How to Capture Long Exposure Photos Without Using an ND Filter
Let’s face it: ND filters can be a pain. They’re expensive, easy to forget, and if you’ve ever spent half a shoot fumbling for a step-up ring, you know they don’t always justify the hassle.
In the recent video below, landscape pro and educator Mark Denney breaks down why you can ditch the neutral density filter altogether but still create silky-smooth, motion-blurred images of moving water with nothing but your camera and some smart techniques.
Denney doesn’t hate filters—in fact, he swears by a polarizer for cutting glare on wet rocks and water surfaces (something you can’t fix in post). But ND filters? He’s found a way around them, and it’s perfect for photographers who travel light or find themselves on location filter-less, like Denney did during a recent workshop in Patagonia.
The trick, as he explains in the video at the bottom of this post, isn’t magic, it’s all about understanding how your camera works and using natural light to your advantage. Here’s the five-step formula he swears by:
- Shoot in Manual Mode – You need full control over aperture, ISO, and shutter speed. No auto-anything. If your camera is calling the shots, this technique won’t work.
- Use a Shutter Delay – A 2-second delay minimizes shake caused by pressing the shutter button. That’s crucial for sharpness during longer exposures.
- Drop Your ISO – Set it as low as your camera allows (ISO 100, 64, even 32 if available). This reduces light sensitivity and lets you stretch your shutter time.
- Narrow That Aperture – Start at f/16 or smaller. A tighter aperture reduces the light hitting your sensor, extending exposure time naturally. Yes, diffraction may soften the image slightly at f/22+, but for most viewers (read: not pixel-peeping photographers), the results still look great.
- Shoot in Low Light – Early morning, twilight, overcast skies—these are your allies. In bright midday sun, this technique is tougher, but still doable with f/22 and base ISO.
In short, forget the gear panic. You can shoot pro-quality long exposures without ND filters—just bring your camera know-how, a bit of patience, and maybe a polarizer (if you remember it).
The post How to Capture Long Exposure Photos Without Using an ND Filter appeared first on Outdoor Photographer.
