Introduction: Long Exposure Photography

This instructable is about long exposure photography, or "bulb" photography, on a 35mm film camera. I will be using a canon t70 with 200mm lens. Long exposure photography is an artistic form of photography in which the lens is left open for longer than necessary, with the camera being secure on a tripod. This creates an artistic blurring of motion. This technique also creates lines where lights have passed in front of the camera.

Step 1: The Camera

In order to shoot long exposure on film, your camera must either have a "bulb" setting, or a way to manually open the shutter. On the t70, "bulb" mode enables the user to keep the lens open as long as the shutter button is depressed. Also, you will need either a tripod or some other way to get your camera steady. I would definitely recommend a tripod, to get the best results.

Step 2:

Procedure: This is pretty basic, but yields fantastic images if done correctly. Step one: set camera to "bulb" or long exposure mode. Some older analog cameras will be different from mine, but on a canon t70, it is an ae preset mode. step 2: Locate your tripod with a clear view of wherever you want to shoot. Step 3: when you feel that your camera is in a good position, press the shutter button. (while the shutter is open, it is VERY important not to move the camera or tripod, as this will result in blurring.) The amount of time to leave the shutter open really depends on what you are shooting. 30 seconds is a good starting point. 

Step 3:

Note on aperture: When shooting bulb photography, the use of aperture is a little different than in normal photography. On a really dark night, if i am shooting the lights of cars on a highway, I set my camera to f-8 or even f-11. The reason for this is that, because you are leaving the shutter open longer in bulb photography, more light is exposing the film. So, just remember, the longer you leave the shutter open, the more light enters, so adjust aperture accordingly.