Low-Light Photo Trick: How to Create Clouds From Sand

Photography Tips

Sometimes in-camera cloud effects can give an image a sense of texture and style that’s unachievable any other way. Here, Isabelle Chapuis and Alexis Pichot team up with Nikon to show us how they create a simple cloud effect in low light:

Shooting with a Nikon D7200, Chapuis cranks the ISO up to 2000, opens the aperture as wide as it will go (in her case, f/1.8) and keeps the exposure open for a manageable 1/80 of a second.

Then Pichot runs toward her with a handful of sand and throws it in the air. The result is simple, but pretty cool:

So if you ever need a quick and different photo project—or you’re looking to add texture and depth to a low-light image—consider throwing some sand around. Just be careful not to toss it too close to your lens.