TOP 20 CAPTIVATING LONG EXPOSURE PHOTOGRAHS AND TIPS TO CREATE THEM

The top 20 captivating images you will find are some I captured from the very beginning of my photography endeavor to the present moment. The unyielding desire I possessed in the beginning of my photography journey, is one I hope to use to perfect my craft with each click. I am not a technical person and my biggest teacher has been Guru "Trial and Error." Maybe you have met him/her, they happen to be the very best teacher you could hope for. 

I love the digital era and digital photography is one of those genres one can become as creative as they desire. With digital imaging one is no longer stuck at the mercy of the print shop. We no longer wait and worry for days to see what our images look like. Printing capability is improving more and more each day. Owning a professional printer is a photographers dream along with the best camera and gear on the market. 

In truth all one needs these days, if photography is your dream, is a camera."I say a camera"  because as your images began to take shape and others start commenting from your social media outlets the desire to improve on your new skills or to broaden your horizon will come complete with a desire for a new upgraded camera. Buying a new printer, new and improved camera along with accessories means nothing without first understanding how to operate your equipment to get "Your" desired results. I capitalized "Your" because it's your eye looking through the view finder and "Your" creative vision and the world will take it or leave it. The most important thing is to create it, share it and go make more of it... To purchase or view more of my images please visit: www.stillsbyazore.com Or visit and like my photography page at: www.facebook.com/azoreH

This image is one of my very first attempts at long exposure, I had my camera,  B+W 3.0 ND filter, it was my trusted filter, I thought of using no other filter at this time because I was so very pleased with the results as you can see. My camera setting was as follows: shutter speed 240 sec, manual mode, f/5.0 with an ISO of 100. The lens I used for this shot was Canon EF-18-55mm. I can't tell you the time of day as I have forgotten and my camera data does not have the correct time. I am of course using a tripod (a very cheap one but it worked) which is a main ingredient for long exposure photography unless you have a very steady hand and can hold your camera over 30 sec or longer. The image above is the end result of my first ever attempt, therefore it was not without my trusted trial and error Guru. I had no book only the info in my head that I read on the web on this technique, a strong desire to master it and my won creative flair. You can acquire filters any place you like but here a few places.
(NOTE: the larger the dimeter of your lens the more money you will spend on a filter)

                             http://www.adorama.com/BW77ND64XM.html 

 http://www.amazon.com/52mm-3-0-1-000X-Single-Coating/dp/B004Q3Q9OS

Taken at a pull off on the way to Big Talbot Island In Jacksonville. My main focus was the bridge using an infrared filter but that did not turnout well, walking back to my car I again pulled out my trusted B+W 3.0 ND filter and this is the end result.

Sometimes you never know where the shot will take you. I had to walk through the woods, climb  down a dirt ledge and carefully walk over slippery mud all while carrying my gear. For this shot I used Lee's Big Stopper to slow the movement of the falls and the clouds. I was aiming for the dreamy look and do believe I succeeded in my attempts. The fall colors in the background further added to the beauty of this magical landscape. I captured several shots as I did not want to climb back down to get to this location nor did I know when in future I would return. Therefore it's very important to make sure you get the shot you envision as there might not be a second chance.  I processed this image using Nik Editing Software as I do with all of my images.  You can find them here: https://www.google.com/nikcollection/

This is one of those images where the end result brings a smile to your lips. I love the contrast in this image. The way the lights makes the bridge appear yellow when in fact it's white is amazing to me. I set my camera on the tripod for steadiness as I needed to allow the shutter to be open for about 30 sec or until I got my desired results. For this shot there were no filter used but because there were very little light, I needed the shutter to remain open to allow enough light to enter the camera and make the image. It is also very helpful to use a shutter release cable so you do not have to touch your camera which can result in blurred images if your camera shakes even a little.

For this image I once again used Lee's Big Stopper, I find that the urge to go out and capture images might not be during the most popular times of day but with filters, it frees one up to go out whenever the urge hits them. I am a firm believer that when intuition and inspiration hits the freedom to answer should not be hindered by the time of day. Therefore it would not hurt to add to your gear bag a few filters, so that day light will never darken your creative yearnings. I also love to angle my shots so that the obvious is not dead center but placed off to the side. I find this adds depth to the image making it more interesting it also put the attention on other beautiful things within the photo.  More about the Big Stopper can be found here:

http://www.leefilters.com/index.php/camera-directory/camera-dir-list/category/the-big-stopper

I love this image because it's not confined to anyone direction and  speaks to ones desire to get out and see the world,  whether by water, land, or air. It has life, movement and depth. It also says slow down and live in the moment. Once again this is a long exposure image, using the Lee filter and a shutter release cable attached to the camera keeps the camera steady on the tripod. I find that the slightest movement will blur the image. The only thing I wanted blurred was the water. So many of my best images was captured when trying out a new technique and not being afraid to do so. 

Check here for Lee's Big Stopper:  http://www.leefilters.com/index.php/camera/bigstopper

Enjoy the remaining images. All images taken during daylight hours were captured using Lee's Big Stopper. As you can see I love long-exposure photography and try my hand at it every chance I get. You can purchase any of my work at www.Photographybyazore.com
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Tosochatchee Wildlife Management Area, Orlando Florida.

                                                       Panama City Beach, Florida 

On my photography journey I found myself alone, "meaning" having no one to ask a question as to my techniques, which made this journey one of both laughter and tears. Just when I thought I had the shot correct it was only after I had driven miles back home to find my blunder and the tears would roll.  But I did managed to get this one right.. Photoshop CS5 is my best friend and I love this editing software, which has came with a learning curve all in itself. As they say "Repetition is the mother of skill," and if you keep at something long enough you are bound to master it. 

Sanford Florida Marina. This image I edited using Nik Silver Efex Pro 2, My favorite editing software along with PS CS5. 

Panama City Beach, Florida.

Washington Oaks State Park, Palm Coast, Florida and Key West, Florida

In this image I blended the sky taken in Key West Florida with the beach and rock scene from Washington Oaks State Park and this is the end result. 

Captured off of an old Florida roadway in Flagler County. This was one of those images that screamed "TAKE ME HOME TO YOUR LIGHT ROOM" and so I did...

No filter was used for this image just the camera lens, shutter release and tripod, 30 sec exposure time. Capturing images at night one need not bother with a filter, you could but the exposure time would be extremely longer than it needs to be. But I have done that as well, and as stated, I just hung out at the location a long time...

                                                   Lower Cataract Falls in Indiana

This location truly tested my courage, but my desire to capture the image outweighed my fears...I took several shots exposing for the sky alone first, then I reset my camera for the foreground and in PS blended the two images to create it the way I saw it in my head. 

Boat harbor in Titusville Florida. My aim was not just for the boats but the tree in the background that split this image in half.

A fantastic day shooting long-exposure photography can be achieved with clouds like these. I always look for the sky filled with great white puffy clouds screaming to be photographed. They make a great image even greater, when there is movement and they are not just sitting in the sky. Although I usually angle off my shots this one demanded center stage. We also have to learn to listen to how a scene wants to be photographed, so taking a little time so sit and meditate on the image helps to give a clear vision in your minds eye and doing so will gift you with a great image. 

Two images merged to make one, I captured the sky first with a longer shutter speed, then I changed the settings in my camera and photographed the bottom half of the image using a shorter shutter speed, merged and edited them both in Photoshop CS5 and then bounced it over to Nik Silver Pro. This was my first attempt at merging an image and I am happy with the results.  

Early morning sunrise

Overseas Railroad, in the Florida Keys.

Also note: that whenever working with Lee's Big Stopper or any dark filter make sure to focus the shot before putting the filter on.  I usually auto focus on the subject first and then turn the lens to manual and bulb on the camera, using bulb mode allows me to hold the shutter open as long as I desire, using a shutter release cable. If the camera is not set to manual mode it will not be able to capture the shot, per my own experience the camera will not be able to focus through the black lens and will keep searching for a subject.

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