first attempt at car light trails

heavanslilangel · Mar 15, 2012

This is my first attempt at car light trails.(was pretty foggy so should have waited really for a clear night but have been wanting to try these shots for ages) taken last night at 10.30pm,
iso, 100, shutter speed 30 seconds, f11.

Bend The Light · Mar 15, 2012

Are you shooting for 30s because that's what the camera does? If you have a trigger, you can set the camera to bulb and shoot for however long you like...

These don't look bad, though.

I need to get out and do some more.

Jeff92 · Mar 15, 2012

These are cool! Weird looking highway though. where is that

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk

Frequency · Mar 15, 2012

The brown overtone instead of black of darkness.... i liked them... i also like how the highway bent and vanishes at distance.....

Regards

RedVixen81 · Mar 15, 2012

They are taken in the UK.

heavanslilangel · Mar 15, 2012

Thankyou for all the kind coments,
I have to say they came out much better than i expected for my first time,

Im eager to get out and take some more, perhaps next time a busier motorway?
M25 maybe?
Im also wondering what other light trails i can take some shots of, experiment a little perhaps, but im stuck for ideas,................................. anyone? lol
oh and no the camera shutter speed was able to go lower than 30s, i just didnt think when i was up there,lol, but now you mention bulb, i remember my college tutor saying about using that mode so will def give that a try next time.

also yes, these are shots of a motorway in the UK redvixen, it is the A2 that heads into london.

MReid · Mar 15, 2012

Needs to be brighter overall, try increasing your iso and length of the shot.
Can you get closer and lose some of the dead space on top.

Bend The Light · Mar 15, 2012

heavanslilangel said:
Thankyou for all the kind coments,
I have to say they came out much better than i expected for my first time,
Im eager to get out and take some more, perhaps next time a busier motorway?
M25 maybe?
Im also wondering what other light trails i can take some shots of, experiment a little perhaps, but im stuck for ideas,................................. anyone? lol
oh and no the camera shutter speed was able to go lower than 30s, i just didnt think when i was up there,lol, but now you mention bulb, i remember my college tutor saying about using that mode so will def give that a try next time.
also yes, these are shots of a motorway in the UK redvixen, it is the A2 that heads into london.

I tried these with my 400D - I forgot to take my remote trigger. I could use Bulb and have longer than 30 seconds, but you have to hold the shutter and that introduced shake. So the remote is better for the long exposures...that's what I was saying. A longer exposure would brighten it, as some were saying, and give you more consistent trails, too.

Forkie · Mar 15, 2012

Do you live anywhere near Heathrow, Stansted or Gatwick? I reckon aircraft landings lights would make some pretty good trails!

heavanslilangel · Mar 15, 2012

Thanks bend the light,
I had my remote shutter with me, but i left it in the car :meh:, and i debated if to go back and get it, but it was just too cold to walk back to the car, my poor hands were frozen,lol
It was kind of a last minute decision aswell to go up and get the shots, but yeah, def next time i will be better prepared, ( and will also try bulb mode)
Also see what you mean mread about cropping it down a bit from the top.