Usually shutter of a camera opens only for a fraction of a second just to let enough light fall on the photographic film or an image sensor in case of a digital camera, thus ensuring proper reproduction of the color shades and details of real objects on the photographic image. However, photography is not only a technique of making pictures, but it is also an art of creating authentic fine art works with interesting visual effects. Overexposure is one of the tricks professional photographers use to make excitingly vivid pictures. By opening a shutter for longer and thus letting more light into the chamber, photographers can make really breath-taking photographs, which look especially impressive, if showing flowing water, or cars moving on the night highway.

The effect of selective blur, when the waterfall or a brook looks fuzzy, while the rest of the composition such as stones and trees remain in focus, makes the picture look mysterious and enigmatic. Overexposed shots of the night sky are capable to show us myriads of stars and comets’ traces, otherwise invisible for human sight. The lights of moving cars on the night highways, when captured with overexposure, create beautiful parallel lines, filling night cityscapes with bright and vivid rainbow-like colors. Experimenting with exposure is one of the popular ways to manipulate images without using Photoshop or other digital post-processing instruments. The results of such generic photo manipulations are always interesting for photographers to experiment with and for the audience to watch and enjoy. With the gallery below you have your own chance to evaluate long time exposure photography.

Barrika, 240 by Andoni Lamborena

Moonlight Sonata by yvette depaepe

I missed the sub… by Arnaud Montagard

Summer Fury by Matt Duncan

In the eye of the storm by Yu Haining

Crossing Kitchen Creek by Tim Devine

New Horizons by Noel Clegg

Passage Of Time by Gary McParland

Fairy Pools, Isle of Skye by Alex Scott

The Introspect by Andy Brown

Paris – City of Light by Barry O Carroll

Perpetual Motion by Jorge Fonseca

To Infinity by Jorge Fonseca

Tidal Visit by Dave Henderson

Empty Pier by Jaime Carvalho

Condo Life by Don Pyle

Gone with the Wind by Andreas Wecker

s_u_r_r_e_a_l__d_r_e_a_m_s by Vassilis Tangoulis

Warp Speed by AaronLam .

Yokoso Building and the Loop Bridge by Agustin Rafael Reyes

Adams Falls by Tim Devine

Jurassic by Carol Rukliss

Sailors Warning by Dave Henderson

Whirlpool by Kristen Smith

The Milky Way and Perseid meteor shower light up the night sky by Ethan Allen

Portland Head Light by Bob Lussier

The lamp by Jef Van den Houte

Bamburgh Delight by Michael James Combe

______________i____ by Keith Aggett

Atlantic coast by Paulo FLOP

FFWD by Rob Cherry

Upper Snow Creek Falls by Scott Allan

Hidden Falls by Bill Ratcliffe

Pier At The Sun by Dave Brightwell

Seeing the Universe Above the Forest by Michael Menefee

Sun Kissed by Leasha Hooker

Time Keeps On Slippin by Aaron Reed

Blade Runner by Philipp Klinger

Invasion! by Philipp Klinger

Arc de Triomphe by Philipp Klinger

Night Shooter – Hole in the Wall Beach, Santa Cruz, California by Patrick Smith

Third Strike by Matthew Granz

Brussels By Night by Ben Heine

Midtown Manhattan at Night, New York City by Andrew Mace

Metropolis by Raqeebul Ketan

Baladrar by David Frutos Egea

does the earth rotate? by p.folk

Return to Pigeon Point Lighthouse – 138th Anniversary by Darvin Atkeson

Forth Rail Bridge – Moonlight by angus clyne

Brooklyn Bridge – 9/11 Memorial Lights by Mike Goldberg

Roman Colosseum – Rome Italy by Mike Goldberg

through by Eric 5D Mark II

Storm Front & Light Trails by Brian Burt