The Fine Art of Long Exposure Photography

I'm in Suffolk/Essex doing long exposure photography and in this video I explain the process step-by-step to help you get this technique down to a fine art. I explain subject, composition, achieving the correct exposure, choosing the right filter and how the Olympus camera system makes the technique even easier to do.
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My camera gear:
Olympus OM-D E-M1 + E-M1 MKII
Olympus OM-D E-P5
Olympus OM-D Pen F
Olympus 12-40mm PRO
Leica 8-18mm
Panasonic 35-100mm
Olympus 12mm
Olympus 17mm
Olympus 25mm
Olympus 45mm
Sigma 60mm
LEE Seven 5 Filter System
Canon G7X MKII
iPhone 8 Plus
Rode lav mic
Tascam audio recorder

[@dx3200]

Craig, the last two images are just stunning.

[@oldgittarist]

You always seem to get great results however adverse the conditions Craig. Your perseverance is an example to us all!

[@paulscott9329]

Always enjoy your vlogs Craig and enjoy seeing them from places I've visited myself. I understand your discomfort in describing these shots as 'fine art' and agree they are photographs at the end of the day, albeit achieved with acquired knowledge and skilful use of filters. Where the 'fine art' enters the argument is in the post processing of these type of images. Where the photographer moves away from what is actually captured in camera and processes the image (with no less skill) in order to achieve an end result more in keeping with a personalised vision prior to capture.

[@JustinPaulPictures]

These are incredible photographs and/or pieces of art - in my opinion. I appreciate your being humble, but many folks would fine these pieces as fine art, so do not sell yourself short! I still have a lot to learn and have enjoyed your channel very much. Don't stop creating.

[@robcoates4394]

So many fascinating locations and subjects in Britain, not least the Victorian structures. I envy you, Craig. Thanks for more insights into how a pro thinks and works. Cheers from DownUnder.

[@robertYTB78g]

Totally agreed from NZ :)

[@t0urdefrance7]

Felixstowe. My home town. Those groins are great for long exposures. Great vid.

[@shaunheath4584]

Loving your work Craig,you make your video's so everyone can understand every aspect of what your talking about and i like the fact that the locations you go to are easily accessible for most people rather than far to reach and expensive places that most can only dream of going to. Thanks again,keep up the great work👍

[@PWS777]

These are “fine” looking photos, and I believe you are definitely an artist. So Fine Artist you are! IMO.

[@yhp143feelingshot]

Thanks and great videos

[@colvillebri196]

Good to see you in my home county of Suffolk, typical Suffolk, weathers never as you want it but when it does play ball the images can be spectacular. Shingle Street is a strangely beautiful place. Great images considering the conditions.

[@tuisitala9068]

My very first medium format shot on Velvia was of the second set of cottages. This was in 1992. That image was set much closer to the building and used the line of the shingle bank to cut off the bottom of the structure. It is strange but that first picture is still one of my best. So much for photographic progression! By the way I loved your deliberate mis-pronunciation of Harwich.

[@ThePosiview]

As always great to see a fellow Olympus photographer. I've been to all the places you visited and Dovercourt lighthouse was one of my favourites. Enjoyed that. Cheers.

[@tompetersphotography]

Great vlog Craig, right up my street this type of photography

[@kenhenley7599]

That's Essex for you.....never expect the expected! Amazing video and some beautifully atmospheric photographs (not fine art!).

[@gerardg1950]

Great video. You inspired me to go out with my EP5 and make long exposures alongside a river over here in holland. @14:30 you mixed up the workings of live time and live bulb in your explanation.

[@e6Vlogs]

gerardg1950 I don’t think I did! 🤔

[@skylar767]

Great composition. Great images. Thx for your perseverance and your always fine tips & instruction.

[@BojanBojovic]

Beautiful photos. Thanks for this great video.

[@SteveGray-1]

Great video, nice to see a youtuber struggle with all the issues us normal photographers always battle with.

[@dx3200]

Are youtuber photographers not normal photographers?

[@waynebritton5596]

You don't claim to be a fine art photographer, but I have to say - the way you think through and plan your compositions is very artistic and you have transformed an otherwise bland location into something worth looking at (i.e. the shingle beach).

[@SueLambertPhotography]

Learning so much from you, thanks a million - Question if I may - why the EP5 and not the EM1 MII ?

[@Bigfarmer8]

Took me a while to finally see this video. Really enjoyed it Craig. Talking of fine art, I nowadays work for a company that provides fine art prints. Your monochrome photos though, would look better on Dibond white or Aluminum Butterfinish. I would be happy to supply you with a print of a photo of your choice on one of these two materials.

[@billbaker4970]

Great shots I like the last one the best. I love doing longexposure photos.

[@gaoldias]

Great tips. I was about to buy the NISI 10 stop ND but after hearing you talk about the diffraction and iso with the E-P5 (which I also have), I've decided to get the 15 stop ND instead.

[@markburgess276]

Hi. Devoted to your channel. Since the firmware upgrade to the EM1ii you can autofocus through a 15 stop filter and A priority works as expected for exposures up to its limit of 60 seconds. I like this cos I worry about bumping my 12-40 zoom setting putting the filter on.

[@WayneLeary]

Good work!

[@danielbeaumont-thomas6923]

great video sir, some helpful tips. I'm curious as to how you define 'fine art' photography? and why it is that you mention it on a couple of occasions during the video? I love the work that you have produced through your skills and effort. regards, Dan

[@slinkdot]

Another great video full of useful tips 👍🏻

[@janboag8361]

I enjoyed this video on the process of long exposures a great honest presentation💛

[@gailtucker2699]

Very nice shots, and yes I do think you can call them Fine Art. Certainly not just photographs.

[@paulus0109]

Enjoyed your vlog indeed Greg. Thnx

[@EwanDunsmuirImages]

Hey Craig. Nice vid and a lovely spot or two mate! Must get there one day as I recognise the scenes. Dont be hard hard on your process. I don't agree that these aren't Fine Art, as all the artistic creativity is done 'in camera'. A non fine art photo would be something like a snap shot, with little thought, conceptualisation, care and attention paid to the end result. These minamalist ELEs take some vision and conceptualisation of your end result! Good on ya mate!. Ewan (NZ)

[@robertYTB78g]

Spot on, and saved me typing exactly the same thing :)

[@MrFreakwent]

I learn so much from you, thanks.

[@SlowToe]

Come to Ireland Craig. No sun here. Every photograph takes 10 minutes just to get enough light.

[@eltinjones4542]

The ancient Irish worshipped the Sun but because of the absence of any proof of its existence, turned to Christianity instead 😂

[@TheRedrusso]

@@eltinjones4542 Well, ancient Egyptians worshiped the sun more than The Irish! Boy oh boy , did they hate the sun ! Then they turned to Islam, a death cult forced upon them by Arabs, who ironically had more of that sun, yet they worshiped The Moon and Al-lah ,the moon god. Funny,isn't it ?

[@Bassbarbie]

I've never seen so many rainbows as when I went to Ireland :) Beautiful country

[@robtt997]

Really good. Thank you

[@hughmccann7414]

Beautiful photography, you worked well at shingle street to get some varied shots. Fine art is for the folk who wish to charge an arm and a leg for their "work"... ;D

[@garys639]

How about a 'Fine Photographer' , would you accept that appellation ? Beautiful work as usual ,I found the insights on the Oly gear helpful, own an M1mkii and ND filters from my Canon days ,start of summer here in Australia, no rain for months so lots of sun and minimal cloud, so will need 15 stopper.

[@RamblingTog]

Hi Craig enjoyed your video, just wondering what kind of loupe your using?

[@e6Vlogs]

Rambling Tog Do you mean the external viewfinder? It’s specifically for the EP-5

[@garypocklington3396]

Craig, a couple of question related to the video. Which of the 'Stopper' filters would you suggest as a starting point? Also, when doing long exposures is there a need to cover the viewfinder eyepiece to stop light leaks?

[@e6Vlogs]

10 stop. Yes, maybe if using an SLR. No shouldn't be neccessary if shooting mirrorless

[@SaxonSuccess]

I'm not really sold on the long exposure technique. It was probably perfectly acceptable once, but now it's everywhere. Also, I liked the colours and texture of the shingle, so I would have not have only made monochrome images but colour ones too. Which I'm sure you probably did anyway. It's all subjective though, isn't it? As ever I enjoyed the video, I always get loads out of your stuff. (P.S. I've installed Spectre on the iPhone, having said all that! Looking forward to playing with it tomorrow.)

[@martinbosch4802]

Hi Craig, some really nice long exposure B&W's images. Really like the ones of pebble beach and cottages. Wondering if I can ask a question please. I see you have the Leica 8-18 and also have the Lee Seven 5 filter system. I am looking get a 75mm system for my Leica 8-18, But I tend to shoot a lot at 8mm, do you experience any vignetting using this filter system and the 8-18mm lens? Appreciate your comment on this. Thank you very much.

[@e6Vlogs]

Martin Bosch At 8mm , yes a bit, but that goes at around 10-12mm

[@dadodetectorbeach2888]

Essas imagens nos transmite muita paz, onde é essa locação?

[@bkspicture]

Usually shoot analog but for digital I think I prefer taking multiple exposures that are a few sec and blend them together in post. Way cleaner end results and usually can't tell the difference between a blended image vs one long, except for the grain, sharpness etc.

[@jackdeangelis6585]

I'd call it fine art, skillfully crafted. I especially like the last image. What's the 45/90 deg viewfinder attachment? Is that an Olympus product or more generally available?

[@e6Vlogs]

Jack DeAngelis It’s an external viewfinder especially for the Oly EP-5

[@julianwilliams4750]

Hi have you shot in RAW for these photo's or cropped in camera 6X6?. Thanks

[@e6Vlogs]

Shot Raw Julian, but the square format was captured in-camera

[@julianwilliams4750]

@@e6Vlogs Hmmmm I don't think my Fuji X-t1 offers the ability to crop in Raw capture. This would have to be done in post. Much nicer I think to do it in camera.

[@e6Vlogs]

@@julianwilliams4750 It is great framing and composing in square in-camera, but unless I use Lightroom to edit (which I don't), ACR/Bridge opens it back to the original 4:3 and I have to crop it in post again. A bug that Adobe have never corrected

[@wahabdilawar]

Thoroughly enjoyed. I noticed some heavy vignetting in all the images or is it just me? Did you add it in post or did the looong exposure cause it?

[@e6Vlogs]

Wahab Dilawar I added it in post. It’s the look I wanted and knew I wanted even before I pressed the shutter.

[@wahabdilawar]

@@e6Vlogs it does look very nice and adds to the final image. When (if ever) will I learn to see my images BEFORE shooting them.

[@e6Vlogs]

Wahab Dilawar Well, that comes with practise, but also having a clear vision of what you want to capture. The pictures are always in my mind prior to a shoot. I then just have to find them!

[@AceHardy]

📸

[@DavidLaCivita]

Is it the 16 mp sensor in the ep5 that gets you cleaner results then the 20mp em1mk2?

[@e6Vlogs]

David LaCivita Yes, but because it uses contrast AF and not Phase-Detection AF

[@DavidLaCivita]

@@e6Vlogs interesting, I didn't realize the type of autofocus affected image quality. I shoot the em5mk2 with the same sensor (I think) and contrast autofocus and now I'm even happier!

[@robertsalisbury1121]

Great shots of Shingle Street, great to meet you there... Shame I didn't make the final cut.

[@e6Vlogs]

Hi Robert. Hope you got some good shots. Yes, I had to edit you out. Didn't want you to outshine me!

[@sarundayo]

What other uses for long exposure are there I wonder. It can freeze water or light, but apart from that, what other creative techniques are there?

[@e6Vlogs]

T D Power station cooling towers!

[@chrisseveris5126]

Would you ever return to Canon?

[@e6Vlogs]

Chris Severis My back says no!

[@naturelvr123]

OK, at 15 sec you show something in the water that look like stepping stones on legs. What are they? Sorry, I live in the states & never seen something like that before. Cheers :)

[@JohnKrill]

Yea, I can see the tree's 'Blowin' in the wind.' Wait, that sound like the start of a great song. Really. No kidding. So how do like that? We put up with every video. So there. :)

[@zardosspinosa6944]

Correct me if I am wrong, noise reduction turned on makes no difference if you are shooting your image in RAW, better in actual fact to have it permanently turned off

[@e6Vlogs]

Corrected!

[@gaza4543]

They don’t call it the sunrise coast for nothing. I live 10 mins from shingle street and it’s a very challenging place to achieve a shot.

[@alexandermenzies9954]

24.04 was my choice. Very interesting video. Any visits to Brightlingsea or Aldeburgh on the horizon, Craig?

[@Arkadiuss55]

Extra. Thank you for good film :)

[@ceaabe]

17:20 this looks so unreal like an animation.

[@1911geek]

Use self timer and step away is another way

[@LarsKiel]

👍👍

[@Sunrazor]

The value of iso on different cameras are not comparable since this is not a standard. It's just gain. For the record.

[@geoffchalcraft9432]

Nice (as usual) just one problem..... it's Harwich (rhymes with marriage or ven Norwich).

[@e6Vlogs]

Geoff Chalcraft Yes, that’s why I mentioned my mistake near the beginning. I get all place names wrong!

[@privatebubba8876]

Turn off image stabilization and auto focus on the lens if applicable after focused when using a tripod for long exposure for a sharper picture.

[@behramcooper3691]

Is there an Android version of the Spectre app?

[@richardpowellTV]

I looked for one Behram but no luck and the alternative Android apps look like rubbish to me. Try securing your phone, keep it still and hold a ND filter in front of the lens? All depends on lighting conditions and how slow the shutter will go.

[@oneeyedphotographer]

What is "fine art photography?"

[@mikekay6288]

Indeed!

[@Boneless_Chuck]

It's an image you can't understand nor afford.

[@ludopolleunis4559]

Nice images. But the difference between a fine art photograph and 'just' a photo, eludes me still...but than, i m just not a pro photographer.

[@Lainer1]

If you ever try the Fuji X-E3, it has a T mode where you can do long exposures with it while watching them expose on the back of the camera. Kind of a cool feature. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jJumm6Nja9GbmaM

[@johnnykempo]

How exactly? I don't have the x-e3 but other Fuji's and it doesn't show the exposure building up....

[@luismartins3262]

I hate to break it to you but your finished images from this video could definitely pass for fine art photos. I believe you are trying to be humble when you say your photos are just photos. Well, sorry but your end result falls squarely in the realm of fine art. I am no art history expert, but I can tell a good, artistic image from just another photo as you call it. "In fine art the camera is used to make an image that reveals the vision of the artist and makes a statement of that vision rather than documenting the subject before the lens. ... Photography becomes art when certain controls are applied. So, a fine art photograph must go beyond the literal representation of a scene or subject." Its OK to be proud of the work you do and boast about it, without sounding snobish. Your viewers can tell the difference, especially those who have been following you for a while. Oh, and you gained one more subscriber!

[@eltinjones4542]

Great compositions but the sun and sky didn't help. Brian Madden has answered why my exposures need bulb mode 😂😂👍

[@daddyuguggenheim283]

Who else is here from pick up 😂😂

[@craighattam2020]

Yes Craig i agree! Fine art, it's all bull..... My Grandson who is two would qualify for " fine art" . He takes a photo on an old Nikon D 70 , out of focus, poorly composed on an angle. I could then convert it to black and white, turn up the blacks wind down the whites and walla! Liked your images though even if they are not fine art. Cheers.

[@christopherhowell3209]

How boring!

[@e6Vlogs]

Thankyou

[@terryoreilly5642]

I THOUGHT THE IMAGES WERE WELL TOO DARK AND IT SAY'S IN THE DESCRIPTION YOU EXPLAIN WHAT FILTERS TO USE AND YOU DID'NT EXPLAIN ANYTHING OF THE SORT. ALL'S YOU SAY IS YOU ARE USING A 15 STOP FILTER EACH TIME. YOU DID'NT EXPLAIN STEP BY STEP EITHER HOW TO TAKE A LONG EXPOSURE AND JUST BASICLY DID IT. I'M SORRY IF I SOUND LIKE AN ARSE, BUT I AM JUST BEING HONEST CRAIG. YOU DO NOT EXPLAIN ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT YOU HAVE WROTE IN YOUR DESCRIPTION. EXPLAINING HOW TO DO A LONG EXPOSURE CONSISTS OF, FINDING A COMPOSITION, FRAMING YOUR SHOT, SORTING YOUR CAMERA SETTINGS, GETTING FOCUS, PUTTING IT INTO MANUAL FOCUS, PUTTING ON YOUR FILTER, COVERING THE VIEW FINDER IF NEEDED, SEEING WHAT SHUTTER SPEED YOU HAVE FOR A PERFECT EXPOSURE AND THEN CALCULATING THAT SHUTTER SPEED FOR THE FILTER YOU ARE GOING TO USE, THEN ADJUSTING THE SHUTTER SPEED OR GOING INTO BULB MODE IF NEEDED AND FINALLY HITTING THE CABLE RELEASE BUTTON. YOU NEVER EVEN MENTIONED ANYTHING ABOUT THE CABLE RELEASE YOU USED. AGAIN I'M SORRY BUT YOU EXPLAINED NOTHING ABOUT ANY LONG EXPOSURE. HERE IS A LINK FOR YOU OR ANYBODY ELSE WHO WANTS TO KNOW HOW TO TAKE A LONG EXPOSURE PROPERLY AND FULLY EXPLAINED IN DETAIL STEP BY STEP. WHAT YOU PROMISED BUT FAILED TO DELIVER. photographylife.com/how-to-take-really-long-exposures-with-a-dslr

[@e6Vlogs]

Terry Oreilly sounds like you want me to come along and take the picture for you. And then you still wouldn’t be happy. Sorry if you think I’m being an arse, just being honest. (You can turn caps off you know)

[@terryoreilly5642]

@@e6VlogsYour the one who said "in detail step by step" ARSE HOLE.

[@nelsonfoote7641]

Dude, cut down on the coffee!