How to take long exposure photos on a smartphone

Long exposure photography is a great way to flex your creative muscle. Long exposures are of course necessary in the night or when there’s not enough light, but you can use them creatively in the daytime as well to create, say, a dreamy cityscape or artsy background for portraits. Master long exposure photography to elevate your photography.

Most phones today switch to night mode by default when the light is low, but they also come with a long exposure mode you can switch to at any time. Here’s how you can use it!

Long exposure shots on an iPhone

The iPhone’s default camera app doesn’t give you as much control over the camera as Android phones do and you need third-party apps for that. Thankfully, you don’t need a third-party camera app just for long exposures.

In low light the iPhone will switch to a long-exposure mode by default. For handheld shots the exposure time is about 3-5 seconds. However, if you use a tripod or place the phone on a solid surface, you can easily push the exposure to 30 seconds.

For long exposure photos in daylight, you’ll need to get more creative. First, enable Live Photos. This is enabled by default but if not you can enable it by tapping the live photo icon in the top right of your camera app — the icon looks like a series of concentric circles. You then take photos as you normally would and open them to view. 

On the top left you’ll see a drop-down menu labelled ‘LIVE’. Tap on this and select ‘Long Exposure’. The iPhone will take the exposure data of the live photo — which is essentially a 1-2 second video — and convert it into a long exposure photo. You can fiddle with the editing settings to adjust the duration and type of exposure. For these as well, we’d recommend using a tripod.

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For more control, you’ll want to get a third-party camera app like Spectre or Halide.

Long exposure shots on an Android phone

On Android phones that use the stock camera app or a variation of the stock camera app, you simply swipe right till you’re in the ‘Long Exposure’ mode. Tap the shutter button to capture a long exposure. This will take some time, so try to use a tripod or to keep the device as stable as possible while the capture is happening.

Once captured, tap on the photo and wait for a few seconds while your device processes the data and converts it into a long exposure image.

Some smartphone makers might use a different camera app or layout, but will usually include a Pro or Manual mode when doing so. If you have the option, switch to Pro or Manual mode, head to the shutter speed section and select a low shutter speed. Tap the shutter button to capture a long-exposure image.

These Pro modes give you much more control over the type of long-exposure image you’re trying to capture, but they do require that you have a better understanding of the camera and of photography in general. Android also has a tonne of third-party camera apps you can choose from, but you won’t need one.

ALSO READ: Why is the right light setup important for photography?

Long exposures are fun and a great way to help your photos stand out from the crowd. For best results, remember to use a tripod and to pick backgrounds that look great in motion. Happy shooting!