U.F.O
Saw this merry go round whilst at the beach and thought it would make a great long exposure subject.
Saw this merry go round whilst at the beach and thought it would make a great long exposure subject.
Read less
Read less
Feb, 2016Views
1514
Likes
Awards
Contest Finalist in Strong Foregrounds Photo Contest
Member Selection Award
Featured
Curator's Choice
Peer Award
Outstanding Creativity
Absolute Masterpiece
Superb Composition
Top Choice
All Star
Superior Skill
Genius
Magnificent Capture
Emotions
Impressed
Top Ranks
Top 20 rankTop 20 rank week 3Top 20 rank week 2Top 20 rank week 1
Top 10 rank
Categories
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Discover more photos See all
Behind The Lens
Location
This shot was taken on Brighton's seafront in the UK.Time
I think this was probably around midday which meant there was loads of people milling around, probably workers on lunch, also families with children enjoying the rides and attractions as Brighton is a very busy seaside resort along the south coast of England.Lighting
The lighting wasn't great on this day but there were loads of clouds against a blue sky which was ideal for long exposure photography, being midday the sun would have been very high in the sky which normally you try to avoid doing landscape type shots but the clouds came to my rescue.Equipment
I was using my Nikon D7100 combined with my favourite lens the Sigma 10-20, the Sigma isn't the best quality lens as it suffers from softness around the edges and chromatic aberration but it is definitely the most fun lens to use. To create the long shutter speed I was using a Hitech Pro stopper 100mm square filter to cut 10 stops of light and my Manfrotto 055 tripod to keep my camera rock steady during the 44 second exposure, a cheap generic cable release was used to fire the shutter.Inspiration
I was actually visiting Brighton on this day to take my wife to a convention at the Brighton center, whilst my wife was having fun doing her thing I decided to walk around the seafront with my camera, whilst walking around I came across this carousel and instantly knew this would look great as a long exposure due to the spinning motion of the ride against the movement of the clouds, I was very pleased with the outcome.Editing
I try to keep post processing as basic as possible so normally it will involve contrast, saturation, curves, spot removal, sharpening. Long exposures can have detrimental affects on the colour temperature when using a 10 stop filter so I do a custom white balance setting in camera and tweak it in post processing.In my camera bag
I'm very OCD with my camera equipment and feel I have to carry everything with me when I go out even though I mainly pull out my Nikon D7100 and sigma 10-20, but in my bag I normally have the Tamron 24-70, Sigma 70-200, Nikon 85 f/1.8, Nikon 50 f/1.8, Sigma 105 macro, Hitech pro stopper, Lee hard grad filters, cable release, Nikon SB600 flashgun, I love strobist work so in another bag I have 4 Yongnuo flashguns with triggers and loads of batteries.Feedback
If you want to do long exposures like this during the day you will probably need a 10 stop filter which isn't cheap but a very good investment but don't forget you will need a filter holder which adds to the expense unless you get a screw in 10 stop filter but these can be annoying taking on and off your lens. You will start to get a feel for what weather conditions will help you get a good long exposure, normally cloudy days are great as the clouds can add movement and interest and also they can diffuse sunlight helping you to get longer shutter speeds. Don't be afraid to experiment, I don't bother with long exposure timers and graphs, I have a starting point of 30 seconds and adjust accordingly, if the picture is too dark I will extend the shutter speed and vice versa if its too bright. A cable release and a good sturdy tripod is a must, don't go cheap on the tripod, they are well worth the money and last years. Make sure you have a viewfinder cover when doing long exposures during the day as stray light can get in through the viewfinder and ruin your picture. Make sure you have a timer on you whether it is a watch or your phone or an intervalometer as these will help you time your exposures if you go over 30 seconds, some exposures can go into minutes or even longer. Intervalometer's can be picked up for around £10-15 which is great value. Practice, Practice, Practice and also have fun
