Project six: The big project Sweet sixteen

James Paterson shows how you can create stunning long exposures at any time of the day, with the help of with a 16-stop ND filter and a little bit of patience

- James Paterson

Famous locations like the Colosseum in Rome are both easy and difficult to photograph. Easy because – well, look at it: it’s incredible. Difficult because this site attracts people by the thousands every day, so it’s hard to find an angle that isn’t swarming with people.

This is where a strong neutral-density filter can be a huge asset. It allows us to take minutes-long exposures, which means that people moving through the frame don’t register in the image. What’s more, it can create lovely motion blur in the clouds, which serves both as an eye-catching visual and an visual metaphor for how this grand structure has stood for millennia while activity buzzes all around. But how strong is strong? 10 stops is a popular strength, but sometimes this just isn’t enough. A 16-stop filter, like the FormattHitech ND used here, opens the door to super-long exposure times, even in the brightest of sunny conditions. With this monster on our lens, we can open the shutter for minutes under the midday sun.

Super-long exposures in the sun

GET SET UP FOR SHUTTER SPEEDS THAT RUN TO SEVERAL MINUTES

1 Sturdy tripod

The camera needs to be perfectly still for several minutes, so a tripod is a must. We need to remain in place for a while, so set up in a spot that won’t get in the way of passersby or other photographers. If a tripod isn’t practical (or permitted) in the location you’re visiting, you could use a wall or your bag.

2 Neutral-density filter