The Leica Look

In this case a very long, 30-second exposure was used, so as to capture enough light information. In addition, the photographer opted for a small aperture, f/16, and a low light sensitivity of ISO 100, which led to a larger depth of field and less colour noise. Please note that longer exposure times produce a stronger appearance of dark noise and, when using film, of the Schwarzschild effect.

To take this picture, the photographer opted for a very small aperture, ensuring that only a little light would fall on the sensor. Consequently he was able to reach a 25-second exposure time, while minimising the danger of shakiness. During this time frame, he was able to manually apply the camera lens’s zoom function in a controlled, slow and even manner, with the help of a tripod. It is important to calculate in advance the approximate length of the beams, or, alternately, the path the zoom should follow.

With good light conditions, the photographer had to close the aperture so that, with 1/8^th of a second, the background is blurry, while the expression on the face is recognisable. He managed this by panning the camera in a way that was synchronised with the child’s movement. A certain amount of “shakiness” is inevitable but secondary, and should not stop you from using this technique. In this kind of situation, better to take too many pictures than too few.

In the scene, the stroke of the hammer is the opening chord, while the explosion is the closing one: direct like the sparks, and elusive like the smoke.

In this case, for the motion blur effect, the photographer deliberately used a relatively short exposure time, so as not to overrun the decisive moment, on the one hand, while capturing the sparks and their flight paths, on the other. He managed to do this very successfully, by setting the aperture wide open with an exposure time of 1/40^th of a second. It is as though the viewer can actually hear the stroke of the hammer.

The photographer managed to take this picture during a train ride. He did not actually move the camera, rather he and the camera moved together. With the train’s high speed, it was enough for him to find a stable position and set a time exposure of one second with a nearly fully open aperture, to be able to take this futuristic-looking picture.

A longer exposure would have made the motif completely blurry. The visual result in this photo is comparable to the zoom effect.

Framed by a white, mist-like fuzz, the sharp and craggy rocks and cliffs become central to the image. This virtually hyperreal reproduction of the finest detail creates a tension that moves the viewer to spend more time looking at the picture.

To capture the detail-rich aspect of this impressive landscape, the photographer used a small aperture and low light sensitivity. A half-minute exposure, a tripod and a remote-control release, were necessary to capture the motion blur. A suitable ND (neutral density) filter can further strengthen the exposure and the motion blur effect.