To do long exposure photography on your iPhone, here is how you can easily achieve it:
- Use Live Photo Mode in the iPhone Camera App:
- Open the Camera app on your iPhone.
- Activate the Live Photo mode by tapping the Live Photo icon (a set of concentric circles) at the top right corner.
- Take a picture while keeping your iPhone as steady as possible. For best results, use a tripod or rest your iPhone on a stable surface.
- Once the photo is taken, open the Photos app.
- Find and open the Live Photo you just took.
- Tap on the "Live" icon/button usually located at the top left corner.
- Select "Long Exposure" from the options that appear. This will transform your Live Photo into a long exposure shot, creating motion blur effects on moving subjects like water, clouds, or lights, while keeping stationary subjects sharp. This method uses software to simulate a slow shutter effect by blending the frames of the Live Photo.
- For More Manual Control:
You can also use third-party camera apps such as "Snap Pro Camera" or "Slow Shutter Cam" which allow you to manually set longer exposure times (e.g., 1 to 30 seconds), adjust ISO, and other settings. These apps often include features like AI-based stabilization to reduce blur without a tripod. Using these apps with a tripod gives you the best quality long exposure shots.
- Tips for Best Results:
- Use a tripod or stable surface to prevent unwanted camera shake during the exposure.
- Use the timer or a remote shutter trigger (like the volume button on headphones or an Apple Watch) to avoid shaking the camera when pressing the shutter.
- Experiment with different subjects such as moving water, traffic at night, or clouds.
- For Night mode photos and low-light long exposures, keep your phone steady until the exposure completes.
- Compose your shot thoughtfully to make the motion blur visually appealing.
Using the built-in Live Photo to Long Exposure conversion is a quick and easy way for beginners, while third-party apps provide more advanced options for creative control. This process works on iPhones that support Live Photos (iPhone 6 and later) and works best with iOS 15 or newer for native long exposure options.
