Long Exposure Photography with a Mobile Approach by Kelly Lerox

Photos and text by Kelly Lerox

I love the summertime in London! (…when it doesn’t rain of course!). I can’t wait for the clocks to go forward, not wear my winter coat and gloves every day, sit in the park after work with friends or in a pub garden with a nice cold beer! Bliss!

However, the downside for a night long exposure photographer like myself is that it means a much smaller window to work with to create the pictures I love, as it gets dark too late! Plus, during the summer months especially after a long day at work, I really don’t want to be lugging all my usual camera gear around. It’s too hot and heavy (yes I’m a wimp!) and it’s just not always convenient. So I am always looking for ways to keep my camera bag light and minimal, but at the same time I want to be fully equipped and not left wishing I’d packed a tripod...cue the Platypod Ultra!

This summer I have challenged myself to focus more around day long exposure photography with a ”mobile” approach. I wanted to demonstrate to people you can be creative and produce quality pictures on a mobile device with a just a few extra items that won’t break the bank. So armed with my mobile phone, some additional lenses (wide and fisheye), a bluetooth remote and of course my Platypod Ultra, I’ve been out on the streets of my hometown!

So far I have found some great spots that I consider to not always be ideal locations to set up with a full size tripod and DSLR, because it’s just too busy or you don’t have the space and time to get set up. I have used my mobile kit to my advantage to maximize flexibility and unique angle options.

Due to the type of pictures I create, people are often quite interested in the camera and lenses I use, my settings and even seek advice on what camera to buy to suit their needs and budget. A DSLR can be a big investment for a lot of people and when starting out as a hobby, you wonder if you will master the settings and get value from it. However, everyone has a mobile phone so it’s a great place to start!

There are many apps available to download in the app stores (some better than others of course) to take away the burden of camera settings, so the hard work is all done for you if you have no interest in learning about settings! A basic understanding certainly puts you at an advantage, but a desire to be creative is the key.

I have been really happy with the results of my day long exposure shots so far. Are they better than a DSLR raw image? - arguably not – but does that matter? So if you are embarking on your journey into photography or this is a technique that interests you, hopefully it demonstrates you can be creative on the go and shows what you can produce on a reasonably low budget, some post editing and with a few items you can carry in your pockets!

Find me on Instagram for more long exposure inspiration.