant; it is blending every small change that happens while the shutter is open.That is why moving water becomes soft and misty, waves leave streaks across a beach, and clouds can blur across the sky. Used well, a long exposure is not about making every photo look silky. It is about deciding how you want a scene to feel.
Sometimes I want to retain the energy and some texture in a breaking wave. At other times, I want the sea to become a quiet, simplified surface that lets the subject take more of the attention.The creative decision comes first. The shutter speed is simply how you achieve it.
Why I enjoy using longer shutter speeds
Landscape photography often involves waiting for a good combination of light and weather — both elements you cannot control. Long exposure photography adds another element that you can control. It can help you:
Simplify a busy scene by reducing distracting detail in water or clouds.
Create a sense of calm.
Emphasise a strong subject by making the surrounding water softer.
Suggest movement.
Turn an otherwise rather ordinary sky into a more interesting part of the frame.
Make an image feel less like a record of a place and more like your artistic interpretation of it.
For me, that is the real attraction. It gives you a little more creative control over the final photo. A long exposure will not rescue a weak composition or poor light. But when the scene already has a strong structure, slowing the shutter can make the image more atmospheric and artistic.
You do not need lots of equipment
At its simplest, you need is:
A camera that allows you to control shutter speed.
A solid tripod.
A way to trigger the shutter without moving the camera — a cable release, remote control, camera app or simply your cameras self-timer all work.
An ND filter for brighter conditions, particularly during the day.
An ND, or neutral-density, filter is essentially a dark piece of glass that reduces the amount of light entering the lens. It allows you to use a longer shutter speed without overexposing the photo. For more information on ND filters see this beginner's guide.
You do not need to buy the most expensive tripod or a large collection of filters to begin. A reasonably sturdy tripod and a cheap set of ND filters will get you started. The important thing is that the camera does not move while the shutter is open, and you have a way of reducing the amount of light entering the camera to allow longer shutter speeds.
Choosing a shutter speed
There is no perfect shutter speed for a particular subject. It depends on how quickly things are moving, how much wind there is, and — most importantly — what creative effect you want to achieve. However, these are useful starting points.
These are only starting points. The best habit is to take a frame, review it properly, then adjust.
If the water still looks too frozen, make the exposure longer. If it has become too smooth and lost all its character, shorten it. The screen on the back of the camera is your best guide.
Start with water
Water is the easiest place to begin because it responds so clearly to shutter speed.
A fast shutter speed shows the separate shapes, splashes and texture within a wave. Slow the shutter and those shapes begin to merge. Leave it open longer still and the water may become a soft mist, with only the strongest movement remaining visible.
That gives you several creative choices from the same kind of subject:
Keep texture when the power and shape of the sea are the main story.
Add a little blur when you want movement but still want the water to look like water.
Go much slower when your aim is calmness, or simplicity.
You do not need to use the same viewpoint for every effect. In fact, different scenes invite different shutter speeds. A rough sea crashing around dark rocks may work best at a relatively modest exposure, where there is still energy and detail in the waves. A quieter harbour scene, a the sea surrounding a pier can suit a much longer exposure, where the water becomes a softer supporting element.
You do not need expensive equipment to get started
People often focus on filters when they first think about long exposure photography, but the more important piece of equipment is a tripod that will hold your camera still. It does not need to be an expensive one. On one of my recent courses, a client was using a £15 tripod bought from the middle aisle at Lidl. It was not the lightest, most refined or most luxurious tripod in the world, but it held the camera steady and was perfectly good enough to learn with.
That is the key point. A modest tripod is far better than no tripod at all, and there is no need to spend a fortune before you know how much you will use it. If the camera moves during a long exposure, rocks, buildings, trees and the horizon will blur along with the water — which is rarely the effect you want.
You can also begin without a set of ND filters. Choose a naturally low-light situation, such as a waterfall on a cloudy day in dense woodland, or a beach at dusk. In those conditions, your camera may already be able to use a shutter speed of a second or more at ISO 100 without overexposing the image.
ND filters become necessary when you want to use longer shutter speeds in brighter conditions — for example, smoothing waves during the day or creating movement in clouds. They reduce the amount of light reaching the sensor, allowing you to keep the shutter open for longer.
Again, you do not need to start with the most expensive glass filters. Cheaper filter sets are widely available online and, while they may not be as optically perfect as high-end filters, they are more than good enough for learning how shutter speed changes the look of a photo. You can always upgrade later if long exposure becomes a technique you use regularly.
Set the tripod carefully
Extend the thicker leg sections first where possible.
Avoid raising the centre column unless you genuinely need the height.
Press the tripod firmly into the ground, particularly on a beach.
Keep the camera strap from flapping in strong wind.
Use a two-second self-timer, remote release or camera app to avoid nudging the camera as you press the shutter.
At the coast, keep an eye on the tide and the ground beneath the tripod. A small wave can shift a leg or cause it to sink further into wet sand without you noticing.
A simple long shutter speed workflow
When I am planning a longer exposure, I tend to work through this order:
1. Use Shutter Priority or Manual mode
To control shutter speed deliberately, you need to move away from fully automatic mode.
Shutter Priority is a good place to start. You choose the shutter speed, and the camera selects an aperture and ISO to give a correct exposure. On most cameras, this is marked S or Tv on the mode dial.
Manual mode gives you full control over shutter speed, aperture and ISO. It is particularly useful once you begin using ND filters, because it allows you to keep the aperture and ISO where you want them while adjusting the shutter speed to create the effect you have in mind.
If you are new to this, start with Shutter Priority. When you become more confident, or when you want to use an ND filter, try Manual mode.
2. Find the composition first
Decide what the photo is about before thinking too much about the effect. A long exposure can enhance a strong composition, but it will not rescue a weak one.
3. Set up the tripod and make the image sharp
Focus carefully before adding a very dark filter. It is much easier to focus while you can still see clearly through the lens.
4. Choose the creative effect
Ask yourself what you want the movement to look like:
Do you want texture in the water?
A gentle sense of movement?
Streaks and trails around foreground rocks?
Or a much softer, more minimal result?
That decision will guide your choice of shutter speed.
5. Set the shutter speed to suit that idea
Start with one of the rough ranges above, then refine it after looking at the result. If the water still looks too frozen, use a longer exposure. If it has become too smooth and lost all its character, shorten the shutter speed.
6. Use ISO 100 where possible
This gives you the cleanest file and helps you achieve a longer shutter speed. In Shutter Priority mode, keep an eye on the aperture the camera chooses; if it begins flashing or reaches its limit, there may be too much light for the shutter speed you have selected. This is when you may need to use an ND filter.
7. Use aperture sensibly
For landscapes, somewhere around f/8 to f/11 is often a good practical starting point.
For more information on getting started with long exposures, see my three part guide to long exposure photography: Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.
Final thoughts
The next time you are near water, do not take one photo and move on. Set up your tripod and make three or four versions:
One exposure that keeps the water sharp.
One that introduces a little movement.
One that makes the water noticeably soft.
One longer exposure that pushes the effect further.
When you compare them later, do not just ask which looks most impressive. Ask which version best suits the composition and the mood you wanted to create.
That is when long exposure becomes more than a technical trick. It becomes a way of seeing the world in a more creative way.
Want to learn more?
Long exposure photography is one of the techniques I regularly cover during my
beginner workshops and 1-2-1 training sessions. It is easy to understand once you see it working in front of you, and it is a useful way to become more confident using shutter speed, a tripod and filters in the field.
If you would like help putting it into practice, have a look at my website for photography training options or get in touch.
About Gary Holpin Photography
As a professional photographer based in Devon, my journey began along the stunning South West Coast Path. Disappointed with my initial attempts to capture its beauty, I embarked on a second 630-mile journey, this time dedicated to mastering photography. Today, I'm a nationally acclaimed photographer with award-winning landscape photos.
I specialise in providing top-notch property photography, business photography, and drone photography services to businesses across the South West. Additionally, I offer comprehensive photography training courses tailored for both businesses and individuals. Whether you're looking to enhance your corporate image or improve your personal photography skills, my training programs are designed to help you capture stunning images.
As an award-winning and widely published photographer, I frequently share my passion for photography and Devon through engaging talks at local camera clubs and community groups. My expertise spans the entire South West region, ensuring that clients from Devon, Dorset & Somerset benefit from high-quality photography services and training.
