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Light trail photography can be aesthetically pleasing on the eyes. It falls under long exposure photography which is about making a photo that shows the effect of passing time. For this reason, long exposure is sometimes called time exposure and even slow exposure photography. As the name suggests, this type of photography involves the shutter on a camera being open for a longer duration than normal to capture an object and blurring it in the process. The blur shows the movement of the object and in the case of light trails with a streaking light effect. It can produce some wonderful results in photography, so here is a quick guide on how to capture light trails from cars.

What is a light trail?

Light trails are simply creative colourful effects that photographers use to capture images by employing a long-exposure shooting technique. It is often used to capture the trail of lights from cars or to make urban photography more pleasing to see. The result is the glowing lines of light which would appear in the photo when a car with its headlights or taillights passes through the scene. This not only adds a dynamic element to the photo but can help bring to life evening or night scenes that might otherwise seem dark and uninteresting.

What kind of camera do I need for light trail photography?

When it comes to light trail photography even a smartphone is capable of pulling it off as long as it has long exposure settings. All you need is a camera or a phone with a tripod then use its self-timer feature to trigger the shutter. This is done by setting the camera shutter speed to be very low. This enables light to get captured by the sensor over a period of time. This may only be a few seconds. By doing so, as the shutter is open, any passing lights are captured until the shutter is closed. Hence the streaking lines that you see.

Your location is important

Places with high traffic or moving vehicles such as urban centres are best. Higher vantage points are also great for capturing light trails. Ensure you find a good spot before you set up your camera. Look for bridges, parking lofts, especially the top or high rise buildings. If you live in the city or you are in a hotel on a higher floor with a view of the streets then you are in luck for a perfect light trail shot. But don’t worry if you can’t find an elevated view. You can also capture great light trail shots at street level. Try to find somewhere where there is a point of interest in the background that can give your photo some context.

What do you need for light trail photography?

Besides a camera, the most important tool you need for light trails is a tripod. You will not be able to capture slow exposure shots without one. The key to this type of photography is that you need to ensure there are perfectly sharp parts of your photo to counter the blurred motion effects of cars and lights. Without this, your whole photo will look blurred. A remote release can also be useful but not a necessity as you can just set your camera on a timer.

What’s the best time to capture light trails?

It is all about timing. The twilight period or at night would give you the best result as the light trails pop out against the dark colours. But you can try it during the day if there are cars with lights on but it won’t have the same effect. To capture light trails during the day you will need to use a neutral density filter to be able to slow your shutter speed.

Recommended camera settings

Take into consideration the lighting and also the speed of the traffic. This will determine the shutter speed to use. These settings do not apply to every situation, however, this should help you get started on light trail photography.

Here are some recommended settings to try out:

Turn off the flash
Position your camera on the tripod securely
If your lens has image stabilization, turn it off
Set your camera to manual mode
Select a fairly narrow aperture depending on how much depth of field you need (f/8 – f/16)
Aim for the shutter speed to be at least a few seconds (if it is too fast select a smaller aperture. If too slow select a wider aperture)
ISO should be as low as possible (ideally ISO 100)
“Lock up” the mirror in your settings or choose “Live view” mode
For best results select manual focus and focus on exactly where you want to
Set your camera on a 2-second timer or use a shutter release cable.

Remember to find a good location to get a good image of the traffic with an interesting background. You can also play around your shutter speed until you are happy with the result you get. Remember that if you are using a timer, the camera will take 2 seconds before it starts taking the photo. So take the shot before the vehicles get to where you want them to be.

Light trails can provide wonderful photos and they are also great fun. It will take a little bit of trial and error in any scene to get the perfect timing. But a nice photo of light trails can really help bring to life a city or even a road. Try it out next time you are out photographing and you might end up with some great photos.

It was almost as if it was slow motion. The camera fell towards the ground where a big rock and muddy puddle awaited it. Luckily the camera missed the rock and landed in the muddy puddle instead. As I picked it up in sheer terror anticipating the worst, I discovered it still worked! With a bit of cleaning up, I was ready to shoot again. It was a lucky escape that resulted in me not ensuring my camera was properly secured to my tripod as I photographed a waterfall. Had the camera landed a little more to the right it would have no doubt smashed. A bit further to the left and it would have probably been floating away in the river. This happened to me a few years ago and taught me a valuable lesson to always ensure that my camera and tripod are secure and steady when taking a photo.

I often see many amateurs and even pro photographers using their tripod in a way that can not only ruin their photos but also put their camera at risk. So, here are 6 mistakes to avoid when using a tripod to ensure your camera and photos are safe.

Avoid raising the centre column

I have lost count of the number of times that I have seen people taking photos of landscapes with the centre column fully extended. The thing about the centre column on your tripod is that it can actually be detrimental to the sharpness of your photos. The reason is that it isn’t actually that secure. So even the slightest of movements will rattle the column and thus mean your shots might be blurred (especially in low light conditions).

So what is the purpose of that centre column you may ask? Well; usually the reason that photographers use that central column is to take shots where the camera needs to be facing down fully. Like for example taking an overhead shot of food. By extending the column and tilting it over it allows the photographer to take an over the top shot without capturing the tripod legs.

Make sure tripod insert is tight

The tripod shoe or insert is what tightens to the bottom of your camera and then subsequently clicks onto your tripod. This small apparatus is what keeps the camera on top of the tripod. If it isn’t correctly screwed in or tightened it could mean camera movement which in turn mean blurred photos.

Always make sure that you are using the correct size screw (most tripods will come with a small metal addition screw that can make the shoe connect to bigger camera holes). Also, check that when you have screwed in the shoe to your camera the arrow at the bottom is pointing in the direction of your lens.

Mount the camera properly

This is the error that almost cost me my camera. When I mounted the camera onto the tripod, it hadn’t fitted in properly and so it wasn’t secure. As soon as I let go, the camera fell. When you mount your camera, make sure that the connection has closed and is secure. A good habit to get into is to just gently move the camera once you have mounted it to make sure it doesn’t come out. Then you can let go.

Position the legs correctly

This is often the most common mistake that I see people make. Even if your camera is straight, by not positioning the legs correctly you could find that you tripod falls over with the slightest breeze. It’s all about making sure that the weight of the camera is distributed evenly across the frame of the tripod. Ideally, you should use the spirit level on your tripod to try and get your centre column to be as straight as possible. Sometimes that means lowering one of the legs so that you can do this. But you also should be aware of the need for a potential counterweight that might be needed to stop your tripod falling over.

For example, if you are photographing food with an overhead shot (i.e. your centre column is extended and tilted over), when you mount a camera on, the tripod will immediately start falling over at the camera end. So to ensure it doesn’t you need to hang a sandbag to one of the legs (on the opposite side) to counter the weight balance.

Always look to set up your tripod first and check that it is secure before mounting your camera on. Be especially careful when there is wind as a strong gust can easily knock over a tripod.

Extend the top legs first

Another potential mistake that you might be making that you don’t even know about it how you extend the legs. All tripods legs come in different sections that are thicker and more sturdy near the top to thinner the lower you get. This is simply so that the tripod legs can be retracted into the upper sections. Naturally, the thicker and more sturdy section of the legs is nearer the top. So if you find yourself needing to only extend you tripod partly, always start with the top section first. On higher end and more heavyweight tripods, you should see any issues even if using the lower part but it’s still worth getting into the habit of using the tripod correctly.

Be careful how you carry it

It amazes me how often I see people carrying their tripod incorrectly. If your tripod is extended you should always carry it over your shoulder. Even if you have your camera mounted on there, over your shoulder will keep it much safer than any other way. Avoid carrying the tripod by your side as not only there is more chance of you knocking your camera on things but also more risk to others who may trip or be it by the legs.

Always remember that your tripod is what is holding up your expensive camera and lenses so if it isn’t secure you are risking a potential fall and damage to your camera. But there is also the potential risk to your photos as well. A tripod that isn’t properly set up will move and shake your camera which will mean blurred photos.

How To Capture Light Trails From Cars