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Archive 2016 · Long Exposure SUNSET Tips

  
 
JeffWalker
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Long Exposure SUNSET Tips


I've been shooting a lot more LE shots at sunset recently. Just wanted to give a few tips for anyone trying this out.
Here's my setup for the Banff shot below:
Sony A6000 - ISO 100 - SS 300s - LEE 10 stop ND and 2 stop soft GRAD

Sunset LE tips:
1. With 10-12 stops of filters, start with a 4min (bulb mode) shutter.
I always default to this right as the clouds are getting pink.
2. Each additional exposure, the scene requires 1 more minute of exposure time.
Hopefully you have 9mins to get 2 glorious sunset exposures in!
3. Find your composition early. This takes the most time.
Adding the filters, remote, adjusting settings, manual focusing takes 5min as well.
4. Raise to ISO 800 for your test shot at 30 seconds. If exposure is good, lower to 100.
5. Press shutter and enjoy your scene! I use the LEE long exposure app on my phone instead of a countdown timer.
6. Processing. Yes you will have tons of grain/noise. I have a few presets in Lightroom strictly to combat this. There will also be random red and blue color noise. I spot remove these. Lastly, I Orton to add drama, punch the vibrance and dodge and burn all in one step.
7. Any other tips or suggestions?







Jul 19, 2016 at 12:05 PM
Scott Stoness
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Long Exposure SUNSET Tips


Me too - let me add:

1) Buy a good nd filter - mine changes colors so that I have to fix the colours.
Basically nd filters that are cheap either badly change the color cast of the picture or blur the image or both. Some of them cause large vignetting.
You pay more to get a nd that does not do either and controls the vignetting.
Read this article. It provides a pretty good idea of why you need to spend more money.
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/10-Stop-Neutral-Density-Filter.aspx

Effectively it recommends Breakthrough Photography X4 Solid Neutral Density 3.0 Filter (10 Stop) $130 over the 2nd most expensive filter (singray).

2) Use iso 50 instead of iso 100 one more stop equivalent

3) Use f16 vs f8 to get two more stops equivalent

4) The 5dsr, permits timed exposures over 30s. So does the d800a. This is very helpful.

5) There is a alternative way to achieve long exposures - eg take 20 1s expsoures and average them and you have a 20second exposure. I think this is what the sony app is doing.

6) My 5dsr focuses in liveview with 10 stop grad in early late/light. Otherwise take painters tape, focus on infintity and tape the lens down because when you screw the filter on you mess with the focus.

There are a couple of reasons to use long exposure. My most common for me is to flatten out the water. The other is to have a more painterly sky. For flattening out water you only need 3 or 4 seconds, but for latter you need 1 minute or so. This means you need much darker.

Thanks for the post.



Jul 19, 2016 at 04:48 PM
JeffWalker
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Long Exposure SUNSET Tips


Thanks so much for the additional input Scott Awesome tips!!

Scott Stoness wrote:
Me too - let me add:






Jul 24, 2016 at 12:38 PM
Jim Dockery
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Long Exposure SUNSET Tips


That is a gorgeous shot!


Jul 24, 2016 at 03:25 PM
rw11
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Long Exposure SUNSET Tips


is the sky color from a 1 min. exposure because the sun is at slightly different angels during the course of the exposure?


Jul 24, 2016 at 04:35 PM
znikon5
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Long Exposure SUNSET Tips


Did you use focus stacking for the foreground as I imagine that with a lengthy exposure time there is going to be movement of the foreground plant elements resulting in loss of sharpness? Thanks.


Jul 24, 2016 at 09:14 PM





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