30-Second Long Exposures Made Easy with a 10-Stop ND Filter
Because you’ve got better things to do than math.
Smooth water. Streaky skies. Facebook troll commenting in caps “THAT’S AI”—while you calmly ignore them, knowing you’ve got the RAW file ready to prove it’s yours.
Want that same thrill—without wrestling with charts and mental math? I’ve got you covered.
Premise:
This post is for anyone who wants to pull off long exposures—30 seconds or more—using a 10-stop ND filter. Before we dive in, keep a few things in mind:
If you’re using a 10-stop ND, I’m assuming you’re not shooting in pitch darkness—you still need to get a proper exposure at 1/30 s before adding the filter.
The exposure triangle. If you don’t understand how ISO, shutter speed, and aperture work together, you shouldn’t be allowed to use a camera…kidding! But seriously, this shortcut won’t make much sense without that knowledge.
What You’ll Need:
10-stop ND filter – duh
Tripod – stability is everything.
Remote shutter release – highly recommended, especially in Bulb mode, so you don’t have to touch the camera and risk blur.
Patience – optional, but helpful.
The Shortcut to 30-Second Exposures
Start by setting a correct exposure at 1/30 s in normal light. Take a couple of test shots and review your histogram—better safe than overexposed.
Switch your camera to manual mode. (That 10-stop ND is dense—once it’s on, you won’t be able to focus anymore.)
Attach your 10-stop ND filter—and voilà! That 1/30 s magically becomes 30 seconds.
From here, all you need to remember are two things:
The exposure triangle (ISO, shutter speed, aperture).
Three clicks = one stop. Most modern DSLRs and mirrorless cameras let you adjust settings in full, half, or third stops. If your camera is set to third-stop increments, three clicks = one full stop. Check your camera’s settings to be sure!
I usually leave ISO at 100 to avoid noise (but feel free to experiment), and adjust the aperture to fine-tune exposure: closing it three clicks doubles the exposure time, opening three clicks halves it.
Pro Tips
See? I told you it was easy. Now, a few things to be aware of:
Use a tripod + remote. Please—you’ll thank me later.
Fast-changing light (golden hour):
– Add a few seconds at sunset (light is fading)
– Subtract a few seconds at sunrise (light is strengthening)
Shoot in RAW. It’s a file format, not a religion. Depends on what you’re shooting:
- Astrophotography = YES
- Your cousin’s birthday party – NO.
For long exposures, I highly recommend it.
Now go out and have fun blurring some clouds.
ISO 100 | 10mm | f/16 | 240 sec