This exposure is a standard 10 second exposure at f/5 using an 18-55mm lens. A beautiful image that has been published in a magazine. All I really did was compose the image and shoot. Because of the light inside the phone box it was light enough to zoom in and focus on the keypad on the phone box. I did a few test shots of different angles and different exposures but once I found the right combination I could then concentrate on getting the right shot.

 Another standard long exposure for 30 seconds at F/5.6 using a 10-22mm. The angle and the subject matter really make this image what it is. You have to be more creative with standard long exposures because there is no creative lighting. I climbed up on to the wing of the plane and set my tripod as high as it would go with the camera looking down. With the wideness of the lens I can have the whole plane in shot and most of the sky.

 

When creating your first standard exposure you may not have a shutter release so you will have to pick your subject matter quite carefully to get an image that is not greatly underexposed. Most people start with a traffic trail for 30 seconds off a motorway bridge or even the road outside of your house. This will give you a feel for long exposures and help you to learn how to focus properly and get a good composition in your images. When shooting with a shutter release you can make your exposures as long as you wish and start exploring in to star trials which I will talk about in the next section of the guide. Remember when shooting for long periods of time you may need to turn on your noise reduction which can be found in the menu and also don't forget that your exposure will have to be slightly longer than if you were adding artificial light.