Urban Illumination: Capturing Light Trails with an iPhone

Long Exposure Photography  •  Photography Tips  •  Smartphone Photography

Noted photographer Clifford Pickett from Urban iPhone Photography invites us on a visual journey into the world of long exposure photography and light trails in his latest video tutorial. Unleashing the photographic potential of the urban cityscape of New York City’s Grand Central Terminal, Pickett demonstrates how to use the hustle and bustle of city traffic to create striking light trail images, while using nothing more than a smartphone:

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Timing is essential when it comes to capturing the perfect light trails, and Pickett recommends shooting during the blue hour – the period shortly after sunset or just before sunrise. The darker ambient light naturally allows for longer exposures, while still providing sufficient light to illuminate the city’s skyline. This balance of natural and artificial light gives a soft, blue hue to the sky, making for the best blue hour shots.

The Need for a Steady Shot

In long exposure photography, stability is key. To ensure the sharpness of static elements in your frame, you’ll need a tripod or a similar device to keep your smartphone steady. Vibrations or movements can introduce unwanted blurriness, so Pickett recommends using a Bluetooth remote control to trigger the camera shutter, thereby minimizing disturbance.

Leveraging Native Camera Features

Pickett begins his light trail endeavor by using the native Camera app’s live photo feature on an iPhone. This feature records 1.5 seconds of video before and after the photo, creating a semblance of a long exposure shot. However, this method doesn’t produce the desired light trails effect, as the app merely blurs the moving objects, making them barely visible.

Turning to ProCam 8 for Light Trails

To create vibrant light trails, Pickett introduces ProCam 8, a professional camera app. By switching to long exposure mode and selecting the light trails option, he sets the exposure time to eight seconds – sufficient for capturing the motion of the slow-moving New York City traffic.

Fine-tuning the exposure settings is crucial in long exposure photography. Pickett adjusts the exposure to slightly underexposed, ensuring the color integrity of the light trails while preventing overexposure from the long shutter duration.

Experimenting with Composition and Perspective

Pickett emphasizes the value of exploration and experimentation in photography. He adjusts his composition, opting for a horizontal frame to capture the wide cityscape, and repositions his setup to get closer to the traffic, adding depth to his image.

A critical aspect of light trail photography lies in the unpredictable nature of traffic movement. As each vehicle, from yellow taxis to red taillights, moves at different speeds and directions, they create unique patterns and colors, resulting in a diverse array of images.

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