long exposure

Doha after dark

/ mikeosbornphoto / 12 Comments

Night falls quickly in the Middle East and lasts a long time. Evenings can turn quite chilly in the depths of what passes for winter there. In Qatar’s showpiece capital city, Doha, the darkness is immediately studded with the twinkling lights of its many skyscrapers.

My haven for capturing this multicoloured cityscape was the jetty at the St Regis Hotel, my palatial home there. It was always empty, giving me peace and space for some long exposure photography.

There were also other places to capture the bright night city, including Z Lounge, a swish cocktail bar perched on the 61st floor of a tower block – a spectacular view but harder to photograph. And in the evening hubbub of the city’s souk, I found the entrance to a restaurant bedecked like Aladdin’s cave. You’ll never be afraid of the dark in this city…

Click first image to see the gallery

The Photo Shop

Westminster nightfall

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Pleasure boat trails

The Palace of Westminster. Arguably the most recognisable London landmark topped off by Big Ben, the capital’s timekeeper. It’s taken me a number of years to visit the stretch of the south bank of the Thames between Westminster and Lambeth bridges, which offers this view.

I set up my tripod in one spot as dusk rapidly turned to autumnal darkness. Each is a separate long exposure shot, two have monochrome finishes. What I couldn’t master was capturing the detail of the clock face, which is the brightest point of the composition. And the building is undergoing some repair work, meaning scaffold and a covered section are unavoidably part of the photographs. But two pleasure boats obliged to create the light trails in the main photo.

 There is little to beat the transition from day to night in a big city – especially if you have your camera ready to catch it.

Lighting up time

Gallery entrance

Something of the night

/ mikeosbornphoto / 2 Comments

First, I found out what my camera was capable of. Then I was given a tripod for Christmas. The time had come to try some long exposure photography for the first time.

This was at night, with the shutter opened for longer periods, allowing the light to flow in. The flash was now a force for evil.

It was a freezing December night, so we decided to stay local and visit nearby Hammersmith Bridge, one of the most elegant along the Thames. The tripod was set up, shot composed, exposure time dialled up – and the results nervously awaited…

That seemed to go well, and we moved to another spot to capture the bridge.

The power of night photography was already becoming irresistible. But on this chilly December night, the session had to be cut short but would become the first of many. Long exposure work has become a huge interest and can produce some superb, shimmering results. Any night shot enthusiasts – please get in touch.

Night by the sea

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The seaside provides a superb place for capturing shimmering night images using long exposure. The water, waves and sand can produce some striking effects. A recent trip to Cairns in northern Australia was a good spot, but it was beaten by Brighton, a coastal resort much closer to home. Its brash, well-loved pier provides a good source of light, while it can give a shot added structure.

The gallery below shows some examples of night shots at the seaside. Click the first image to launch and reveal the full effect.