There’s something magical about a long exposure photograph taken in daylight. Waterfalls turn to silk. Clouds streak across the sky. Ocean waves become smooth, ethereal mist. People walking through a scene disappear entirely, leaving only architecture and stillness.

The technique itself is straightforward. You slow your shutter speed down — way down, sometimes to several seconds or even minutes — and let the camera capture the movement of everything in the frame. The problem is that in daylight, a multi-second exposure would blow out your image into a wall of white. That’s where ND filters come in.

What ND Filters Actually Do

An ND (neutral density) filter is essentially sunglasses for your lens. It reduces the amount of light entering the camera without affecting colour, allowing you to use slow shutter speeds in conditions that would otherwise be too bright.

ND filters are rated by how many “stops” of light they block:

• ND8 (3-stop): Reduces light by 8x. Useful for slightly slower shutter speeds, maybe 1/4 second in bright conditions.
• ND64 (6-stop): Reduces light by 64x. Gets you into the 1-4 second range in daylight.
• ND1000 (10-stop): Reduces light by 1,000x. This is the workhorse for daytime long exposures, enabling 30-second to multi-minute exposures in full sun.

There are also variable ND filters, which let you dial the density up or down. I’ll get to those in a moment.

Choosing Your First ND Filter

If you’re buying one ND filter to start with, make it a 10-stop (ND1000). It’s the most versatile for the kind of dramatic long exposure work that draws most people to this technique.

For brands, here’s what I’d recommend at different price points:

Budget ($40-80 AUD): K&F Concept ND1000. Surprisingly good for the price. Some minor colour cast that’s easily corrected in post. Comes with a lens cap and pouch.

Mid-range ($100-180 AUD): Hoya ProND1000 or NiSi 10-stop. Both produce minimal colour cast and are well-built. NiSi has a slight edge in optical quality based on my testing.

Premium ($200-350 AUD): B+W 110 ND or Lee Filters Stopper. These are the industry standards. Virtually no colour cast, excellent multi-coating to resist flare, and built to last decades.

Filter size matters. Buy the filter to match your largest lens, then use step-up rings for your smaller lenses. If your main landscape lens is 77mm and your other lens is 67mm, buy a 77mm filter and a 67-77mm step-up ring ($10-15). This saves you from buying the same filter in multiple sizes.

Variable ND Filters: Worth It?

Variable ND filters use two polarising elements that darken as you rotate them. The appeal is obvious — one filter that covers everything from 2 stops to 8 stops or more.

In practice, variable NDs have limitations. Most exhibit a visible “X” pattern at their darkest settings, particularly on wide-angle lenses. Colour accuracy tends to be worse than fixed ND filters. And cheap variable NDs can introduce significant softness.

That said, they’re excellent for video work where you need to adjust exposure on the fly, and higher-end options like the PolarPro Peter McKinnon VND or the NiSi True Color VND have largely solved the quality issues — at a premium price ($250-400 AUD).

My recommendation: use a fixed ND1000 for dedicated long exposure work and a variable ND if you also shoot video. Don’t try to use a variable ND as your only long exposure filter.

The Technique: Step by Step

Here’s my actual workflow for a daytime long exposure. I’m assuming you’re shooting in manual mode with a tripod.

1. Compose Without the Filter

Frame your shot with the ND filter off. Your camera’s autofocus and metering will work normally, so get everything set up first. Focus on your subject, then switch your lens to manual focus to lock it in. Don’t touch the focus ring after this.

2. Take a Test Exposure

Take a properly exposed shot without the filter. Note your settings. For example: f/11, 1/125s, ISO 100.

3. Calculate the Filtered Exposure

A 10-stop ND filter requires you to multiply your shutter speed by approximately 1,000. So 1/125s becomes about 8 seconds.

Here’s a quick reference table for a 10-stop filter:

Without filter	With 10-stop ND
1/500s	2 seconds
1/250s	4 seconds
1/125s	8 seconds
1/60s	15 seconds
1/30s	30 seconds
1/15s	60 seconds

There are free apps that do this calculation for you. I use “ND Filter Calculator” on iOS.

4. Attach the Filter and Shoot

Screw on (or slide in) the ND filter. Switch to Bulb mode if your exposure exceeds 30 seconds. Use a remote shutter release or your camera’s built-in timer to avoid touching the camera during the exposure.

5. Review and Adjust

Check the histogram on your first shot. ND filter calculations are approximate, so you may need to adjust by a stop or so. If the image is too bright, increase your aperture (higher f-number) or lower your ISO. If it’s too dark, do the opposite.

Common Mistakes

Forgetting to switch to manual focus. With a dark ND filter on, your camera’s autofocus will hunt endlessly and never lock. Always focus before attaching the filter.

Not using mirror lock-up or electronic first curtain shutter. On DSLRs, the mirror slap can cause vibration during long exposures. Use mirror lock-up. On mirrorless cameras, use electronic first curtain shutter to eliminate any mechanical vibration.

Ignoring wind. A strong gust can shake your tripod during a 30-second exposure. Hang your camera bag from the centre column for extra stability, and shield the tripod from wind when possible.

Expecting every long exposure to look good. Some scenes don’t suit the technique. If there’s nothing moving in the frame — no water, no clouds, no traffic — a long exposure won’t add anything. The magic happens when you have a mix of static and dynamic elements.

Where to Practice in Australia

Long exposure photography works brilliantly at Australian coastal locations. Some favourites:

• Mahon Pool, Maroubra (NSW) — rock pools with constant wave action
• Twelve Apostles (VIC) — dramatic sea stacks with ocean movement
• Cottesloe Beach (WA) — sculptural pylons and Indian Ocean swells
• Noosa National Park (QLD) — rocky headlands and tide channels

The golden hours and blue hour are ideal, but with a strong ND filter, you can get compelling results at midday when the rest of us would normally pack our cameras away. That’s the beauty of these little pieces of glass — they open up creative possibilities that simply don’t exist without them.