Want to learn how to take pictures of fireworks or lightning? Want to be able to take those cool pictures with only a background and the blur of a light or of writing in the air with light? Well you can create all these effects and more using one simple rule: low light, long exposure.

All you need is a tripod and a camera with an adjustable shutter speed. Set up in an area with little or no light (except the subject of your picture, of course) and set the shutter to be very slow (several seconds). Be sure not to move or jerk the camera when your picture is being taken (using a camera remote helps, but is not needed) and you can capture moving lights and objects creating unique, artsy, or just plain cool pictures. Below are a few examples to start with, but there’s really no limit to what you can do.

Blurring Lights

One application of this is blurring lights. Many of us have seen this technique (maybe on video) where the background is clear and crisp, but anything moving appears blurred with the lights showing up particularly well. For outdoors pictures, twilight is best (or even when it’s dark). Take the picture when one or more objects in the picture are moving. It looks best when a moving object is lit up (i.e. headlights on a car) because this will show up best in the picture. The length of your exposure (as always) depends on the speed the object is moving and the light level around you. Set your exposure as long as you need to in order to capture the scene. If the picture turns out overexposed or even completely white, shorten the time your shutter is open.

Picture of a rotating fiber optic Christmas tree taken using a long exposure. (click image for larger, high-quality shot)

Drawing With A Laser Pointer In Your Pictures

Have you ever seen Picasso’s light drawing of a bull? This was doing by using a very long exposure time and a bright light beam (point flashlight). When I first showed my friend this technique, he thought the pictures were of someone writing on glass. In actuality, the subject simply writes slowly in the air with light while the shutter is left open for a long time (depending on how long the artist needs and how long your camera will allow you to keep the shutter open). If you’ve never tried this technique you should. It is great fun and you get a product that definitely gets a second look. Just remember to set up in a room or area that is VERY dark. If you can block any light coming in, do so. This way the writing or drawing will show up best.

Taking Pictures of Fireworks

Using a long exposure time is also a great way to take lightning or fireworks pictures. You really can’t just guess when lightning is going to strike (and if you can, please tell me how) and it may be hard to predict fireworks as well. In a lightning storm (or fireworks show), simply set a long exposure time and let the camera sit. For lightning, you probably want to start with the slowest shutter speed possible and work down. Fireworks can use a faster shutter speed because you can predict them better and they may blur. Since these pictures will be generally shot at night or under dark cloud cover, you don’t have to worry about overexposure, but the slow shutter speed will allow you to capture the light show without psychic powers. If you don’t want to do all this hard work yourself, many cameras have a fireworks setting that does all the work for you. But using a tripod still helps for crystal clear shots.

Photo of fireworks taken using a slow shutter speed. (click image for larger, high-quality shot)

These are just a few ideas for great pictures you can take using this technique. There are endless possibilities for other fun things you can do. Why don’t you try using this idea to take pictures of stars (watch your exposure time though, the stars do move), go out during a meter shower, or come up with some ideas of your own?

The Panning Shot

This picture was taken using the panning technique. Notice how the car is much clearer than the background.

Panning is a pretty difficult skill to master, but once you do you can get some wonderful shots. In pictures with this technique, the subject, which is moving, appears clear while the background appears blurred. You do this simply (ok, maybe not so simply) by moving the camera with the subject as it moves. This can be difficult, because the field of your shot needs to be moving at the same speed as the subject. To best accomplish this, you should begin moving the camera before the subject enters your field, and continue moving the camera after the subject has exited (like following through on a basketball shot). Also, remember not to set your shutter speed too fast or the subject and background will both come out clear. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t perfect this technique right away – it’s tough, just keep practicing.

Slow Motion Water Pictures

Another fun technique is slow motion water shots. These are pictures where the background looks clean and crisp, but water in the scene appears almost as if it is a painting. This technique is accomplished by using a slow shutter speed (best is one to two seconds) and a tripod to steady your shot so the whole scene isn’t blurry. You then take a picture of water that is moving. My favorite use of this technique is to photograph waterfalls, but the water doesn’t need to be falling. It can be moving rapidly or flowing slowly over rocks and other objects. It does, however need to have moving edges to create the "flow" effect. Also, it should be noted since you’re using a relatively slow shutter speed, the lighting should be low. Shooting at dusk or dawn is best; however, you can also shoot in a shaded area, heavy cloud cover, or after dark in an area
with not a lot of lighting.   And if you want to have a person in this type of picture, they need to remain perfectly still or they’ll appear blurry.

This waterfall photo was taken using a tripod and a 2 second exposure time.

Pinhole Camera Pictures

Another technique you can try, that might take a little more work to accomplish, is pinhole camera shots (yes, the things you use to look at eclipses). These are a great way to take pictures with an almost infinite depth of field. Make a box out of wood or cardboard that’s about a foot square. The inside of the box should be painted black on five sides and white on one. The white side will be the side you project your image onto. This is what you will actually be taking an image of. The opposite side of the box should have two holes cut into it: one for your camera lens (be sure to make this snug so you can block out the light from entering) and one in the center of the side for your pinhole. You then cover the hole in the center with silver foil and poke your pinhole. You can use this page to calculate your pinhole size. Once your camera is set up, be sure the camera is very still (you could use a tripod or even make a stand for it if you’re using wood) and take the shot. You should set your exposure length as long as you can because very little light is making it through the pinhole. One you get this technique down, you can take some great shots.

These are just a few techniques to take cool and interesting pictures. Try experimenting with them to see what you can come up with. If you get really good at them, try using the principles from these techniques to come up with other interesting shots you can take.