Long-exposure photography is a widely used technique with ground-based cameras for creative and surprising results
A drone hovering is not as stable as a camera on a sturdy tripod. Until a few years ago, a very slow shutter speed would introduce unwanted blur and other artifacts. However, the stability of current DJI prosumer models has considerably improved
In this video, I will show how to take long exposure photos with drone for stunning results
You can check the updated price for the different configurations of the current line of DJI prosumer drones. It is an affiliate link, so I get a small commission in case of purchase
Other related articles you might find interesting:
- Motion blur in time lapses and hyperlapses
- How to edit photos with Luminar Neo
- Exposure settings for photo and video with the Mini 4 Pro
- Photography with the Mini 4 Pro
- Photography with the Air 3
If you prefer to watch it as a video, you will find my YouTube version a t the end of this article
Why long-exposure photography?
Slow shutter speed values modify the aspect of the elements in motion within a scene
- To get the feel of motion in moving vehicles or people walking
- For a silky look in waterfalls or waves
- To soften the cloud movement on a windy day
With extreme shutter speed, it is possible to make cars or walking people disappear from a scene, which can be useful on certain occasions
We can also use the movement of the aircraft to get creative and unexpected results, as we will see later on
Settings for Long-Exposure Photography
Three parameters interact for exposure
- Aperture
- ISO
- Shutter Speed
Manual exposure is mandatory, as we want to use a specific shutter speed value, the other parameters will be adjusted to get the correct amount of luminosity
The Mavic 3 is the only current DJI model with a variable aperture. This makes things easier, as we can modify the value of the aperture to fine-tune the amount of light entering the sensor
With the other models, the only parameter to adjust is ISO. Ideally, we want to use the base value of 100 for the best image quality but the current models respond very well to higher values and we can use up to 400 ISO without any noticeable quality loss. This leaves some room to maneuver
A shutter speed of 1/2” or slower generates some blur in the elements in motion to make them appear as we would see them in real life. The slower the shutter speed value, the more pronounced the blurring. The still elements should remain in focus, unaffected by the blur
In the Mini 4 Pro and Air 3s, the slowest shutter speed value available is 2”. You can see examples of different shutter speeds in the video above
There is also a simulated long exposure mode with values from 2.5 to 8” for extreme results. It is obtained by taking several shorter photos that are then staked and processed by the app
ND Filters and Time of the Day
When using slow shutter speed values, the sensor collects plenty of light. The luminosity is too high to expose correctly in most situations. This is why ND filters are needed for long-exposure photography
The filters required are the same as for hyperlapses, much stronger than the ones for video, as low shutter speed values cannot be used for filming
You can check the updated prices for ND filters for the Mini 4 Pro, for the Air 3, for the Air 3s. It is an affiliate link, so I get a small commission in case of purchase
The Mini 4 Pro and Air 3s have a very wide fixed aperture gathering more light than other models. A strong ND 2000 filter is required for long shutter speeds in full daylight
But I suggest avoiding the central hour of a sunny day and shooting around sunrise or sunset for much better light conditions with softer shadows. Around sunset, an ND 256 filter allows shutter speeds of up to 2 seconds. During the blue hour, lighter filters can be used
The secret to good results in long-exposure photography is to choose the correct filter at a specific time of day, although we can use ISO values from 100 to 400 to fine-tune the luminosity. With the Mavic 3, the choice is simplified, as we can also modify the aperture
Non-Flying Drones
We generally think of drone photography as images taken from a high point of view. But a drone is not necessarily always flying
We can use a drone like a ground-based camera, without activating the propellers. All we need to do is find a level surface to place the aircraft on: the floor, a table, a low wall, or a bus. We can even use it with a tripod
When the aircraft is placed on a solid surface we can use very long shutter speed values and take advantage of countless opportunities for great long-exposure photos, especially in urban environments
In the video above you find examples of long-exposure images that can be taken either with a camera on a tripod or with a drone
Long Exposure and Hyperlapses
The exposure settings for long-exposure photography are similar to the ones used for time-lapses and hyperlapses, as in both cases we want to create motion blur on the moving elements without affecting the rest of the image
It is possible to get stunning long-exposure photos by shooting a time lapse or a hyper-lapse, then scrolling through frame by frame to select one or more images. We can then summon the photo file and process it
To edit all the images I have used Luminar Neo, my favorite photo post-processing software. Here you find info about Luminar Neo together with a discount coupon. It is an affiliate link, so I get a small commission in case of purchase. You can watch my video about Luminar Neo
Drone Movement
The aircraft’s movement can be used for unusual long-exposure shots with unexpected results
Experiment with shutter speeds between one and two seconds by flying towards a target forward and backward for different effects. The blurring effect is much more pronounced with a slower shutter speed, a faster movement of the aircraft and when flying at a lower altitude, closer to the ground
Another variation is to turn the camera down for a top-down shot to take photos while descending and ascending. It can be great fun!