IPhoneography level 80: how to make tough shots at slow shutter speeds

What is needed

Yes, just go and do on the iPhone shot with slow shutter speed, we will not turn out: first, the standard camera is not can adjust the shutter speed, and secondly, to remove from the hands difficult even for professional cameras, not to mention the iPhone. So you need to prepare first.

Special application

There are plenty of applications that allows you to manually adjust the parameters of shooting, so if you have already installed one of these, you can try to use it. But it's better to work with a camera designed exclusively for shooting at slow shutter speeds, for example, Slow Shutter Cam, Slow Shutter! or any other. All about the same configuration and functionality. These cameras initially have three modes: Light Tail, Motion Blur, and Low Light - for shooting light trails of moving objects and in low light conditions.

Tripod

Since when shooting at larger aperture, the shutter speed will remain open for a long time and keep the smartphone in the hands very still, you can not, you need a tripod.

If you have a full-size tripod for the camera, it can be used with the iPhone, buying a suitable adapter. If a tripod you do not have, and especially to spend money to buy, you do not want to, we can restrict the special mini-stand or tripod for smartphones. It is quite a decent amount will cost you up to thousands of rubles. Some models are equipped with flexible legs that allow to consolidate your mobile camera at any height with the help of fences, trees and other objects.

How to take

Now that we have everything you need, you can start shooting. Each technique has its own nuances, so we consider them separately.

light trails

One of the most spectacular forms of artistic photos on the shutter speed, which helps to capture motion in a variety of light sources. For shooting trails of light it is important to select the correct time of day. The best photos produced in the early evening, when the lights on cars and other transport are included, and street lighting - yet. In the darkness there is a risk of increased noise or "overexposure" of the streetlights, signage and other illuminations. Photos below are made within 20 minutes after sunset.

Creative photo - it's always experiment, but in most cases will be perfect following settings: photosensitivity (light sensitivity) 1/4 and exposure (shutter speed) for 15 seconds. At Slow Shutter Cam has a useful function pause capture, which will help get rid of the glare of headlights of oncoming cars when you're shooting light trails on the busy highway. If this is not done, the photo will be spoiled by bright light.

In principle, you can take pictures in total darkness, but in this case it is necessary to significantly increase the sensitivity and shutter speed, as well as carefully avoid bright flashes Using pause during shooting. As for image processing recommendations light traces may be advisable to slightly reduce exposure and, on the contrary, increase the contrast.

If you are interested in this type of photography, here are some possible subjects for shooting:

• cars on the freeway;
• carousel in an amusement park;
• the starry sky;
• fireworks.

Movement in the frame

This method is easy to implement capture any moving object. At Slow Shutter Cam there are several options that adjust the intensity of the blur and get such a result that you want by viewing changes directly during shooting. There are also a variety of effects, however, they are available for all modes.

The most intriguing object shooting without doubt can be called water. Waterfalls, fountains, surf - all this looks wonderful on the picture, giving it a depth and mystery. For comparison, photographs above show one and the same subject, taken a standard camera and Slow Shutter Cam a Motion Blur mode.

Try experimenting with the movement in the frame. In addition to water, can be removed much more interesting. Here are some examples to start:

• passing the train station;
• moving escalator;
• intersections at rush hour;
• cyclists;
• people in dance.

Photo at dusk

Shooting in low light conditions - a very difficult task, especially for mobile cameras, because it requires the maximum amount of light. If you long to keep the aperture open, the frame get blurred, so iPhone compensates by increasing light sensitivity. Unfortunately, this entails another problem - the appearance of noise.

Success can be achieved if you go the other way and use, as you've probably guessed, a slower shutter speed and a tripod. No need to be an expert to determine the photo above, which of them was made in a similar way.

The more exposure, the more light gets to the sensor and the better the picture will turn out. However, it should also take into account the overall light level and the presence of light sources - maximum shutter speed do not necessarily provide the best photo. When the frame has a street lamp, window or other bright object, the shutter speed to reduce costs: the more and more intense light sources, the shorter the shutter speed should be.

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If you do not do the photo on a professional level, but you want to experiment, then it makes little sense to spend money on an expensive camera. Appendix for a few dollars, the easiest tripod and a bit of creativity - it will be enough to get interesting pictures that will bring delight to your friends. Especially after you say on which camera they were taken.