Increasing exposure time...help!

[Engine7]

Mods if you need to move this post please do so, but I need help, how do I increase exposure time? I want to take photos of the effects of a storm thats passing through and all my shots a completely white. I'm using an Canon Rebel XSI. Just to let you all know I am as new as it gets when it comes to photos. Thanks in advance

Ruben ( Engine 7 )

[SusanH1970]

If you increase exposure time, you're blowing out your shots by letting in too much light, which explains why they're all white. You need to either increase your shutter speed or close down your aperture. Can you post an image with EXIF?

[ericalynnea]

Susan is correct, your images will be blown out because of the amount of time light is hitting your sensor, it's just too much. In a way it sounds like you're doing something similar to a light trail, and there was an article here I read about different ways to get shots like that. One thing the article said was to actually take multiple shots then get a program that can layer all the images. This allows you to take more shots at the correct exposure without blowing out your image.

I believe this article will help. It's about doing star trails, but you can probably adjust it a bit and apply it to the storm. Here is the link: An Introduction to Shooting Stars Trails

Hope that helps!

[Engine7]

@ Susan- What is EXIF?

@ Erica- Thats kinda what I was trying to do, but during the day. I was trying to get the trees blowing in the wind.

Thanks to the both of you for responding so quick.

Ruben

[ericalynnea]

an EXIF is another file type (I had to google it, I didn't know exactly what it meant either)
this is what Wikipedia had to say about it: Exchangeable image file format (Exif) is a specification for the image file format used by digital cameras (including smartphones) and scanners. The specification uses the existing JPEG, TIFF Rev. 6.0, and RIFF WAV file formats, with the addition of specific metadata tags. It is not supported in JPEG 2000, PNG, or GIF.

Along with changing shutter speed or aperture to reduce the amount of light coming in, use the lowest ISO as well since the higher the ISO, the less light needed.

[Thunder_o_b]

Use ND filters.

[Niresangwa]

Originally Posted by ericalynnea

with the addition of specific metadata tags. .

This is the important part in digital photographic parlance...

..by EXIF we want to know the settings, primarily shutter speed, aperture, ISO. Using this information, and more, we can deduce why an image looks like it does, essentially diagnosing a 'problem'.

[ericalynnea]

Originally Posted by Niresangwa

This is the important part in digital photographic parlance...

..by EXIF we want to know the settings, primarily shutter speed, aperture, ISO. Using this information, and more, we can deduce why an image looks like it does, essentially diagnosing a 'problem'.

Good to know, that's for clarifying!

[Engine7]

Yes thank you! OK another one for you all. I see some post with exposure times of 521 sec. long. How do you do that?

[ericalynnea]

You can set your camera shutter speed to bulb mode, which allows the shutter to stay open for as long as you're pressing down. They recommend the best way to use that feature is with a shutter release cord or remote to reduce the potential of moving your camera while you're holding the shutter down.