45 Second Exposure, Malta
*ALL my photos shown here are used with a cheap $15 USD ND Filter
To create images like the one above you will need a camera (with manual settings and bulb mode), any lens, tripod, shutter release cable/remote and of course the 10 Stop ND Filter.
The 10 Stop ND Filter
In this blog post we will be specifically talking about the 10 Stop ND filter. It’s basically what you think it is, it blocks light by 10 stops on your camera. Wait… What??? In a nut shell it will allow you to have longer exposures even in the bright sunlight. Let me explain it a little better…
Let’s say you want to photograph a waterfall but it’s 12:00 pm and very bright out. Your camera meter will tell you that you need a fast shutter speed because if you have a slower one it will be overexposed. To fix this issue you will need to use a neutral density filter. It will trick your camera to thinking it’s darker but in actuality it’s bright out. Since you have the ND filter on you are able to shoot at a slower shutter speed without having your images overexposed.
*Another great time to use it would be during sunset where you want to capture the light and movement of the clouds.
Is Cheap That Bad?
What’s the one thing people say when you buy something cheap and it breaks? ‘You get what you paid for’ Most of the time that’s very accurate but I’ve seen expensive things break faster than ‘cheap’ items all the time. If it’s cheap and it breaks people love to use that line, but if it’s cheap and has no issues you’re just lucky right? Kevin Hart said it the best, ‘Stay in your lane people.’ You don’t have to break the bank if you don’t need to.
With camera gear it’s always about ‘What’s the best…’ people are too fixated on what’s the best gear to photograph this or that. And what’s usually associated with the best? Price. To have better gear means spending more money right? Not true. I’ve used a cheap $25 tripod for the longest time and it’s as sturdy or more sturdy than my more expensive Manfrotto tripod now.
Sample Images
90 Second exposure – Maderia, Portugal
30 Second Exposure – Malta
20 second exposure – Maderia, Portugal
30 Second Exposure, Toulouse, France
Final Thoughts
I do notice some image degradation but for what you paid its more than worth it’s weight in gold. I’ve never tried the more expensive ones but if any companies would like to sponsor me I wouldn’t say no =)
Ultimately you could spend a fortune on photography gear because there’s always accessories or things you think you need to improve your photography but here’s a little secret…Practicing your photography will improve it more than any accessory can. In photography you will always get better and learn something new every time.
If you want to see more please follow me @supermoul on instagram. I will start to sell prints in the upcoming months. Stay tuned!!!
Vicheth Moul 