How to take long-exposure photos on an iPhone or Android phone
Did you know that your mobile phone is capable of long-exposure photography? Your amazing phone camera can do even more with the right apps and tools on hand. Here are the best ones we could find for slow-shutter / long-exposure photography.
What is long-exposure photography?
Long-exposure photography refers to images taken with a camera whose shutter remains open for a long time, allowing more light into the image sensor. The moving elements will create blurriness, while the still elements remain crisp.
It is also commonly referred to as “time-exposure” or “slow-shutter” photography.
![Slow shutter speed example](/assets/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/slow-shutter-comparison.jpg)
A slow shutter speed allows you to capture movement over time. In this example, the left image’s shutter speed is faster than the right. On the right, a slowed shutter speed captured more light over time, creating the light streaks from the cars’ headlights.
Best long exposure camera apps
A1 SuperSlo Shutter Camera – Long Exposure Cam & Pic Editor
Free on the App Store for iPhone/iOS
The controls look a bit clunky but all of the features are there: control the shutter speed from 0.5 to 15 seconds, sensitivity, self-timer mode and light trail mode. Pretty great for a free app.
Slow Shutter Fast Cam
Free (Ad-Enabled, remove ad for $2.99) on the App Store for iPhone/iOS
Another free feature-packed app that gives you an insight into the camera’s settings as they change. Manual and auto-focus enabled, and options for different capture modes, including light trail mode. Control shutter speed, zoom in speed and more.
Slow Shutter Cam
$1.99 on the App Store for iPhone/iOS
If you’re willing to shell out a couple of dollars, then spend it on Slow Shutter Cam. This app is a lot more polished than the free ones, and gives you a lot more control. Use different capture modes including Motion Blur, Light Trail and Low Light– with specialised controls for each. It’s highly rated in the app store. The app had a little trouble white balancing, but it fixed itself up pretty quickly.
Android Apps
- Long Exposure Camera 2 (Free, In-App Purchases) – Low resolution photos in the free version. You’ll need to upgrade if you want any larger images.
- Camera FV-5 Lite (Free, Paid version available here) – A wide-ranging app that allows you to control various camera settings manually, including shutter speed.
- Footej Camera (Free, In-App Purchases) – Another app with many manual controls and a nice interface.
Long-exposure photo ideas
Take a look at these ideas for some quick inspiration in using long exposure. The possibilities are endless!
Traffic at night
![Traffic at night with long-exposure effect](/assets/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/pexels-photo-460706-300x200.jpeg)
A clichéd but wonderful example of long-exposure photography is traffic at night. Moving traffic under long exposure creates streams of white and red light from the head and tail lights.
Silky smooth waterfalls
![Smooth waterfall photography using long exposure](/assets/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/waterfall-thac-dray-nur-buon-me-thuot-daklak-68147-300x200.jpeg)
The movement of water under long exposure makes waterfalls and streams of water look wispy and misty.
Paint with light
Try using a sparkler at night and drawing in the air while the shutter is open. The slower the shutter speed, the more time you have to draw.
![A group of people waving sparklers in the air to paint with light in a photograph](/assets/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/light-painting-801024_1920-300x200.jpg)
Using a long exposure allows you to paint with light using torches, sparklers, and fire.
Moving Train
This dramatic shot shows the subject watching the world go by while they remain still.
![Person waiting at a train station while a train passes](/assets/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/person-in-front-of-train-300x200-300x200.jpg)
A slow shutter speed helps to show the movement of the train while the subject stands still and remains sharp.
Tips for the best long-exposure photos
The key to a long exposure photo is to capture the contrast between moving and still elements of a photo. The moving elements will be blurry or virtually invisible, and the still parts of the image should be sharp.
- Hold the camera or phone completely still or, ideally, invest in a tripod. Moving your camera around while you’re taking your long-exposure photo will cause the entire scene to blur.
- Try and take photographs where the subject is still and the background is moving. The crispness of the subject will draw the viewer’s focus to the subject.