Long exposure and night photography

In short: In long exposures the shutter stays open for seconds. This produces light trails from cars, silky water and visible stars. A stable tripod is a must.

In more detail: Moving objects blur, still ones stay sharp. The result shows time in the picture (verschlusszeit-und-bewegung).

In detail

• Tripod and remote release: Or the self-timer with a 2-second delay so pressing does not cause shake.
• Manual focus: In darkness autofocus fails. Focus on a distant light.
• Settings for night landscape: ISO 800–3200, aperture f/2.8–f/4, 10–25 seconds.
• Starry sky: 500 rule: exposure time = 500 ÷ focal length so stars remain points (brennweite-und-bildwinkel).
• Daylight: ND filters (neutral density) allow long exposures by day too.
• Light painting: Draw with a torch in the dark.
• Noise: Long exposures heat the sensor; dark frame subtraction helps (iso-und-bildrauschen).